It,s time,6 out V8 in!Help with conv. kits!

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pettybludart

pettybludart

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I,ve decided to do the swap.That didn,t take long.LOL!Were and what is the cheapest conversion kit to buy?Motor mounts,headers and anything else I,m gonna need to swap this from 6cyl. to V8 (360) I alredy have carb,intake,elctronic ign.fans,rads,d.shafts.Any advise will be helpful!This is being done on my 1966 Dart,that I already swapped front disc. and 8 3/4 with bbp moser axels.Thanks Soon to be for sale items Offy 4bbl. intake,holley 4bbl.(500 ckm)new,6 cyl. headers.
 
Good for you....I guess, pettyblu. I was looking forward to seeing another /6 racer but I think a nice 360 would be sweet in your Dart too.
I just picked up a 1971 360 from a guy who said it's has good internals but makes a nasty noise on decel. I know nothing about the 360's so I'm gonna need to be educated:read2:(not that I have anything to put it in right now)
 
Yes,I just spent the better part of 2 days screwing with this header leak!I,ve got alot more experience with V8,s and my tax return is on it,s way,so is racing season.LOL!
 
pettyblu...I'm gathering pieces to do this same conversion to my duster, /6 to 360. Please keep us updated with pics and what all you had to buy/fabricate. For the record, I'm going to go ahead and get the schumacher swap kit for my job, not sure about if I'm going to get their headers or not....
Good luck and keep the updates coming please!!
 
The Schumacher kit is probably going to be the best bet as far as engine mounts are concerned. Going the NAPA route with the 273 mounts will yield a driver's side engine mount that won't fit. There are some who have gone this route anyway and shimmed the mount with washers to make it fit. I have not heard of any problems.
You'll need to get a V-8 steering centerlink. The /6 is straight where the V-8 one has a dropped center.
I have not seen early A-body headers that did not exit through the fenderwells. PAW or Schumacher may have something that will give you a break. The stock 273 V-8 driver's side manifold will be too small for the ports on the 360 heads. Suggest a later A-body 340 or 360 manifold.
If you have to put the engine in from the top, leave the 90º adapter or the oil filter off until after the engine is installed. Leaving it on will usually get the paint on the inner fender scratched. A Fram PH8A size filter will not fit without using the adapter. I have not tried the ½ quart version (PH16, I think).
The 273 4bbl used a single plane intake. I can't recall if my air filter housing rubbed into the hood pad or not. Suggest that you insure the intake/carburetor/air filter package will not require a hole in the hood, or worse yet, put a dimple in the hood where it impacts.
You may be tempted to run dual exhaust where the passenger side exhaust pipe runs under the cross-member. Everyone I have seen take this approach has at some point in time flatened the pipe. The successful ones have run both pipes through the notch on the driver's side. I'd be tempted to run the factory manifolds and merge them into a 4 inch single pipe with a Dynaflow diesel muffler (12770 ) on it and put an end on it to look like a 273 4bbl car. No sense scaring off good money before they see what it will do. Have fun!
 
Let me know when your slant stuff is for sale. I'm in Vancouver, at least the goodies would stay in Canada, and not have to cross the border. :)
 
Some of the 65 and 66 Dart / Valiant slant 6 models came with the dropped center link, but not all of them. Have a look at this thread Scott cause I've put in some photos and measurements of the center link you'll need for your V8 conversion.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar...ighlight=droped+steering+link+in+early+A+body

Also, you'll need to change out the truck oil pan for a car style pan that will fit your K Member.
 
TTI sells a notched crossmember to run dual exhaust. Mine is a hack job which will eventually need to be done right. I actually had to remove the flywheel inspection cover for the passanger side to clear. For now it sounds good with the solid lifter 273 and cherry bombs. I still run the restrictive 273 manifolds. I cant see myself cutting the fender wells. I have a '65 273 only Eddy D4B intake that I found on eBay but the car runs great with the stock 4brl intake. I would also have to cut the hood for the eddy to clear. I saw you running up Neyagawa on Saturday, looking good! I tried to explain to my wife that your '66 is a southern car. She said...............uhmmm what?
 
Should look like this8)

65 Vart 005.jpg
 
OldVart said:
Some of the 65 and 66 Dart / Valiant slant 6 models came with the dropped center link, but not all of them. Have a look at this thread Scott cause I've put in some photos and measurements of the center link you'll need for your V8 conversion.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar...ighlight=droped+steering+link+in+early+A+body

Also, you'll need to change out the truck oil pan for a car style pan that will fit your K Member.
Click to expand...
OldVart,thanks for reminding me,I just came back from alignment shop and HOORAY!!I,ve got the dropped centerlink!This will make things easier for my swap.
 
Dougs headers are pricey but fit and look good. I made my own throttle linkage with a pedal assembly and cable out of a 75 dart V-8. tti has a X-Pipe exhaust system and headers for early a's that are also expensive but works good. They have a template to modify your stock crossmember for duals. A 904 trans fits the tunnel and works good. I used a summit 22" universal mopar radiator and had to fab spacers to fit it. Have fun, the car should go great with a 360. mine does
 
I can,t seem to find prices on line for the Schumacher Creative kits,also my car is a 66 Dart with power steering.Do they make shorty headers to clear P.steering?Any help with sites for this swap would help.Thanks
 
Probably someone already mentioned this - but you can use 273 mounts with some washers added to them.
 
Thanks guys,I found the link.Thanks Ken!Can I get headers for p.steering and colum shift or just floor shift?
 
I am going through the swap right now on my 76 dart. I went the schumacher route and it was pretty much drop right in. The headers are going to be a pain, but with the engine out they should not be that bad.
 
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