63 Dodge Dart, now let me see;)

[Icetech]

I'm no ways ready for brakes, but this would cover it all, just shopping;)

62-74 Mopar Chrysler Plymouth A body power front disc brake conversion 5 on 4.5 | eBay

MOPAR 5 ON 4.5 BIG BOLT PATTERN POWER FRONT DISC KIT. Mopar A Body Disc Brake Wheel Kit Includes 5 ON 4.5 BOLT PATTERN. DISC FRONT DRUM REAR PROPORTIONING VALVE WITH MOUNTING BRACKET AND LINES. Rubber Brake Hoses.

www.ebay.com

View attachment 1716129723

Then CCP's parts, but I don't need upper control arms.

Classic Car and Truck Brake, Steering and Suspension Parts

I got my kit from piratejacks.. really happy with it

 

[Mineallmine]

Any updates on this? Ever get the motor mounts? Curious as to the clearance.

 

[Dne007]

Hey Mineallmine (thanks for checking in)~ well, looks like I will have to modify my wiper motor area. The motor supports did put the engine up higher than I thought which put the distributor really close to the firewall/wiper motor bump I don't think it will take much to "trim" it. I'll be taking the body to the blasters next week. In the meantime, I just finished welding the the leaf spring relocation brackets. We have a cool front(if you want to call it that) coming in Thursday, should be able to spend more time out in the garage;)

I put the fenders on my other rotisserie, much easier to work on now, plus blasters will appreciate it.

 

[Dne007]

I found this '76 Valiant which had been cleaned out of some goodies I wanted, but the rear axle was still there, it's an 8 1/4"? turns over smoothly, but I'll pull the back cover to inspect, it's 56" from mating surface to mating surface where the drums go;)

 

[GGs66GT]

That’s the rear end I have on the shop floor . It’s been rebuilt and is a cone type “posi” with 3.21 gears .

As for disc brakes you could go back to that donor you got the rear end from and grab everything the upper control arms , spindles, lower ball joints and bolts ,rotors,calipers .
Oh and a set of 15”wheels to make it a roller .
Depending on the condition of the bushings and upper ball joints you should replace them .
BTW I have a new set of lower ball joints for your project that you can have .
Also grab the throttle pedal and cable from the donor .

As for headers Doug’s has a set of shorties that should work .

The 63 is a one year only for the back window and trim, wiper motor ,linkage and firewall .
If I recall Lokar makes a cable type trans throttle pressure set up . They also make a floor shifter for the 904 as do several other companies.

You might want to consider a set of aluminum heads and manifold to keep the weight down so you can stick with the stock manual steering . It steers very light although 5 turns lock to lock . Ferm Feel makes a faster ratio box but it will be heavier filling.
Borgonson makes a smaller p/s unit the should work with the Doug’s shortie headers.
JEGS has a p/b unit for your Dart .

Glen

 

[Dne007]

Gee Glen, you're a wealth of information, you stay nearby!!! I'm not 100% I'll be using the 318/A904 that I bought, it was just nearby and available. Plus made a valuable mocking engine to see how the engine/trans fit. There's so much going on, something may pop up along the way.

IN the meantime, I finished up welding in the spring relocation brackets~ new spring is just there and waiting for new rear shackles(be here soon), then go ahead and cut the old mounts off the axle(and careful measuring), then weld the new perches. Then that will be done.
I am a little worried about the arch of the new springs, I don't want a high rider in the rear.

Amazingly, the gears look pristine, no water or rust at all, however the gearing is a little tall, but for my purposes should be just fine.

 

[GGs66GT]

Well you can always move the front of the leaf up to the top hole .

2.47 : 1 you won't need a tall tire , you'll be in overdrive without a O/D gear .

If you stick with the /6 use a 2 1/4 " exhaust to a muffler with a bit of back pressure and a 2 1/4 tail pipe .
It will knock of a bit of off the line torque but make up for it at freeway speeds .

Oh here's a picture of the Lower ball joints if you want them .

 

[Dne007]

Went back out to the salvage yard where I bought the rear axle, just in time as they were fixing to totally scrap it! I got the upper control arms, spindles(disc), and the wheels it had. I'll be getting new tires, I'll be temporarily installing the axle to see how these wheels will fit. All for 350;)

 

[Dne007]

I needed to see how the axle fit being relocated n all, so a good time to see how the wheels fit. I'm pleased, just want the best fitting tire, a little wider and taller than what I have now. They're junk tires anyways. ;)

 

[GGs66GT]

Boy that was a close call
I‘ll ship the lower ball joints to you this week. You did get the big bolts that connect the spindles to the lower ball joints right ?

 

[Dne007]

Good morning Glen, I could hear you while the salvage man was disassembling the front, “don’t forget the big bolts” ;).

I asked about the original engine, and they have it, it was stored on a shelf and even took them a while to find it! Lol. It looks quite nice, looks like it has a 4v carb, stock, not 100% sure. Has the smaller ac compressor, not the large mopar.

As I understand, it was a running car, but bought at an auction.
Dne’;)

 

[trapster]

Good luck with the build the 63/64 engine compartment is really hostile for v8's.
I went with a flaming river u-joint, mini starter, may need to clearance the trans tunnel a little and don't go crazy with the intake manifold until you figure hood clearance. Dougs headers are literally the only option, there may be more if you are using manual steering. You may need to shorten the engine mounts to get the distributer to fit. Power steering adds even more nightmare, go manual. That brake booster may not clear either the hood or the engine. You will need a different accelerator pedal, cable type out of a later mopar.

 

[Dne007]

Thank you for the super advice!! Darn, sure was looking forward for power steering and at least power brakes, it’s still early;)

 

[trapster]

Not saying it cant be done, just saying it isn't easy to do. Here are some pictures of my 340 in my 64 dart. it does have power steering and a 4 speed. If I were to do it again, I would probably go with a hydraulic clutch setup. I have disks up front from like a 69 or 70'sh small pattern mopar. I think there is something wrong with the proportioning valve because the rears lock up some times.

 

[Dne007]

OMG, thank you for the pictures!!! That helps a lot!!Those Dougs headers are incredible!!;)

 

[trapster]

Also I have a 4 core aluminum radiator and it struggles to keep the temperature down, adding an electric fan was necessary.

 

[Dne007]

Would a fan shroud have helped? you're not kidding, it's tight in there!

 

[Dne007]

IN the meantime, took the dart off the rotisserie~ I want to work on the wiper motor thing for clearance. fun

 

[trapster]

Would a fan shroud have helped? you're not kidding, it's tight in there!

yes, but none exists for this, so you would have to make it.

 

[Dne007]

On my '67 Mustang, it took several tries to get a fan shroud that fit. Had to modify the one I did get, but really helps the fan pull the air through. I'm sure you have the skills to make one, you need one. I will fabricate one if I can't find one;) Love your pics;)

 

[Dne007]

I go out of my way to install shrouds, if it didn't have one, it gets one;) And running Ac, a shroud is a must. Having the electric fan as a back up is a bonus;) oh, and I do like fan clutches instead of flex fans unless one just can't fit.

 

[Dne007]

Back a while before I got my new engine supports, I didn't have the engine high enough, or like the new mounts were going to be. I actually thought the new mounts put the engine up higher than need be. Going by my gut sense, this seemed like a decent height. Yes, the transmission is connected and trans crossmember connected.

With the engine hanging by my crane, the dist cap I feel was acceptable,not touching the firewall.

When I installed the new mounts, again, they just seem "tall".

Engine bolted up, the dist is touching the firewall.

A part of me just wants to cut some of the new height out of the new supports.
what say you? ;)
dne'

 

[GGs66GT]

Dne' here's pics of my '66 firewall (note with Factory A/C) just ignore the A/C and the firewall is the same on '64-'66 .
If you get the engine and trans from the late Valiant and they left all the accessory brackets you'll save a bunch of $$ . If not here's pics of the a/c , alt. bracket for the Sanden compressor . One important caviat when selecting an intake manifold it must place the thermostat in the factory location or it will be under the compressor , and that won't work . Edelbrock does make a manifold that will work .

Schumacher Creative services makes the correct engine mounts that put a 318 or 360 directly into the factory /6 K member here’s pics and instructions .

Dodge Dakota mini starter will save you $$ . I got mine from Rock Auto .

 

[GGs66GT]

Ok here's the rest of the pics . BTW note the dimple in the firewall it's for distributor clearance on the V-8 .
Oh and for comparison here's a '63 firewall .
And the V-8 center link .

 

[Dne007]

Thanks Glen for the awesome pictures!! The instructions still don't really explain "modification of the firewall". I may just go ahead and dimple the area in question before dissecting the firewall.
now let's see, what do I do today;)
dne'

and just who might the pretty young lady helping out be?;)