65 Trans/Drive Shaft help

[salinasjoel]

I have a 65 Dart 273/904 factory setup. I am mapping and acquiring parts for my build and need some help. I am dropping in a 69 318 and going to LBP with an 8 1/4" rear. Here is what I know, my car has a cable shift ball and trunnion setup and when I try to mate my trans to the 318 I will need a collar for it to fit. When I put the rear on I will need to have a drive shaft made and might as well ditch the trunnion for a slip yoke at that point. So my questions are,
1. Would it be better for me to grab a later 904 and just get new shift linkage as well or should I try to find a 65 B body cable shift with a slip yoke?

2. Will a column shift steering column out of a later A body fit in my 65?

3. At that point could I just get the drive shaft off of a say 74 dart with a 904 and an 8 1/4 axle since the wheelbase is the same?

4. I also am planning on upgrading my gauges so is a 65 trans sending unit different then that of a later trans meaning the electronic speedo sending unit wont work?

Thanks
Joel

 

[cosgig]

(1) finding a 65 B body small block trans is a tough task, and it's going to be a 727, which will require some hammering down of the pinch weld where the firewall meets the floor pan! I do have a line on one but haven't picked up the car yet!

(2) a later steering column will not work in your early A body! It must be from an early A!

(3) you can probably use a driveshaft without alteration from a later car if it was equipped with the exact same components

(4) there is no electronic sending unit for the speedo, it is a cable! Your current cable will bolt right in to a later trans!

Hope this helps some! Geof

 

[65 Dartman]

(4) , it is a cable! Your current cable will bolt right in to a later trans!

Hope this helps some! Geof

If your current 904 is a 65; that is the last year for that style transmission cable (has the big pinion adapter plus uses the real small clip on pinions. You would need a 66/67 transmission cable that has the small nut for your 65 speedometer and the large pinion nut for the later pinion adapters. I found out the hard way back in 85 when I swapped in a later transmission into my 65 Dart.

 

[salinasjoel]

If your current 904 is a 65; that is the last year for that style transmission cable (has the big pinion adapter plus uses the real small clip on pinions. You would need a 66/67 transmission cable that has the small nut for your 65 speedometer and the large pinion nut for the later pinion adapters. I found out the hard way back in 85 when I swapped in a later transmission into my 65 Dart.

sorry I meant an aftermarket electric sending unit that comes with the speedo. It says it fits most mopars which is why I'm curious if the speedo cables differed in things other then length ?

That being said since a later column won't swap will the later trans shift linkage connect properly to my early a column

 

[65 Dartman]

sorry I meant an aftermarket electric sending unit that comes with the speedo. It says it fits most mopars which is why I'm curious if the speedo cables differed in things other then length ?

That being said since a later column won't swap will the later trans shift linkage connect properly to my early a column

I had my original 65 speedo cable shortened by this company in Texas. Then they added a threaded male adapter so that the female signal generator provided with my Dakota Digital speedo would thread right into the adapter. Presto - goes from cable to electronic generator to the speedo. This is going to be used in my wagon with a 65 833.


If you use a 66 linkage style steering column, everything from the 66 will bolt right in place including to your later 904.

FWIW you CAN swap in a later column as long as you're willing to mod where necessary. I am swapping in a 80 Mirada floor shift column to my wagon. I found that the steering tubes are the same size as the original 65 and almost the same length. I will have to use some parts that I will get from Borgensen to mate to the steering box. I will also have to mod the tube so the original steering column lower clamp will work. Nothing insurmountable. Why am I using a Mirada column? Because I am using a modified 80 Mirada under dash wiring harness and it plugs right into the steering column ignition and turn signal harness - gives me a locking column too. Am also using a stock 65 bulkhead connector modded to meet my electrical requirements. All this is just mocked up right now and put away until I get to that point.

 

[C130 Chief]

So you basically have 2 options. First you can keep the transmission and shift linkage you have now, have your drive shaft shortened for the 8 1/4 and add a bushing to adapt the early style converter to a later crankshaft. This should cost about $250 Or replace the transmission, get a whole new drive shaft, a completely new shift linkage (either different column or aftermarket floor shifter), new speedometer cable or sending unit and new speedometer. This will cost more than $250.

If you want to swap to a late transmission I have a complete 72 column with a Grant wheel that needs a new home.