4 speed with 440

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what else am i going to need from the 1968 dodge dart manual trans 3 speed on the column that is in the junkyard?

will the trans crossmember and mechanical clutch linkage from this car work with the 23 spline 4 speed and 440 that im installing in a 1970 dart?

also which bellhousing do you recommend 10.5" or 11" ?

sorry for the load of questions but im real close!
 
Either brake rod will work IF it is for the brake setup you are using (power or non-power).

Make sure you grab the extra frame side bracket that's welded to the outside of the frame rail. You may or may not be able to make the clutch linkage work, but grab it if it's cheap enough. I've always modified the clutch linkage to suit my needs rather than spend a couple hundred on somebody else's parts. You can also go hydraulic with parts from certain year Dakotas (not sure what years).

Go with whatever clutch size fits the bellhousing you find. There are quality clutch parts out there for both sizes.
 
thanks for the helpful info, i found a 10.5" bellhousing

i just need to get an external baance flywheel and cut the input shaft so it will fit in my automatic crank ( if anyone has prior expierence with this please help)

thanks alot!

also will my auto trans cross member work?
 
You can cut the input shaft OR you can drill the crank. I personally don't like cutting the input shaft, but I can tell you that drilling the crank is NOT the most fun thing I've every done.

Trans crossmember will work fine.
 
I did this swap, You can look at my whole progress here.
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=33454

I found that brewers performance was a big help.

My link above has all the casting number for the bells that work, Modified parts that work or not, problems that I had, and how I over came them. Oil pans that you will need, Stearing linkage issues, Drive shaft adjustments ( shortening if needed or not). It all depends on if you are using motor mounts or motor plate. You will prob learn some things if you read my whole post. But this isn't the ONLY way you can do the swap I used an A body 4 spd, and you are not You will have to do more adjustments like the shifter, tranny cross member, and drive shaft, I didn't need to do any of that.

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, if you have the time, or knowledg, or money...or all of the above !
but nothing is better than a 440 4spd!

The one advise I have bout the build is be carefull, LOTS of people will tell you how to spend your money. Some stuff you DO need, but other stuff arn't a necessity even though they are telling you to buy it. It's way easier to spen other people's money!

Phil
 
i agree with jim, drill the crank instead of ruining a good input shaft. Brewers is a great source for parts.
 
RPMmachine said:
thanks for the helpful info, i found a 10.5" bellhousing

i just need to get an external baance flywheel and cut the input shaft so it will fit in my automatic crank ( if anyone has prior expierence with this please help)

thanks alot!

also will my auto trans cross member work?
Click to expand...

I would take the engine, or crank to a machine shop and get it drilled, or swap the crank for one that is meant for a standard, but then you may have to do the whole engine because of an internal/external swap.

Phil
 
RPMmachine said:
what else am i going to need from the 1968 dodge dart manual trans 3 speed on the column that is in the junkyard?

will the trans crossmember and mechanical clutch linkage from this car work with the 23 spline 4 speed and 440 that im installing in a 1970 dart?

also which bellhousing do you recommend 10.5" or 11" ?

sorry for the load of questions but im real close!
Click to expand...
the 11 inch won't work if you are using motor mounts because the bell housing is bigger. if you are using motor plate, then you can make it work
 
The bellhousing is not mount determined. My son's Dart has a homebuilt Direct Connection k-member with stock 74-78 big block mounts (same as you would have bought from Chrysler in the 70s and 80s) and has a 1969 440 bellhousing with 143-tooth flywheel and 11" clutch.

The only problem with this setup is that the bell only has ONE ball pivot hole in the side. I won't go into what you have to do to work with this, but suffice it to say that some fab skills are necessary.
 
i heard that if you cut the input shaft properly the trans wont notice any thing different. Is this true?

im not going to drill the crank so which bearing do you guys recommend?

thanks for all the help
 
No, the transmission won't operate any differently with the input shaft cut PROPERLY. You will need to use the late model pilot bearing that fits the convertor hub in the crank.
 
There is no frame bracket on a Dart. Just a reinforcing plate welded to the outside of the inner fender where the hole is. Make a 1/8" thick plate and sticth weld it aound the hole, and you're ready for the bell crank (Z bar). The big block bell will take a special bell crank, and I don't know if they can be bought or not. If not, you can shorten the /6 one. The bell wil also need the bearing retainer hole enlarged to fit the OD bearing retainer. Not a big deal. Any shop with a Bradgeport or equal and do it. Just give them the bearing retainer. Cutting the input removes the last 3/4" or so that would normally seat in a factory drilled crank and pilot bushing arrangement. Because you are using the MP pilot bearing, and this bearing seats a bit farther back on the input shaft, you are not doing anything to hurt performance. Also, that bearing will fit any Mopar crank... so the trans can be re-used in anything so long as the MP pilot bearing assembly is used. Anyone who says it's weakening it has no idea what the mod is. There is no weakening of the transmission at all.
 
my 1970 dodge dart that i got recently.

i found an aluminum 10.5" bellhousing for $350 o.b.o.

i was just wondering if an aluminum bellhousing is streetable & strong
 
The aluminum bell is plenty streetable, but $350???????????????

I'm thinkin' half that is still a little pricey, but I haven't bought a bellhousing in quite a while.

Buy a scattershield for just a little more money.......
 
Big block bells are not cheap...lol. LA ones yes.. big block, no.
 
moper said:
Big block bells are not cheap...lol. LA ones yes.. big block, no.
Click to expand...

Oh, I know they're not cheap, but I certainly wouldn't pay that for one. I haven't priced them at the swap meets lately, but I'm sure I've seen some cheaper. The last one I bought was really cheap considering it came with a really cheap hemi four speed, but the one before that I traded for. The one in my son's Dart came out of a wrecking yard (one with a reputation for high prices) in the mid-90s for $60 with the dust cover.
 
RPMmachine said:
my 1970 dodge dart that i got recently.

i found an aluminum 10.5" bellhousing for $350 o.b.o.

i was just wondering if an aluminum bellhousing is streetable & strong
Click to expand...

Did you go to brewers, or my 1970 440 duster post to see the casting numbers?

I guess it doesn't matter if you are going to use motor plate, but if you are using schumacker mounts, only 3 type of bells will work.

AS far as the price goes $350 is about right depending on where you live. If you live down south, and there are lots of bone yards with old cars just sitting there, then you can get it for $100 prob. But if you are up north like me, you would expect to pay $300+ for one. Thats what I had to pay, but I bought the wrong one....luckely someone on here had the right one and sold it to me for quite a bit less than $300 ( thanks Robbie). I sold the one that didn't work for $350. So it just depends on where you live. In BC, you will have to drive 300km or more to find a junk yard that has anything older than 1990. Its really tough up here

Jim, Didn't we allready agree on another post that you were a bit cheap.
Hey, it came from your mouth, I just agreed ;)
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=41762
11 posts down, at the end of the first paragraph. ;)
 
Oh yeah, I'm quite a bit on the cheap side. I also research BEFORE I buy.

I will admit that the wrecking yard bell was a steal as it was a 69 cast iron for a hemi four speed and that would not likely be repeated ever again.

That said, I still wouldn't pay that kind of money for a factory bellhousing. You can get a Lakewood for about $450 from Summit and IF you have a clutch explosion it'll contain it.
 
I currently run a 23 spline a-body 4 speed in my 73 440/4 speed Duster. I am useing a Lakewood blowproof bellhouseing and TTI 1 3/4 underchassis headers.I bought the bellhouseing 5 years ago @Carlisle for $100 with the block plate.The car was set-up with a 360/3 speed when i changed it over.I have a Dana 60 i will be installing. I would look for a used blowproof if money is tight.Quicktime also makes a nice bellhouseing.It looks like they might fit a little better than the Lakewood.Brewers sells the bigblock a-body z-bar set-up and can help you.I had to buy the z-bar with one end unwelded and modify the bellhouseing to fit with my headers.Sorry i can't post any pics.I don't get to this site very often, but if i can help with any questions feel free to ask. Dave
 
FYI im using fenderwell headers

How do i determine how much length i have to cut off the input shaft?

also what kind of welder do you recomend to weld in the floor hump & frame plate that the clutch linkage bolts too?

thanks everyone
 
RPMmachine said:
FYI im using fenderwell headers

How do i determine how much length i have to cut off the input shaft?

also what kind of welder do you recomend to weld in the floor hump & frame plate that the clutch linkage bolts too?

thanks everyone
Click to expand...

A decent MIG welder using Gas would do fine. A 110v machine would do it, like a miller or lincoln 135
 
I've always just mocked it up with the pilot bearing in place, but without the clutch assembly. IIRC it's close to an inch, but not quite. You need the trans to seat fully in the bell, and the crank to extend thru the bearing but not sa far that it hits the crank.
 
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