1969 GTS Drivetrain into 1964 Dart Question

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gage zamrzla

gage zamrzla

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Hi all, I currently have a roller 64 Dart sitting in my driveway and I'm looking to build a car for the first time, everything else I own at least had an intact drivetrain.

A coworker of mines dad has a drivetrain out of a 69 Dart GTS that he's offered to sell me and this is what I'm looking at, 383, A833 trans with an 8 3/4 rear end. It would be coming with all linkage, pedals and most if not all of the wire harness, suspension, steering, wheels basically everything was pulled from this 69 years back for a resto mod job that to my knowledge went nowhere in the end but the bright side is all the numbers are supposedly matching and everything included has all run together for the life of the precious car.

What I'm looking for is a little help in knowing what some of the obstacles I may be looking at in swapping this drivetrain into my 64 dart if I buy it. Any input or suggestion is appreciated and welcomed. I'm shooting a bit past my current ability but work in a shop with enough guys who are knowledgeable and willing to help where needed. A little more about my dart, it was supposedly mostly a drag car and ran a 383 and 727 with a ford 8.8 rear end (I believe) before I bought it as a roller.
 
You have a vin number for that power train? I’m looking for my original power train for my 69 dart that is missing.
 
Get it!! Do the swap...that's an awesome package for your dart...
 
Dana67Dart said:
Where is the rest of the GTS?
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Not sure, I'm told a guy bought the car and took everything out to do a resto mod and part of the payment for the work was giving the drivetrain to the shop who sold it to my coworkers dad who is the current owner and offering to sell it to me. My understanding is that the body was sold a little more than halfway through the resto mod conversion. Basically the dude paid big money for a numbers matching car, tore it apart to resto mod it and quit halfway through and sold it for a pretty big loss. Not sure where it currently resides.
 
Definitely do-able, but here are some obstacles:
1.) Can't use the '69 K frame, motor mounts/brackets, centerlink, sway bar, (front suspension is a different width- '64 is narrower), idler arm, clutch pedals, z bar is different, probably more. The '64 trans. crossmember needs to be modified to accommodate dual exhaust.
2.) The '69's exhaust manifolds MAY work, provided the '64 is manual steering; There may be some others that will fit with work, you'll have to do a search on here. Otherwise you're looking at custom headers, since I'm not aware of any currently being made for an early A big block most likely will have to be fenderwell exits so you will need to cut your inner fenders- and depending on how they're routed it could affect your steering; all those tubes in the wheel well limit your turning radius. You will need the early A four speed transmission floor hump. You will need the early A drop center link for V8s if there's not already one on the car. The brakes and suspension (Tbars, upper and lower control arms, spindles) will all bolt up to your '64 K frame. The rear suspension and 8 3/4 will bolt in. If your '64 was a slant 6, you'll need the V8 throttle linkage from an early A, although the '69's could be made to work. The '69 radiator *should* fit, although big block cooling in an A body is always dicey- and the much more restrictive early engine bay will only make things worse. There's undoubtably more.
3.) I believe modified clutch linkage is available from Brewer's. Exhaust is all fabbed. Have to get a driveshaft made or possibly the '69 one shortened. Swap motor mounts are made by Schumacher, although not currently available; HOWEVER, A body big blocks had modified mounting bosses, so the Schumachers may not work anyway. You'll have to fab something up.
Like I said, it's do-able; but not a bolt in. It'll take some work, but it's been done many times. Personally, I would find a later model A body ('67 and up) roller and bolt EVERYTHING in, or resell (lots of those parts tough to find because they are unique to the factory BB A bodies and worth beaucoup bucks).
 
gage zamrzla said:
I don't at the moment. How do you mean missing?
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Many here have cars that are missing their correct motors for whatever reason. So whenever anyone announces that they have drive train parts, motors especially, they're hoping it's theirs. Since you don't know where the body is that makes for intrigue.
 
gage zamrzla said:
Hi all, I currently have a roller 64 Dart sitting in my driveway and I'm looking to build a car for the first time, everything else I own at least had an intact drivetrain.

A coworker of mines dad has a drivetrain out of a 69 Dart GTS that he's offered to sell me and this is what I'm looking at, 383, A833 trans with an 8 3/4 rear end. It would be coming with all linkage, pedals and most if not all of the wire harness, suspension, steering, wheels basically everything was pulled from this 69 years back for a resto mod job that to my knowledge went nowhere in the end but the bright side is all the numbers are supposedly matching and everything included has all run together for the life of the precious car.

What I'm looking for is a little help in knowing what some of the obstacles I may be looking at in swapping this drivetrain into my 64 dart if I buy it. Any input or suggestion is appreciated and welcomed. I'm shooting a bit past my current ability but work in a shop with enough guys who are knowledgeable and willing to help where needed. A little more about my dart, it was supposedly mostly a drag car and ran a 383 and 727 with a ford 8.8 rear end (I believe) before I bought it as a roller.
Click to expand...
Post a picture of your Dart. How badly is it butchered?
 
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