68 Barracuda Slant Six Automatic Transmission

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tlmw94

tlmw94

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Hi All! I am a new barracuda owner and am starting the restoration process. Mine is a 68 Notchback with a Slant Six and a 3 on the Tree Automatic Transmission. I am not sure yet if the one I have needs replacing, but want to start doing some research. Does anyone know what transmission came with this configuration? Or if there is an identifier I should look for on it?

Also wondering what the manual counterpart would have been for this.
 
A904. The pan is a basic square with one corner "knocked off".
 
tlmw94 said:
Thank you! I'll take a look at the pan when I get home to confirm. Do you know what the manual option was?
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A 903 nonsynchronized three speed. Small three speed manual with a top plate to access the gear set.
 
RustyRatRod said:
A 903 nonsynchronized three speed. Small three speed manual with a top plate to access the gear set.
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Awesome, thank you! Ok final question (for now :) hehe), would a swap from the 904 to the 903 be pretty much bolt in?
 
tlmw94 said:
Awesome, thank you! Ok final question (for now :) hehe), would a swap from the 904 to the 903 be pretty much bolt in?
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Yeah, it will bolt slap in. In fact, I have an extra one. Although it's not 100% correct for yours, it will bolt in and work. It's the early transmission with the ball and trunnion flange for the drive shaft, instead of the slip yoke. I also have the ball and trunnion drive shaft too. But like I said, while it's not really "correct" for the 68 model year, it will work. I'm not 100% sure on the drive shaft length from early (66 and prior) to late (67 and up). The length might be different as I think the wheelbase grew......I could be mistaken there though. They might be the same. I just cannot remember. Maybe one of these other guys can tell you.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Yeah, it will bolt slap in. In fact, I have an extra one. Although it's not 100% correct for yours, it will bolt in and work. It's the early transmission with the ball and trunnion flange for the drive shaft, instead of the slip yoke. I also have the ball and trunnion drive shaft too. But like I said, while it's not really "correct" for the 68 model year, it will work. I'm not 100% sure on the drive shaft length from early (66 and prior) to late (67 and up). The length might be different as I think the wheelbase grew......I could be mistaken there though. They might be the same. I just cannot remember. Maybe one of these other guys can tell you.
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Cool! Thanks for all of your input. I got some body parts to source first and make sure I can get this slant six running, but I may be hitting you up about that 903 at some point. Thanks again!
 
You need to find a 67-69 A body with all the parts. Pedals, linkages, etc. the A903 3 speed was a manual shift on the column. I dont believe the A903 ever came as a floor shift. My 67 notchback came with a slant 6, A903 column shift combo. I kept the pedals, down rod, Z bar, column, and pitched the rest on the scrap trailer. Car will get a proper V8 4 speed setup.
 
tlmw94 said:
Cool! Thanks for all of your input. I got some body parts to source first and make sure I can get this slant six running, but I may be hitting you up about that 903 at some point. Thanks again!
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Well, that's cool, but lets make sure it'll be worth your while. I'm not puttin somethin on you that will be kinda janky to put together......like if this drive shaft needs lengthening.....I mean sure, you can do it, but there are better options I think. But if it's the same length, it'll be a bolt in. I'm just not sure.
 
moparmat2000 said:
You need to find a 67-69 A body with all the parts. Pedals, linkages, etc. the A903 3 speed was a manual shift on the vin. I dont believe the A903 ever came as a floor shift. My 67 notchback cane with a slant 6, A903 column shift combo. I kept the pedals, down rod, Z bar, column, and pitched the rest on the scrap trailer. Car will get a proper V8 4 speed setup.
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Yeah, now that's a great point and one I had not thought of. Thanks. I do have a GOOD later model A230 HD three speed. I don't want to sell it and my price would reflect that. lol
 
Slant six is cool nowadays for the interesting wow factor at car shows. They can be made quick with hop up parts and gearing. Once upon a time they were everywhere. If your intent is to make it quick, you would be farther ahead dollar for dollar installing a V8. I owned 4 different slant 6 vehicles over the years. A 1966 coronet 2 door hardtop, a 1970 barracuda base model. Yes it was a 225 A904 combo. A 1981 D100 with an A833 O/D 4 speed, and my current 67 barracuda. The only one I never drove with a slanty in it was the 67 barracuda. It's a taxicab engine. It's a gutless wonder unless you spend some cash on it to make it run. They were made to last almost forever, and get good mileage while doing it. They were the cheapest powerplant you could get if you were buying a new car and didnt want to pay for a V8. Honestly I never knew they put these things in barracudas until I bought mine. I figured like a charger, a barracuda would be V8 only. Then realized they offered a slant 6 in dodge chargers in 1968 lol.
 
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Thanks for all of the input guys! Yeah I know the slant six is no powerhouse, but for now I am trying to just get it running for cheap and would only consider an engine swap after I've got all the body parts in hand. Also I think I can get this engine running for cheap.

When I tore this one down I found some bent push rods, the head had 4 seized intake valves due to what I think is oil that has worked it's way into the valve guides. The block on the other hand looks like it has been recently rebuilt (all new bearings, pistons, cam, etc...) So I think I can clean up and rebuild the head and she may fire right up.

If that all works out then I'll be able to figure out if the 904 I have is still operational and if it is then I am going to keep that setup until I complete all of the body work and interior at least. If for any reason the 904 is not operational, then I might just throw another 904 in it OR I might look into doing a 903 only because I prefer manual cars and I would like to do as little Fab as possible if I am keeping the slant six.

Now the final scenario is that the slant six does not come back to life for cheap, in which case we are definitely looking at a V8 swap.

Basically If the slant six runs I want to stay as close to bolt on as possible and if it doesn't then we turn her into a true 8 cylinder beast.

Again I appreciate all the feedback as I do not yet know which of those scenarios is going to play out. I put some pics of the head below as well so you can see what I was talking about.

IMG_8808.jpeg


IMG_8807.jpeg


IMG_8810.jpeg
 
tlmw94 said:
Thanks for all of the input guys! Yeah I know the slant six is no powerhouse, but for now I am trying to just get it running for cheap and would only consider an engine swap after I've got all the body parts in hand. Also I think I can get this engine running for cheap.

When I tore this one down I found some bent push rods, the head had 4 seized intake valves due to what I think is oil that has worked it's way into the valve guides. The block on the other hand looks like it has been recently rebuilt (all new bearings, pistons, cam, etc...) So I think I can clean up and rebuild the head and she may fire right up.

If that all works out then I'll be able to figure out if the 904 I have is still operational and if it is then I am going to keep that setup until I complete all of the body work and interior at least. If for any reason the 904 is not operational, then I might just throw another 904 in it OR I might look into doing a 903 only because I prefer manual cars and I would like to do as little Fab as possible if I am keeping the slant six.

Now the final scenario is that the slant six does not come back to life for cheap, in which case we are definitely looking at a V8 swap.

Basically If the slant six runs I want to stay as close to bolt on as possible and if it doesn't then we turn her into a true 8 cylinder beast.

Again I appreciate all the feedback as I do not yet know which of those scenarios is going to play out. I put some pics of the head below as well so you can see what I was talking about.

View attachment 1715737231

View attachment 1715737232

View attachment 1715737233
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I built a slant back in the late 90's that was from a '74 Valiant that had been sitting for several years in someone's back yard. When I fired the car up, it ran for a few minutes and then stopped. When I pulled the valve cover, I found several bent pushrods. Long story short: I never removed and had the gas tank flushed (I did later). Putting fresh fuel into the tank loosened the garbage and sent it to the engine. It was almost like putting sugar in the gas tank. Had the head cleaned & reassembled with a clean tank. End of problem.
 
Ricks70Duster340 said:
I built a slant back in the late 90's that was from a '74 Valiant that had been sitting for several years in someone's back yard. When I fired the car up, it ran for a few minutes and then stopped. When I pulled the valve cover, I found several bent pushrods. Long story short: I never removed and had the gas tank flushed (I did later). Putting fresh fuel into the tank loosened the garbage and sent it to the engine. It was almost like putting sugar in the gas tank. Had the head cleaned & reassembled with a clean tank. End of problem.
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Thanks Ricks70Duster340, I'll make sure to get all of the old gas out when I strip down the underbody.
 
Slants were economy models. My uncle had a 71 Duster /6 3 on the tree...it was his work commuter car .This was early 80s. car might have been ten years old.
 
I didn’t see a introduction thread. So... welcome from Columbia. We have a a small but faithful Mopar group in the midtenn area. Craig
 
my5thmopar said:
I didn’t see a introduction thread. So... welcome from Columbia. We have a a small but faithful Mopar group in the midtenn area. Craig
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Hi my5thmopar, sorry if I missed something not sure about the etiquette here. Thanks for the introduction! I am in Franklin TN just a few miles north of Columbia. Good to know there are some peeps close by :)


Ricks70Duster340 said:
You'll need to flush it, not just drain it.
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Ricks70Duster340, thanks for the heads up. Any recommendations for what to flush it with?
 
tlmw94 said:
Hi my5thmopar, sorry if I missed something not sure about the etiquette here. Thanks for the introduction! I am in Franklin TN just a few miles north of Columbia. Good to know there are some peeps close by :)



Ricks70Duster340, thanks for the heads up. Any recommendations for what to flush it with?
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I don't. I took mine to a radiator shop and they put it into their tank.
 
moparmat2000 said:
You need to find a 67-69 A body with all the parts. Pedals, linkages, etc. the A903 3 speed was a manual shift on the column. I dont believe the A903 ever came as a floor shift. My 67 notchback came with a slant 6, A903 column shift combo. I kept the pedals, down rod, Z bar, column, and pitched the rest on the scrap trailer. Car will get a proper V8 4 speed setup.
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What this guy said. I have done lots of manual from auto swaps in other vehicles, in the process of doing one now. The hard part is not finding the trans and bolting it up- it's the linkage and pedals and such and shifter and trans tunnel etc. I do mercedes into Jeep swaps, the easy part is the adapter from motor to trans- the real work begins after that.
 
Do an A833 4 speed O/D out of a Volare/Aspen with slant 6. Then you can use an A body slant 6 zee bar, 67-72 A body clutch pedals, down rod, and 67-74 A body floor shift plate. Stock A /F body shifter should clear a bench seat.

This way you can use this transmission for a V8 later on if you swap one in. All you need is a V8 bell housing, flywheel, etc. Then you will have a bonafide V8 4 speed swap.
 
moparmat2000 said:
Do an A833 4 speed O/D out of a Volare/Aspen with slant 6. Then you can use an A body slant 6 zee bar, 67-72 A body clutch pedals, down rod, and 67-74 A body floor shift plate. Stock A /F body shifter should clear a bench seat.

This way you can use this transmission for a V8 later on if you swap one in. All you need is a V8 bell housing, flywheel, etc. Then you will have a bonafide V8 4 speed swap.
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Totally agree with this, much better trans and much better use of RPMs when you do drive it. Love the A833
 
moparmat2000 said:
Do an A833 4 speed O/D out of a Volare/Aspen with slant 6. Then you can use an A body slant 6 zee bar, 67-72 A body clutch pedals, down rod, and 67-74 A body floor shift plate. Stock A /F body shifter should clear a bench seat.

This way you can use this transmission for a V8 later on if you swap one in. All you need is a V8 bell housing, flywheel, etc. Then you will have a bonafide V8 4 speed swap.
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Thanks this is good input! I'll have to do some research on this tranny.
 
The 904 had the help of a torque convertor to get the car moving, The manual had the same 3 speeds that the auto had but had a deeper 1st. Your 904 can be repaired easily and can benefit from a huge selection of 'stall' convertors to get the old girl up and moving at a higher RPM. Auto to manual is a large job, with the trans being about half the total price, all the other bits add up fast. Welcome aboard!
 
pishta said:
The 904 had the help of a torque convertor to get the car moving, The manual had the same 3 speeds that the auto had but had a deeper 1st. Your 904 can be repaired easily and can benefit from a huge selection of 'stall' convertors to get the old girl up and moving at a higher RPM. Auto to manual is a large job, with the trans being about half the total price, all the other bits add up fast. Welcome aboard!
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Absolutely spot on, though my experience is that even a couple times when I got the whole trans, or even whole donor car, for free, it cost more than a good rebuild of a 904. 904s are super inexpensive with tons of aftermarket parts.
 
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