Swapping 76 Dart Sport power train into 72 Swinger Special

[ktmorangedart]

I have a complete 76 Dart Sport 4 spd 318 factory donor car. I plan to swap it all over into my 72 Swinger Special, which is a slant 6 base model car. How much of the 76 should go into the 72? Will this stuff just bolt into the 72 or will there be problems? I know nothing except this will one day be a badass car.

I should add that I plan on using the entire power train and rear end and suspension from the 76, as it all fits together obviously, but I am not sure how well it all goes from there into the 72 chassis. Do I use the k member from the 76 too? What about the entire front clip? Or is the 72 front clip okay? See, these things I do not know at all. I have come to be obsessed with my Dart later in life and therefore I have much catching up to do. Things like the steering column and wiring harnesses too. And dash assembly. It goes on and on. Where is the limit?

 

[72bluNblu]

Almost everything from the '76 Dart Sport will fit your '72 Swinger. How much you want to switch is up to you.

If you're converting from a /6 to a V8, the easiest thing to do would be to use the entire K frame assembly and suspension from the '76. Using the '76 K frame will get you V8 engine mounts which will be the later spool type engine mounts, the UCA's will be the big ball joint uppers that work with disk brakes, and I would imagine that the '76 probably has disk brake spindles etc already. If either car has a sway bar, make sure you switch to the LCA's that match the '76 K frame, as you can't use an 67-72 sway bar on a 73-76 K frame. All of the suspension will be bolt on.

You don't need to, and wouldn't want to, switch the entire front clip (fenders/hood/grill/bumpers) as the '72 already has by far the more desirable front clip. Just swap the K and suspension. You'll also need the radiator for sure. The /6 wiring can be modified to work with the V8. You could swap the entire engine harness over, but that will get complicated because the '76 engine harness isn't a direct swap onto the '72 bulkhead connecter, you might have to move some wires around. Or use the entire '76 harness, engine and dash. The steering column will swap over, and since I'm assuming the '72 is a column shift and the '76 is obviously a floor shift, you'll want to do that. The only snag will be if one car is manual steering and the other is power. If that's the case, you'll need to keep the steering shaft matched with the type of steering, or swap the steering box as well. But swapping the steering shaft out of a column is pretty simple.

If your '72 isn't a 4 speed car, then the entire operation will not be bolt on. You'll need a 4 speed transmission hump, which will require cutting the floor of the '72. You'll also have to slightly modify the 4 speed hump from the '76, because the floor on the 76 has a raised section to clear a catalytic converter that the '72 does not have. The ball stud mount for the Z bar should also be welded on. The rest of the parts bolt on and should swap right over.

You may want to check what rear end is in each car before you switch them. The '72 probably has a 7 1/4, and the '76 probably has an 8 1/4, in which case you should definitely swap them. Even if they're both 7 1/4's, you should swap them, because the '76 will be a BBP 7 1/4, and none of those parts will exchange with a SBP 7 1/4. On the off chance the '72 has an 8 3/4 (unlikely for a /6 car) you'd want to keep that regardless of bolt pattern.

The Dart Sport's driveshaft will not work in the '72. The Dart Sport has a 108" wheelbase, the Swinger has a 111" wheelbase. So, even if you swap the entire drivetrain, you'll still need a new driveshaft.

Other than a few parts of the 4 speed conversion, everything will be a bolt on. That doesn't meant it won't be a lot of work. I just finished switching my '74 Duster, which was originally a /6 with an auto, over to a 340 4 speed. You have all the parts, but it will still take some time.

Here's a thread to my Duster build.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=198098

Not everything is covered there, but there are A LOT of threads on /6 to V8 and auto to 4 speed conversions on here.

I guess the obvious question is, what's wrong with the '76 Dart Sport that you don't just drive it instead of swapping everything over?

Good luck, and welcome to FABO! :thumbup:

 

[Woods74]

Yo, while that K-frame is out reinforce it like I did in my build, you'll thank yourself later.

 

[VDART]

72nublue has you covered, start your own build thread show some pics & you get lot's of help ideas--- make your plan & go for it .

You are way ahead with the complete parts car swap. Lawrence

 

[ktmorangedart]

Almost everything from the '76 Dart Sport will fit your '72 Swinger. How much you want to switch is up to you.

If you're converting from a /6 to a V8, the easiest thing to do would be to use the entire K frame assembly and suspension from the '76. Using the '76 K frame will get you V8 engine mounts which will be the later spool type engine mounts, the UCA's will be the big ball joint uppers that work with disk brakes, and I would imagine that the '76 probably has disk brake spindles etc already. If either car has a sway bar, make sure you switch to the LCA's that match the '76 K frame, as you can't use an 67-72 sway bar on a 73-76 K frame. All of the suspension will be bolt on.

You don't need to, and wouldn't want to, switch the entire front clip (fenders/hood/grill/bumpers) as the '72 already has by far the more desirable front clip. Just swap the K and suspension. You'll also need the radiator for sure. The /6 wiring can be modified to work with the V8. You could swap the entire engine harness over, but that will get complicated because the '76 engine harness isn't a direct swap onto the '72 bulkhead connecter, you might have to move some wires around. Or use the entire '76 harness, engine and dash. The steering column will swap over, and since I'm assuming the '72 is a column shift and the '76 is obviously a floor shift, you'll want to do that. The only snag will be if one car is manual steering and the other is power. If that's the case, you'll need to keep the steering shaft matched with the type of steering, or swap the steering box as well. But swapping the steering shaft out of a column is pretty simple.

If your '72 isn't a 4 speed car, then the entire operation will not be bolt on. You'll need a 4 speed transmission hump, which will require cutting the floor of the '72. You'll also have to slightly modify the 4 speed hump from the '76, because the floor on the 76 has a raised section to clear a catalytic converter that the '72 does not have. The ball stud mount for the Z bar should also be welded on. The rest of the parts bolt on and should swap right over.

You may want to check what rear end is in each car before you switch them. The '72 probably has a 7 1/4, and the '76 probably has an 8 1/4, in which case you should definitely swap them. Even if they're both 7 1/4's, you should swap them, because the '76 will be a BBP 7 1/4, and none of those parts will exchange with a SBP 7 1/4. On the off chance the '72 has an 8 3/4 (unlikely for a /6 car) you'd want to keep that regardless of bolt pattern.

The Dart Sport's driveshaft will not work in the '72. The Dart Sport has a 108" wheelbase, the Swinger has a 111" wheelbase. So, even if you swap the entire drivetrain, you'll still need a new driveshaft.

Other than a few parts of the 4 speed conversion, everything will be a bolt on. That doesn't meant it won't be a lot of work. I just finished switching my '74 Duster, which was originally a /6 with an auto, over to a 340 4 speed. You have all the parts, but it will still take some time.

Here's a thread to my Duster build.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=198098

Not everything is covered there, but there are A LOT of threads on /6 to V8 and auto to 4 speed conversions on here.

I guess the obvious question is, what's wrong with the '76 Dart Sport that you don't just drive it instead of swapping everything over?

Good luck, and welcome to FABO! :thumbup:

Hey thanks for this, feels like I am on track. Just a couple of questions. If the 76 drive shaft will not work, then do I use the 72 drive shaft? Or do I find a different one, or do I have the 76 one shortened?

Also, the reason for not using the 76 car is that it was fully rotted and done, so I paid $ 500 and got the stuff mentioned above out of it including the steering column. It seems to have a sure grip from what my friend the mechanic told me upon examination of the rear end when we put it in the back of the pickup and turned each one of the hubs, which cause the other sides to spin, so I don't know if these cars were built like that with the 8 1/4 differentials. But maybe I lucked out.

When I mentioned the front clip I used the term incorrectly, as I am a nouveax on these cars, formerly a motorcycle guy, but now seriously into these Chryslers, especially the Dart. What I was referring to was the front suspension and steering and axle assembly. I agree that the front clip of the 70 - 72 design is outstanding. Painting the bumber and blacking out the grille assembly makes it look sort of like a little brother to the Challenger. Thanks for the great info.