early A - later A interchange

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Optik

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hey all,
i've had my 64 dart for about a year and done a complete driveline swap from motor to rear end and done a lot of other small stuff too just in the process of getting it on the road and reliable for daily driving. this is only my second project car and first mopar and i kinda jumped in with both feet and no lifejacket. its gone very well so far, i've done everything on my own with the only help being with the heavy lifting and the real critical technical stuff.

my question to pose to you guys is this: what kind of interchange is there among the first and second and third generation a-bodies? seems like 66 was a transitional year so i'm wondering what 67+ parts can be made to fit in my 64? driveline and chassis upgrades (i know about the disk brake swap but curious about other stuff)? i've already installed a '70 8.75" since i broke the spider gears in the old 7.25". seems like the later cars are a lot wider but how can that be if the rear ends are the same width. shouldn't the chassis be dimensionally the same width then?

what about dodge/plymouth interchange? for instance, would a 64 valiant dash cluster bolt into my 64 dart? trim? windshields? door panels? etc etc etc.....

anyway just throwing this out there to you guys as an a-body newbie looking to increase my knowledge base, so fire away!!!!

thanks!!!

-tim
 
Optik said:
what about dodge/plymouth interchange? for instance, would a 64 valiant dash cluster bolt into my 64 dart? trim? windshields? door panels? etc etc etc.....thanks!!!

-tim
Click to expand...

Early A dashes (64 thru 66) will interchange with no problem as long as you use the actual metal dash from the donor car. You must also remove the windshield to get the dash out. According to a glass manual I have, all 64 - 66 windshields will interchange - even from a 4 door to a hardtop. Door panels will interchange among door styles (2 doors as 1 style 4 doors as the other). I am getting ready to convert a 65 Dart wagon dash to a 66 Formula S dash as I like that style much better than the Dart one in my wagon, since I can have the 150 MPG speedo, factory tach and factory oil pressure gauge.
 
Most 64-66 A-body stuff will interchange, for example you could bolt a 66 Barracuda front end onto your Dart, or bolt the '64 Dart front end on a Barracuda or a '63 Valiant.

As mentioned, interior stuff will all interchange too depending on 2-door or 4-door etc.

Most mechanical stuff will interchange right from '64-76. K-frames will not because the 2nd gen A-body is a little wider, but you can take lower control arms, upper arms, torsion bars, springs (I think), brakes, rear ends, etc. I've heard of someone taking a Duster rear floor pan and fitting it to his '65 Valiant. I think it's the same, but the Duster one would be wider so he had to cut some off.
 
ALL front suspension pieces will interchange EXCEPT the K-members and their associated steering linkages. ALL A-body torsion bars interchange. ALL A-body springs interchange. Steering boxes interchange. Rear axles interchange. Driveshafts are wheelbase and axle dependent. Radiators (22") pretty much interchange if you use the matching water pump.

When it comes to body hardware, heaters, speedo and e-brake cables and the like they tend to interchange within year groups. Basically 63-66, 67-72, 73-76. A lot of the more esoteric stuff is pretty much year specific.
 
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