72 Demon 440 Conversion Help

[72demon440]

This car used to have fenderwell headers when I bought it. All hacked up!

 

[dukeboy440]

I have been looking at pics of 72 A body steering parts to make sure mine were correct.

Seriously, get a V8 pitman arm and compare it, in person. You may have the correct 72 era pitman arm, but I've seen cases where the Slant 6 car's, which have a different pitman arm, can cause issues.

 

[72demon440]

Seriously, get a V8 pitman arm and compare it, in person. You may have the correct 72 era pitman arm, but I've seen cases where the Slant 6 car's, which have a different pitman arm, can cause issues.

I was thinking of that. I should just replace the pitman and the idler arm and see what happens. I can always send them back if they are the same. Not sure what year the manual steering box is from and it had the pitman arm on it. Probably from a different year range.

 

[dukeboy440]

I was thinking of that. I should just replace the pitman and the idler arm and see what happens. I can always send them back if they are the same. Not sure what year the manual steering box is from and it had the pitman arm on it. Probably from a different year range.

Crap, I mispoke, the idler is the one I'm talking off, the one that attaches to the K frame. I get the names backwards from time to time. Sorry about that.

But yes. the 67-72s were pretty much the same, if that has the 73-76 style on it, that may affect things, I don't know. Heck, for the sake of checking, may double check the mounts are on the correct side too, not sure if that'd matter but it might

 

[72demon440]

Lol. I hear ya. I do need to recheck everything. The idler and pitman or the pan makes thw most sense to me.

 

[AndyF]

This car used to have fenderwell headers when I bought it. All hacked up!

My '72 was all hacked up when I got it too. I patched the fenderwell holes at the top bend to add strength but I didn't try to restore the inner fenders. I just did what I needed to do to make it work.

 

[72demon440]

My '72 was all hacked up when I got it too. I patched the fenderwell holes at the top bend to add strength but I didn't try to restore the inner fenders. I just did what I needed to do to make it work. Your fuel system looks good and i bet it works good to!

I cut out the old crap and welded in new inner fenders and had a shop paint the engine bay. Sucked, but worth it! Before and after! Mine were too far gone and cobbled to patch!

 

[Jim Lusk]

Every one that I have built needs more massaging at the pan in that location UNLESS you change out the steering (gear, pitman, center link, and idler) to '73-76 parts. My Barracuda (440/727 on a home built DC k-member) has a B-body baffled pan with late steering. Clearance is abundant. BUT, since that's what you have, massage the pan...

Also, for those chiming about getting a V8 center link. Forget it, there is no slant six center link on the wide A-bodies. There are only two and the difference is the orientation of the link end of the idler and pitman and the link is flatter.

 

[72demon440]

Every one that I have built needs more massaging at the pan in that location UNLESS you change out the steering (gear, pitman, center link, and idler) to '73-76 parts. My Barracuda (440/727 on a home built DC k-member) has a B-body baffled pan with late steering. Clearance is abundant. BUT, since that's what you have, massage the pan...

Also, for those chiming about getting a V8 center link. Forget it, there is no slant six center link on the wide A-bodies. There are only two and the difference is the orientation of the link end of the idler and pitman and the link is flatter.

Thanks Jim, I will look into it!

 

[famous bob]

Thanks Jim, I will look into it!

An interesting comment for you: I had a chevy pick up that didn't drive right , bounced around curves. A friends older brother was an old school mech. and front end man.
He heated and bent both arms and cooled them in a special way to lower the tierod, it didn't ever give me trouble , didn`t weaken them,and drove better than the factory set up did ----------------food for thot .
My 2' TTI`s called for 1 3/8" offset on the engine .

 

[Joeycurl]

i got a 72 Demon with 440 and wondering what's the update on your header install if you gotten to it yet

 

[72demon440]

Joeycurl, I am waiting til the spring til I order the headers. Winter in wisconsin sucks! The Demon is sleeping til spring

 

[67mprfan]

On my 71 race demon a friend heated up the arm and bent in down so no more rubbing steering was fine at 132 mph