Hemi fitting aroudn pws gearbox?

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snapetwo

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I have a 73 dart, and a 5.7 hemi.
So I haven't done any mock up or even put the engine in the bay yet. However, reading posts all over the net, I see that the PWS gearbox would get in way of exhaust and manual gearbox barely clears.

Crazy thought, but why not just raise the engine? I don't care if I gotta have a hood scoop, but just raise the hemi high enough to clear the gearbox? maintain pws steering?

Any thoughts or concerns?
 
You might as well cut the trans tunnel also to so you get the drive line angle set right if your gonna do that
 
it would be easier to put the spacers under the k memeber and keep the engine in the same place... like the original SS hemi cars did...
 
And along with that I would assume it would change your center of gravity, exhaust clearance issues with floor board maybe, if anything ....maybe convert to rack and pinion steering?.

I don't know much about hemi swaps....but just a few things that come to my mind is all.
 
Love all the knowledge that this forum has. I am just a youngin (29)....you guys have been around long enough seems everything has been covered, just awesome.

thanks for the ideas.
 
Who you calling old there, highspeed??lol!!
 
I'm 40, but still young enough to be tempted but old enough to know better, lol.
 
Weld your own headers. It fits. It does on mine with 73+ spool mounts.
 
Do you have pics? And i was so thinking of that...Dunno if i could make the bends....but Gotta be able to do something.

I am gonna go rip the inner fenders off tonight and this weekend, see how it sits, get the old noggin working something up.

AND...i just found out the K member in the dart, is acutally a S6...so I am just gonna cut the mounts off and start from scratch..rather then rebuild the suspension again so i can swap my old 72' 318 v8 k member in.
 
b032230c.jpg


The PS and K Member are dropped down for room. That should give you an idea of the bends. The #3 & #5 are not ideal off the flange- the underside of the bend never makes it more than 1/4" away from the flange. That's the only way I could make it work.
 
And that actually fits? the steering column will connect and the coupler and all that? Any over heating issues with the PS being so close?
 
snapetwo said:
And that actually fits? the steering column will connect and the coupler and all that? Any over heating issues with the PS being so close?
Click to expand...

Don't know yet on the overheating issue (not running). Physically it fits. Some sort of heat shield and maybe even a P/S cooler will be a necessity, I'm sure.
 
That is awesome, just awesome.
Something I noticed last night is, that if I offset the engine to the passenger side. I had enough room to put a 2x4 long ways between gearbox and head...and looks like its still close enough to align the drivetrain.
 
snapetwo said:
Do you have pics? And i was so thinking of that...Dunno if i could make the bends....but Gotta be able to do something.

I am gonna go rip the inner fenders off tonight and this weekend, see how it sits, get the old noggin working something up.

AND...i just found out the K member in the dart, is acutally a S6...so I am just gonna cut the mounts off and start from scratch..rather then rebuild the suspension again so i can swap my old 72' 318 v8 k member in.
Click to expand...

You may want to rethink losing the inner fenders since they provide a LOT of support to the front end. A hole big enough for BB fenderwell headers made my '68 Dart twitchy.

You can use your '72 K member with the '73 control arms and brakes. You will need the steering box, Pitman arm, center link, and idler arm from the '72 to make it work. Hope this helps.
 
ARGGGGG. ya im gonna try to modify the K member, cuz i just spent $100 buying that pws gearbox from tinyduster.
As far as the inner fenders, I am jsut gonna remove them to give me room for the fitting, I am gonna put them back as this is gonna be a street cruiser that will prob never see track time. More like long drives in the mountains of Colorado....and everyone once in a while beat the crap outta that little rice driving tenniebopper/twenty somthing twirp with no respect for old school muscle

On that 72 k member...man talk about bad timing. Just fought with PST for two months (issues on me end sending it to them) trying to get them to exchange the kit I had bought for the 72 (before I killed her) our for my 73. They did exchange it, little grief even though I DID NOT HAVE A RECIEPT...awesome customer service. Got the parts that needed changed 2 weeks ago, finished the suspension this past sunday...and now realize I need the 72 K member...
 
My passenger side valve cover hits the passenger side fender. So I don't know how much you can move it over. FYI.
 
hmm. Uhcoog1, did you see the dart where the guy notched his passenger inner fender well? may be something we both end up doing.
 
So my dad came out there and was looking at it tonight. He thinks I should put spacers between the K member and the frame, like 805moparkid suggested. He belives that will allow the engine to have taller motor mounts which will clear the pws gearbox, and keep it inline with the tranny and hump.

Opions on this? I just don't want the car to look like a funny car. I want the front end to look low and rear higher.
 
snapetwo said:
So my dad came out there and was looking at it tonight. He thinks I should put spacers between the K member and the frame, like 805moparkid suggested. He belives that will allow the engine to have taller motor mounts which will clear the pws gearbox, and keep it inline with the tranny and hump.

Opions on this? I just don't want the car to look like a funny car. I want the front end to look low and rear higher.
Click to expand...

its only gonna be like a 1/2" or so... any more an more and it becomes very hard to get the t bars in...

we have them pre-made...

give greg a call @ SS and AFX
623-465-7277
 
Uhcoog1 said:
b032230c.jpg


The PS and K Member are dropped down for room. That should give you an idea of the bends. The #3 & #5 are not ideal off the flange- the underside of the bend never makes it more than 1/4" away from the flange. That's the only way I could make it work.
Click to expand...

Those look like they were welded at a vocational class at the school of the blind. Holy cow

Why not get an aftermarket K member??
 
Why does the #1 tube have to go down? Why not go up to clear the box? Just asking.
 
73dusterB5blue said:
Those look like they were welded at a vocational class at the school of the blind. Holy cow

Why not get an aftermarket K member??
Click to expand...

Thanks for the compliments. Not. You're an @$$

5.7 hemi said:
Why does the #1 tube have to go down? Why not go up to clear the box? Just asking.
Click to expand...

I never really even looked at going up. Given I was doing this with the K member out of the car, and things worked going down, so thats where I went.
 
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