63Dart Zbar issue

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omotz

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So I’m doing a 4 speed conversion on a 63 dart convertible. Have an older 833 and bell for a slant. Everything is in but Zbar isn’t level ie: going uphill slightly towards the bellhousing. It is parallel with the firewall though. Pics included. Any thoughts? As always thanks in advance for your input.

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63 dart would have a 9 1/2" bell housing and flywheel, looks like you may have a later 10" housing and flywheel.
 
i agree with cudamark, maybe loop back and check your motor mounts? loosen 'em up and give a shimmy shake and see where you're at.

you sure that's the correct ball stud for the bell and application?
 
Slant and V8 Z bars do not interchange, and since your car is a 63, it would not have come with a V8, so I would say you’re trying to use slant parts on a V8 application. Not gonna happen.
 
Slant and V8 Z bars do not interchange, and since your car is a 63, it would not have come with a V8, so I would say you’re trying to use slant parts on a V8 application. Not gonna happen.
He has a slant 6.
 
63 dart would have a 9 1/2" bell housing and flywheel, looks like you may have a later 10" housing and flywheel.
The fly wheel is the stock flywheel that the car had when it had the 170 in it. 9 1/2. I supplied the number for the Bell housing. I’m hoping somebody can decipher that and let me know for sure if it is for a 65, 66 year application.
 
The bellhousing is for a 65 model according to the Brewers site. They also show a 64 bellhousing with a different casting number. I would recommend getting in touch with Brewers.
 
The fly wheel is the stock flywheel that the car had when it had the 170 in it. 9 1/2. I supplied the number for the Bell housing. I’m hoping somebody can decipher that and let me know for sure if it is for a 65, 66 year application.
The bell housing is the correct stock one for a '65-6 slant 6 4 speed. If your driver's side mount is too thick, or, the passenger side too thin, or, the engine just might not be sitting straight, it could cause that misalignment.
 
Those 2 slant 6 cast iron bellhousing part numbers have different pick up points for the ball stud.
See in the picture below.. 3 of them are one part number and one is a different part number.


I have one of these installed in a '69 dart swinger.. The cast iron 833 slant bell housings were never designed for that chassis, but by redesigning the bell housing ball stud, welding additional material onto it and drilling new holes to properly locate it within the chassis it works fine.

If you are a bit skilled with a welder and a drill you can futz with what you currenly have to make it perpindicular, and parallel in all planes. I usually get the ball stud bits from the swap meet or parts bin and just make my own by moving and roatating it unil the torque shaft lines up properly.

It will also work with a bit of misalignment as well, as the ball on the frame and bell housing were designed with movement of the engine and chassis in mind.

If that is a stock torque shaft and you have heavier springs in the pressure plate it will likley break on you some day from shear forces at the frame side ball stud.
I have had this same failure happen on stock shafts on the '64, the '62, and on a '79 F body.


Good luck and happy slanting.
 
Looking at the pictures a bit more, you might be able to get a bit more rotation on the stud mount you have by slotting the holes.
The bottom one is already slotted with an open end, but the top hole is not. Some time spent futzing with a carbide burr on a die grinder may help.
 
Here is a picture of slant six bell housings with the years. This is from a member here and it may be @cudamark that I saved years ago.
 

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