need insight to a-bodies

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unisteer

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My name is Brian Buckley I am the sales manager for unisteer performance. We have used this sight for some time now when it comes to identifing the classic mopars we have had come through our shop for rack and pinion kits. We have found it really assists us tremedously, and for this I thank you.

For those of you who don't know we do the rack and pinion kits for B & E Bodies. Finally our attention has turned to the beloved A-Bodies. Now I need some help with A-Bodies. I have been doing some research on A-Bodies trying to figure out the years they span, the different makes and models, k-member changes, columns and so on....

It seems to be getting quite confusing. Appears early model A-Bodies were large cars not the small compact go fast cars I thought they all where. Someone tryed to tell me that all A-Bodies turned to E-Bodies after 1970. I know this is wrong because I have a '73 Duster in the shop now. I believe this is true for the cuda line, but that's about it.

Feels like I am losing my mind trying to figure these cars out. I know you guys (and ladies) have the knowledge, please help down the path of clarity.

:disgust: Brian
 
Theres a bunch of different K frames.

You have early a bodys from 63 till 66, slant 6 and small block used the same frame I think

Then you have the 67 only K frame, small block, Slant six and big block all used there own frames

then there is 68-72, again Small block, big block (68-69) and slant six all different

and 73-76, Slant six and small block frames
 
Hi Brian,

Please feel free to give me a call toll free at 877-930-4088 ext. 102, or shoot me an email at [email protected] if there's anything I might be able to help you with. If I don't have the answer you're looking for, I might be able to at least point you in the right direction.

My normal work schedule is Tuesday-Friday 8am-4:30pm, and Saturdays 9am-2pm, but if I'm not in my office, you can leave a voicemail. And it's not unusual to find me here on Sundays and even Monday(my off day). All the times I have posted are for Pacific time.

Thanks,
Rick
 
Through my research I have been noticing the 68 and up A-Bodies seem to be the most popular. Is the a fair statement?

Brian
 
unisteer said:
Through my research I have been noticing the 68 and up A-Bodies seem to be the most popular. Is the a fair statement?

Brian
Click to expand...

Yes, I think thats safe to say.

I would put 67 in that group also though. Only difference in K frames is the pitman arm.
 
I was on Firm Feel Inc's website (firmfeel.com) and for k-members they show 63-66 as one, no listing for a '67, then a 68-72, finally a 73-76 listing. Moparts.com has a listing by part number for all the k-members. Basically the part numbers change every year and based on 6, smalll 8, and big 8. What it doesn't tell you is what changed. I can't imagine chrysler changed the k-members every year, so I am thinking it is only small stull like, bushings, torsion bar mounting holes, heck motor mounts for all I know. Since our rack and pinion kits mount to the k-frame, this seems like a logical place to begin.

Brian
 
unisteer said:
I was on Firm Feel Inc's website (firmfeel.com) and for k-members they show 63-66 as one, no listing for a '67, then a 68-72, finally a 73-76 listing. Moparts.com has a listing by part number for all the k-members. Basically the part numbers change every year and based on 6, smalll 8, and big 8. What it doesn't tell you is what changed. I can't imagine chrysler changed the k-members every year, so I am thinking it is only small stull like, bushings, torsion bar mounting holes, heck motor mounts for all I know. Since our rack and pinion kits mount to the k-frame, this seems like a logical place to begin.

Brian
Click to expand...

The 67 K-member has a stub mounted idler arm. Not a thru bolt type. This would be like the 67 and down B-body stud idlers that you may have experiance or prior knowledge of.???

If your system locates itself from the 3 bolts on the steering box plate and the U shaped thru bolt bracket for the idler arm THEN all 68-76 K-members are identical at those specific points.

There could be one area I'm thinking between the 68-72 and 73-76 k-members that may pose an interferce issue difference.

You can swap steering gears, idlers, and centerline as a whole assembly between the 68-72 A-body k-members and the 73-76 style K-members.

Brian, I have done these A-body K-member/steering/brake combinations back, forth, and sideways. I can walk you though all of this with pictures and expanation. I have an engineering a suspension design backround. I just sent you a private message with my cell phone number.
 
Brain. I think the the 66 and earlier cars use the same K regardless of motor. They just changed engine brackets on the motor ?

The 67 K frame uses a 1 year only Pitman arm that expensive and hard to find and doesnt look like a very strong set up to me. The pitman arm sit on a std while the 68 and later the pitman arm bolts in to a pocket.

73 - 76 they changed from the sandwich type motor mounts to the stronger spool mount and use a different sway bar.
 
Yall must be refering to the idler arm instead of pitman arm. 67 idler arm was a ball in socket at both ends. 68 and up got a through bolt at the K end.
 
Brian how long will it be before we see rack and pinion for a bodies?

Thanks
 
well we have been tossing around doing both a power and a manual rack and pinion. What would you guys like to see? I know we will do a power for sure, but let me know your thoughts.

the power will be done first, probably a couple months
 
Great to hear somebody is finally making a rack and pinion for our A-bodies. Thank you Brian.

My vote would be for power steering and the car is a 68.

Will a stock power steering pump work or will it take something special? Hopefully stock works cause I allready have it detailed and have the March serpentine pulley.
 
BRIAN; i have seen and talked with your people at the chryslers at carlisle events,,a few years ago i learned of your system,and was told the A bodys were on there way,,

i just recently seen an advertisement that the A body unisteer is here,,,
but like so many other companys jumping on the MOPAR BAND WAGON,,
all they see is the big light in the sky crying B & E bodys,,,,,

us A body guys get NO RESPECT,,,,and then us EARLY A guys get even less,,

the 68 and up guys get more then the 66 and down,, which buy the way includes 1962 valiants and lancers,,,

but there are a TON, of 1964 -66 guys doing conversions,,so dont think the EARLY a is a WASTE of time,, plymouth produced over 70 thousand 1965 barracudas,,, thats more barracudas then any other year barracuda,,encluding the big dollar E body cudas,,

the 63-66 K frames are all the same,,just differnt motor mounts for a slant 6 or v-8.. and only a small block was offered in the early A,, no factory big blocks 63-66

question,,do you or would you ever do some sort of universal rack mounting kit for street rod guys? i have both an EARLY A,,, AND A 40 dodge street rod, nice system you have,,hope to see a system for both A bodies,,
 
i will have to agree with fstfish66 dont think its a gamble making them for the early a's alot of people with them looking to improve them in every way!!!
 
This is unoffical because we are in the R&D phase right now, but we have done a '67 Dart, so that will most likely be a kit. We have a '73 Duster here right now, which will cover the 73-76 cars. I have a guy on the "hook" with a '68 fish (hence the hook,) which will cover the '68-72 cars. After that I would have to look for a '63-'66 car.

As fstfish66 pointed out he talked to us a couple of years ago at the carlisle all mopar, (which by the way we will be there again this year), R&D takes time. I would like to say we start on one project and work it until completion, but anyone in enigineering/r&d fields knows it is almost impossible to do; inevtiably something always pops up in the way. We do our best to be thorough with our research on the cars, so we don't have mistakes.

We are working as hard as we can to get to these cars, trust me we look around at car shows, we see the A-Bodies. Don't worry you will be loved upon by us.

I know it's hard, but hang in there; relief in the form of accurate, responsive, & imporved road feel, with no frame modifications is coming. I hope that is enough to wet the appetites, but not to much to get booted from the forum.

Brian
 
Brian this book......it will answer ALL your questions. I found it on E-Bag, Author is Paul Herd.
Jim

001 resized.jpg
 
unisteer said:
This is unoffical because we are in the R&D phase right now, but we have done a '67 Dart, so that will most likely be a kit. We have a '73 Duster here right now, which will cover the 73-76 cars. I have a guy on the "hook" with a '68 fish (hence the hook,) which will cover the '68-72 cars. After that I would have to look for a '63-'66 car.

As fstfish66 pointed out he talked to us a couple of years ago at the carlisle all mopar, (which by the way we will be there again this year), R&D takes time. I would like to say we start on one project and work it until completion, but anyone in enigineering/r&d fields knows it is almost impossible to do; inevtiably something always pops up in the way. We do our best to be thorough with our research on the cars, so we don't have mistakes.

We are working as hard as we can to get to these cars, trust me we look around at car shows, we see the A-Bodies. Don't worry you will be loved upon by us.

I know it's hard, but hang in there; relief in the form of accurate, responsive, & imporved road feel, with no frame modifications is coming. I hope that is enough to wet the appetites, but not to much to get booted from the forum.

Brian
Click to expand...

Man you got me drooling. I was thinking when I restored my 68 I would have loved to change it over to rack and pinion but didn't have the means. Can't wait till it's out. You got a sale here.
 
Pretty Cool. Hope to see it for the early-a someday.
 
fishy68,

I apoloize I didn't answer your question in my previous post, I meant to but it slipped by.

What kind of March pump are you using? The reason I ask is we sell pumps to March and if it is one of our pumps you could send it to me and I could change the valving if need be. However our power kit will come with a pump and if you want a serpentine pulley on it I will gladly do that for you.

Thanks to everyone who has helped get us this far. I am sure we will do a a discount for the members on this site when the time comes!

Stay tuned and keep the questions and suggestions coming.

Brian
 
unisteer said:
fishy68,

I apoloize I didn't answer your question in my previous post, I meant to but it slipped by.

What kind of March pump are you using? The reason I ask is we sell pumps to March and if it is one of our pumps you could send it to me and I could change the valving if need be. However our power kit will come with a pump and if you want a serpentine pulley on it I will gladly do that for you.

Thanks to everyone who has helped get us this far. I am sure we will do a a discount for the members on this site when the time comes!

Stay tuned and keep the questions and suggestions coming.

Brian
Click to expand...

Sorry for the misunderstanding Brian but I don't have a March pump. The pump is stock. I have the March serpentine pulley on it. The pump I'm using is the newer type used from 70 up that is a keyway fit to pulley. Does your pump use the keyway?

Thanks, Tracy
 
MVRCorp said:
Brian this book......it will answer ALL your questions. I found it on E-Bag, Author is Paul Herd.
Jim
Click to expand...

Careful with those Paul Herd books. His resto books are full of errors.
 
There Stuff Looks Real Nice,,
Brain,, Any Chance Of A Universal Kit For Street Rodders???
 
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