32RH 67 Dart

[Squishy]

I just recently started a new project with a 67 Dodge Dart 270, 273 V8, A904 trans that's in pretty decent shape. I read up on some of the benefits of the A999/32RH transmissions and happened to come across a 32RH from a 97 2500 V6 van and bought it for $200. The story goes that it was rebuilt 25k mile ago and he replaced it for a 4speed OD.
I've gotten a little frustrated trying to look up the SN of the trans, so hopefully someone can help me out. (see picture)

From what I have researched it's pretty much a straight bolt in swap. Here are a few questions I have.

• Will the V6 torque converter work behind a 400hp 360 magnum?
• Any idea what kind of stall it will provide? Cam will be an Oregon Cam 224/230 regrind
• Recommended shift kit?
• Recommended kit to control TCC?

The stock 7 1/4" rear end is coming out, and an 8 3/4" with 3.55 gears is going in. If I left anything out, I'm sure you all will let me know.

Any advice or help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Frankbassman]

Nice project. I am about to do the same in a '73 4 door dart with a 360 magnum with. 42RH. Basically same thing. Here is what I have gathered:

The V6 is internally balanced, so the converter will attach to the neutral flex plate for a 318, I think the 273 is also internally balanced. You may need to egg out a hole in the flex plate. (magnum flex plate needed that to bolt to 904 converter)

Supposedly the v6 a500 converter stalls higher than a stock 318 904 converter. Some specs online call it medium stall while some call it high stall. None call it low stall, which the 318 904 converter IS called everywhere. My 904 converter stalls at 1800 on the nose. I do not know what a stock v6 converter stalls at but I speculate it won't be higher than 2300 rpm behind a 5.9 mag.

Does anyone know definitively?

Since it came out of a truck I will see how it shifts before adding a kit, but many here like the transgo kits.

Does anyone know the typical factory shift points of an a500 in 1st through 3rd at normal light throttle approximately? That info is elusive.

Finally, there are ways to hydraulically control od and lock up using nitrous pressure switches and even time delay relays. I will figure that out eventually. I have seen people use toggle switches.

But for a start, I think a decent quality 3 position generic headlight switch through relays is going to suffice for me. I think that is much more functional than having to worry about toggles; just pull once for od, and a second step for lockup. As you slow down, push the thing in in one motion. Just my ideas.

Curious to hear real world experience with stockish a500s for the above questions.

Last thing: assuming regular maintenance, how many miles does a LU converter last before it is worn? Clutches, or gets rumbly, noisy, etc? My 904 conv is older than dirt and still doing fine.

-Frank

 

[Professor Fate]

The 42RH is a completely different animal from OP's 32RH. 42RHs are an overdrive with lockup and require some rather involved surgery on the trans crossmember for the OD unit to clear on an A body; an A999/32RH is a standard 3 speed with lockup convertor that requires little to no mods for installation in an A body, depending on year of the car and year/model of the transmission.

Will the V6 torque converter work behind a 400hp 360 magnum?

The V6 torque convertor will physically work with a 5.9 Magnum, the stall may or may not be optimal for your setup, but it's not too bad. The A999/32RH has a deeper 1st gear that helps. The Factory Service Manual lists the lockup convertor stall speeds as being 1800-2100 RPM for the V6 convertor and 1700-2000 RPM for the V8 units.
To use behind a 5.9 Mag, you need to use the factory Magnum flexplate with the 5.9 balance weights, one hole in the flexplate will need to be ovaled out with a rat tail file or a Dremel- 5 minute job. The 3.9 is internally balanced, so you need the 5.9 external balance flexplate to keep things copacetic.

Recommended kit to control TCC?

No "kit" required, A999/32RH is hydraulically controlled lockup. The only thing you may need is a toggle switch, which I'll get into in a moment.
First, you need to identify which transmission you actually have- while they're functionally identical and people tend to lump them together (even some reference sources tend to use the designations interchangeably), the A999 and 32RH do have some physical differences and are more than just a change in designations, with the 32RH being an evolution of the A999.
(Pictures stolen from JoePole and Cleland)
The A999 has a "smooth" tailshaft housing and no electrical plugs.

Now compare that to the 32RH. Outward differences are the additional stiffening ribs on the tailshaft housing, and the addition of an electrical connector. used for the Tow/Haul bypass switch on trucks and vans.

A simple toggle switch to a 12v source (although not required) will allow you to enable/disable the lockup feature on the 32 RH, and nothing at all needed with an A999 since both are completely hydraulically controlled.

*On a side note (not relevant to the OP's original question, but I'm including it here for future generations), if you're swapping one of these into an early A ('66 and earlier) get the A999 since the additional reinforcing ribs on the 32RH tailshaft housing will interfere with the transmission crossmember and will require extensive grinding to remove much of the ribs. Not an issue with the A999. On '67 and later A bodies the 32RH fits fine.

 

[VOETOM]

Squishy, I am having trouble figuring out the number. I see 5211 but what follows them?

 

[Frankbassman]

OP, my big big apologies, I completely missed the mark on this one.

What Professor Fate said.

Proffessor Fate, thank you for the explanation. I thought everything got an overdrive by 97and thought the 32rh was an even lighter duty version of the 42rh. Thank you for clearing that up, and for the torque converter stall values.

-Frank

 

[Squishy]

Thanks for all the comments, everything was a big help!