66 Valiant 6 to V8

-
DrAndrew

DrAndrew

Active Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2020
Messages
37
Reaction score
23
Location
Forked River NJ
So I hear the 66 K member is the same for the 6 or V8. And I just need to change the motor mounts. Is that correct? I am looking to put in a 360 or 383 stroker. Any other recommendations.
I keeping the 6 in it to drive and I have another K-member to do the build and upgrade everything.
Thanks
Andrew.
 
I will delete this thread, I am sure it's just a duplicate
Oops, no, I will leave it, enjoy this great site
 
yeah I was trying to get it in the general discussion but I guess it has to go in specific area? Or will it be seen everywhere?
Thanks
 
Yes the K member is the same, you need V8 engine mounts. Also you will need to change the drag link, it hangs a little lower on the V8 cars. Your /6 drag link will not work.
 
go big LA..forget the B/RB. Youll never reap the benefits of a big block power to the ground as the car is too light. Flame me but I been there, blip the gas in a left hand turn and the rear will swing out like your on ice (451 w/3.91 and 2800 stall). LA's can go out to 426 with a 4.125 stroke crank if your a cubic inch counter but a 360 will roast them just as well without the B header headache. Id do a 360 roller: plentiful, no 340 tax and has great heads. keep with an A904, thats all you need and they fit better. 7.25SG a minimum, 8.25 is still somewhat affordable and will bolt in but youll lose your limited 5 on 4 rim selection (bummer...?) Front disk from an Aspen in BBP, now you have 4 matching rims. Use the thick biscuit mounts. not the "ice cream sandwich" ones. Itll give you 1.5" more lift off the center link. K's were the same. The center link had a dropped middle for the V8 cars but you can use a straight one with a front sump pan and the biscuit mounts. may have to clearance the pan just a tad with a BFH in one spot 1/8 inch but probably not.
 
DrAndrew said:
So I hear the 66 K member is the same for the 6 or V8. And I just need to change the motor mounts. Is that correct? I am looking to put in a 360 or 383 stroker. Any other recommendations.
I keeping the 6 in it to drive and I have another K-member to do the build and upgrade everything.
Thanks
Andrew.
Click to expand...
Small blocks bolt in with the factory V8 brackets, the 360 will require minor bracket mods. You will probably also need the V8 center link. And throttle linkage/pedal. The 383 will be all fabbed parts, the factory never put big blocks in the early A.
"Search" is your friend. LOTS of threads on this subject, seems to come up every couple of days.
 
7C4DCBAE-1AB8-404C-A03C-286C86DE14BE.jpeg
24795F57-E2A9-4D3D-9E4E-248F357BD239.jpeg
F5FF0C9E-E971-4081-A6DF-17A13CF03F09.jpeg
Great intel!!
Thanks all and I will search more.
I know there is a lot on it I just wasn’t sure about the K-member. Now I know.
And sounds like 360 is the way to go. That is what I was leaning towards as I really don’t want to do a lot of mods.
 
Nice lookin' car! Since it's a slant, you've most likely got a 7.25 rear end in it- it'll work for a bit, but I'd add an 8.25/8.75 rear to the long term shopping list. And bigger (or disc) front brakes, since you most likely have the little 9" drums- with more power, you need to stop... and other odds & ends, which you will find out about. Don't you just love how these projects start to snowball? :)
Do your research, and as you read through the threads, make notes on what will be necessary, and prioritize it. Check in with us with questions on the particulars, so you only have to buy things once and end up with the correct parts. Saves on the downtime and the frustration factor. There's lots of unique parts and quirks to the early A bodies, but they can be fun little cars. You're far from the first one to travel down this road. Enjoy!
 
Oh yeah that rear is going. Yeah snowball is more like a land slide.
I converted to disc in the front already but I'm going to take some of the suggestions and go BBP and get some beefier brakes. Not sure why I stayed SBP with the disc conversion but at the time I had a good reason just not sure what it was now.
 
Those Kelsey/Hayes small bolt discs are good brakes- I would wait until you locate a rear end before you change anything. If what you get is a small bolt 8.75, I'd just stay with your current front discs. If you score a large pattern A body 8.25 (or BBP 8.75), then I'd change to the big bolt front discs. That way your bolt pattern stays consistent front and rear.
 
Is the slant the original 1966 motor? If it is I'd be interested in it after you complete your swap if you want to get rid of it.I have a 66 Valiant that I'm restoring that needs a 66 motor.
 
OK, Slant Six Dan has reported that all 66 center links are the same, whether six or V8, and they are the same as the 64 V8 center link, which had a one inch deeper drop than the 63-64 slant six center link. 65 center links are a mixed bag, but according to him, late 65's all used the V8 center link.

Not everyone agrees, apparently.

64 Valiant - center link - Steering - Slant Six Forum
 
The center link in my 66 Valiant convertible 225 6 cyl is not a V8 centerlink .The car has 59,000 miles on it and I bought it from the estate of the little old lady who bought it new so I know it has never been fooled with.Maybe they did things different in Canada
 
65 Cuda 340 said:
OK, Slant Six Dan has reported that all 66 center links are the same, whether six or V8, and they are the same as the 64 V8 center link, which had a one inch deeper drop than the 63-64 slant six center link. 65 center links are a mixed bag, but according to him, late 65's all used the V8 center link.

Not everyone agrees, apparently.

64 Valiant - center link - Steering - Slant Six Forum
Click to expand...
I've heard similar- be it that they went to a single common center link, or that some plants were using V8 links as they ran out of /6 links... either way, check to make sure before assuming anything to be 100% true, just to be on the safe side.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top