Installing Dango/Kota manifolds

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ragtopfury

ragtopfury

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Not quite the easy fit on Jake's 65 that others have had....but we'll get thru it.

So we have the body where we want it ready for my paint man. Decided toswap the manifolds out for the 5.2/5.9 Dakota/Dango logs. Minor issue. I knew the collar at the steering shaftneeded to be trimmed a bit, and knew there might be a little grinding to do on the edge of the manifold to clear the shaft..... But The right side is dead against the inner fender - need to grind the pentastar and casting numbers off the manifold to clear it, but the left side is worse - it is dead against the steerinf colum shaft. So much so that the front of the manifold is pulled away from the head because the rear of it is pushed in from hitting the shaft. I think I will take them to a machine shop and have 1/16th of an inch milled off the mounting surface of both manifolds. I know it will give me what I need on the right side, and am hoping between the 1/16th and grinding the casting numbers off,along with an 1/8th inch shim under the motor mount, I'll get just enough to let the left side clear the steering shaft.
 

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Got 'em on/in. taking a 1/16 and grinding the casting numbers and pentastar flat was the bomb for the right side. On the left, we ended up putting a 1/4" shim under the motor mount - then shimmed the right side up an 1/8 just to almost even it out. Didn't bother taking a pic, since it really looks just like the pics I posted above.
 
ragtopfury said:
Not quite the easy fit on Jake's 65 that others have had....but we'll get thru it.

So we have the body where we want it ready for my paint man. Decided toswap the manifolds out for the 5.2/5.9 Dakota/Dango logs. Minor issue. I knew the collar at the steering shaftneeded to be trimmed a bit, and knew there might be a little grinding to do on the edge of the manifold to clear the shaft..... But The right side is dead against the inner fender - need to grind the pentastar and casting numbers off the manifold to clear it, but the left side is worse - it is dead against the steerinf colum shaft. So much so that the front of the manifold is pulled away from the head because the rear of it is pushed in from hitting the shaft. I think I will take them to a machine shop and have 1/16th of an inch milled off the mounting surface of both manifolds. I know it will give me what I need on the right side, and am hoping between the 1/16th and grinding the casting numbers off,along with an 1/8th inch shim under the motor mount, I'll get just enough to let the left side clear the steering shaft.
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So simply by shimming the motor 1/4" you were able to get the driver's side Dakota to clear the steering (and machining 1/16" off mating surface)?? Do you have the casting number off the Dakota?? The details are what make this possible or impossible. Also the passenger's side looks like there is more space than just a business card...I guess it's deceiving??

Oh, oh, another important detail, what type of motor mounts were on that engine, original stock, new stock or schumaker??

thanks again,
Treblig
 
I was going to suggest shimming the mounts. IIRC the 65 used the THICK insulators and the 66 used the THIN sandwich looking mounts. Very different ride height comparing the 2. The B Hi-po manifolds are the same over there, grind the castings off and you can almost get a 1/2 wrench in there...sideways.
 
So when Jake decides he just has to have a 383 shoe-horned in his 65 Bcuda, Give the B body hi-po's the same treatment as we did to the magnums on the 318?
 
you could of deleted that big junction box on the end of the shaft,and used a U JOINT,, there round not boxy like the factory junction,,
 
ragtopfury said:
So when Jake decides he just has to have a 383 shoe-horned in his 65 Bcuda, Give the B body hi-po's the same treatment as we did to the magnums on the 318?
Click to expand...
exactly. and the U-joint is a good option if the box is hitting. I did mine like that. Use a qiality 1/2 drive U-joint, plenty strong and narrow.
 
The steerin column has a lot of play in it when you loosen the bolts holdin the boot to the firewall. Most people just loosen it up and push the column over to the left a little.
 
RustyRatRod said:
The steerin column has a lot of play in it when you loosen the bolts holdin the boot to the firewall. Most people just loosen it up and push the column over to the left a little.
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WOW!!! That is so simple and so easy!!! That small bit of information in going on my list for installing 340/360 manifolds in an Early A!!!

Thanks RRR

Treblig
 
If that works for you, great. The steering rod in my column cant move laterally, only in and out to an extent. Here is a shot of a coupler alternative. Its a 5/8 deep socket that I welded to a splined end of a stock coupler (no more slider box) and then I grinded the end of the steering shaft to a hex and drove it home. The original alignment was so straight that it didnt even need a joint. steered fine, no binding.
DSC00255.JPG
86.JPG
 
pishta said:
If that works for you, great. The steering rod in my column cant move laterally, only in and out to an extent. Here is a shot of a coupler alternative. Its a 5/8 deep socket that I welded to a splined end of a stock coupler (no more slider box) and then I grinded the end of the steering shaft to a hex and drove it home. The original alignment was so straight that it didnt even need a joint. steered fine, no binding.
DSC00255.JPG
86.JPG
Click to expand...

What manifolds do you have in that second pic??? The one on the passenger's side looks like a mirror image of the driver's side???

treblig
 
Just 68 383 hi-po logs like off a roadrunner. Passenger is common driver side has exit behind rear bolt.
 
pishta said:
If that works for you, great. The steering rod in my column cant move laterally, only in and out to an extent. Here is a shot of a coupler alternative. Its a 5/8 deep socket that I welded to a splined end of a stock coupler (no more slider box) and then I grinded the end of the steering shaft to a hex and drove it home. The original alignment was so straight that it didnt even need a joint. steered fine, no binding.
DSC00255.JPG
86.JPG
Click to expand...

that socket will BREAK in a crash,,or maybe turning and hitting a pot hole at the same time,,and you will have no steering,,,steering is not some thing to play around with
 
fstfish66 said:
that socket will BREAK in a crash,,or maybe turning and hitting a pot hole at the same time,,and you will have no steering,,,steering is not some thing to play around with
Click to expand...

thankfully, it never did. No crash, no potholes around here. Moved on from that setup to another coupler, didnt have the clearance issue anymore without the big block.
 
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