Shifty

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opus65

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Hello Folks,
Trying to work through foreseeable problems. 65 Dart, original column shift. Donor motor and trans is 72 /6 with 904. How do I make it shift? Will 67 column work? Will donor 72 column work?
Thanks
 
If your donor motor is a 72, you'll need to use the oil pan and pickup and I believe the motor mounts from the 65 motor so the motor will sit and fit properly on the 65 K Fame. The 72 oil pan wants to occupy some of the same real estate as the K Frame.The 65 column won't work since it's a dual cable operated column. Neither the 67 nor 72 column will be suitable. You might be able to get one or the other to fit with some mods to the column but the shifter part in the engine bay will probably be problematic in working properly. The correct column to use is the 66 column shift column along with the linkage. Reason: Both the 65 and 66 are early A's and share the same K Frame, virtually the same firewall, and same mounting location to the dash and firewall. The 66 linkage will fit perfectly with the 72 904. Any questions, drop me a PM as I've run into all these issues at one time or another.
 
By poking around this sight a little I was starting to suspect some bad things about steering columns. I am going to guess a 66 column is made of "unobtanium." Good to know about the pan. Would pan and pickup through 66 work?
 
I am going to guess a 66 column is made of "unobtanium." Good to know about the pan. Would pan and pickup through 66 work?

Like most early A sheetmetal, trim and interior parts, the 66 column shift column is 1 year only as is the 65 style for column shifting. They are not made of unobtanium but close to it. Put out a Want Ad; you never know wgat’s Hiding in someone’s parts stache. I think I might still have the engine compartment linkage from a column shift slant 66 Barracuda I parted out years ago.

The oil pan/pickup will work from a slant 63 through 66 will work.
 
Looked at a 65 column I have left over from a Coronet. Believe it is the same as A body. The detent is on the column. In 66 and later non-cable shift tranny the detent would be in the tranny, correct?
 
Speaking ONLY of the shifter, I would think pretty much ANY Mopar column could be made to properly shift a transmission. The "in between" shift rods/ levers/ linkage may be different ratio, so you'd have to diddle with that
 
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