Late model 5.9 engine and trans swap

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wayneswirld2

wayneswirld2

I need a vacation...
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Hey gang, I'm contemplating, very seriously, swapping a late model 5.9 engine and trans swap into my '65 Valiant. I've had a low(ish) mileage '97 B3500 one ton van fall into my lap for free and I can think of no better home for the drivetrain. Obviously I'll have the entire drivetrain, ECM, and wiring harness at my disposal.

The intended victim is a 2 door 1965 Valiant V100 that has a 170 slant 6 and three on the tree.

My biggest concerns are motor mounts, trans crossmember and mount, and exhaust.

I'm a mechanic and have built a few hot rod Mopars in the past, but nothing like this. What I'm looking for is advice from some folks who have possibly done, or been involved with, this swap before. Any pix would be greatly helpful.

I'm mainly looking to update the Valiant so that it's more reliable, has a little more oomph, and gets better gas mileage.

I'll update this posting with pix and info when I get it. Hopefully this will be a good winter project for me, and I can bring it out in the spring.

C'mon y'all, let the great advice flow!!!!

Wayno
Austin, TX
 

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V 8 k member obviously if you have one or swap mounts. It's my understanding that a body v8 motor mounts will work in this application with minor modification. As for the trans, I'm clueless. I'm sure someone will chime in that knows. I would think that custom shift linkage is a must. Who knows. With your experience and a few hints/tips, it should be a cake walk. *knocks on wood*
 
wayneswirld2 said:
Hey gang, I'm contemplating, very seriously, swapping a late model 5.9 engine and trans swap into my '65 Valiant. I've had a low(ish) mileage '97 B3500 one ton van fall into my lap for free and I can think of no better home for the drivetrain. Obviously I'll have the entire drivetrain, ECM, and wiring harness at my disposal.

The intended victim is a 2 door 1965 Valiant V100 that has a 170 slant 6 and three on the tree.

My biggest concerns are motor mounts, trans crossmember and mount, and exhaust.

I'm a mechanic and have built a few hot rod Mopars in the past, but nothing like this. What I'm looking for is advice from some folks who have possibly done, or been involved with, this swap before. Any pix would be greatly helpful.

I'm mainly looking to update the Valiant so that it's more reliable, has a little more oomph, and gets better gas mileage.

I'll update this posting with pix and info when I get it. Hopefully this will be a good winter project for me, and I can bring it out in the spring.

C'mon y'all, let the great advice flow!!!!

Wayno
Austin, TX
Click to expand...

i am doing the exact same swap! check out magnumswap.com

 
MoparDaddy said:
V 8 k member obviously if you have one or swap mounts. It's my understanding that a body v8 motor mounts will work in this application with minor modification. As for the trans, I'm clueless. I'm sure someone will chime in that knows. I would think that custom shift linkage is a must. Who knows. With your experience and a few hints/tips, it should be a cake walk. *knocks on wood*
Click to expand...


all early a-body k-frames are the same. you can get engine mounts from schumacker. you will need a v-8 dropped center link. I am dumping the fuel injection and wire harness from my 5.9 and going carburated for simplicity sake. the 904 trans for pretty much any small block mopar will bolt right up with the factory 5.9 flex plate. you will have to oblong one hole.
 
younggun2.0 said:
all early a-body k-frames are the same. you can get engine mounts from schumacker. you will need a v-8 dropped center link. I am dumping the fuel injection and wire harness from my 5.9 and going carburated for simplicity sake. the 904 trans for pretty much any small block mopar will bolt right up with the factory 5.9 flex plate. you will have to oblong one hole.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah. That's right. Good looking out.

He wants to use the overdrive transmission that in the van too.
 
Younggun, your car and mine could be twins. Mine was the same color as yours originally, although it's now a crappy flat black, and has rally wheels on it too. I'm going back to the original color. Wanna keep that granny sleeper look.

Thanks for the input.

Wayno
 
I'm mainly looking to update the Valiant so that it's more reliable, has a little more oomph, and gets better gas mileage.
Click to expand...

If gas mileage is important, you may want to stay w/ the leaning tower of power. 5.9's are not good on mpg in any combo I've seen.
 
Lots of mods required to install an AOD trans. There was a sticky on the trans forum from someone installing one into a duster. I would suggest you look very closely in person at an early A V8 car and see just what you are getting into. They have very little working room around the exhaust and it is even worse with power steering. As mentioned the k-member are all the same in early a's. The biggest headaches are getting the trans to fit and getting an exhuast to clear the inner fenders.

I don't think you will beat the 170 in mpg with a 360 even with mpi and AOD. I personally would first concentrate on safety and chassis upgrades. If it has a single resevoir master cylinder I wouldn't drive it around the block. 9" drums kinda stop okay once every 5 minutes. Torsion bars/leaf springs way undersized for any real power. I would add subframe connectors before thinking about a V8 swap you wouldn't believe how much they help. And if you went to a 5 speed manual you would have a pretty good cruiser.
 
Another place for the OP to put this powertrain is the 1962 newport listed in his sig line. It would fit the c-body better and the AOD would help with the mpg. I remember our old 65 383 newport got about 10mpg in town.
 
mcnoople said:
Another place for the OP to put this powertrain is the 1962 newport listed in his sig line. It would fit the c-body better and the AOD would help with the mpg. I remember our old 65 383 newport got about 10mpg in town.
Click to expand...

Don't forget, if you choose to go with a 904, that the flex-plate has to be deliberately out-of-balance to accommodate the engine's being externally-balanced.

I did (kinda) this swap (L-A 340/'64 Valiant) back in 1972.... one sweet ride! You'll love it!
 
Bill Dedman said:
Don't forget, if you choose to go with a 904, that the flex-plate has to be deliberately out-of-balance to accommodate the engine's being externally-balanced.

I did (kinda) this swap (L-A 340/'64 Valiant) back in 1972.... one sweet ride! You'll love it!
Click to expand...

you can use the factory 5.9 flex plate. you will have to oblong one hole by about 1/8" and then it will bolt up to your NEUTRAL BALANCE torque converter.
 
Bill Dedman said:
Thanks for that info; I didn't know that. I bouught a B & M, and it wasn't cheap :(
Click to expand...

ya that is option b. the b&m one has the half moon cut out on the one side.

130-10239.jpg


B&M 10239 - B&M Flexplates
 
Good input sofar, many things that I've read about and are aware of already. MPG is a real concern honestly, I just figured if I could break even in that regards AND have more power that would be awesome.

Brakes and suspension will be upgraded after the slant is removed. There is some minor body work that needs to be attended to as well, so while I'm prepping the engine bay for the new drivetrain I'll be doing that as well.

It's going to be a decent sized project, but I'm really looking forward to the reliability of an EFI V8 and overdrive trans with the cool body lines of the early A.

The '62 Newport has a 361, and yes this drivetrain would be perfect in it, but we're keeping that car as original as possible. That is unless I really, REALLY like the late model Magnum motor and trans in the Valiant.

Wayno
 
Not much to add but good luck with the swap. I see your truck all of the time on the way home from the gym. Nice little collection of Mopars you have. I recognized the truck from the picture.

Mike
 
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