66 Valiant Wagon standard transmission conversion.....

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ndeconte

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Hey Everyone,

I'm toying with the idea of doing a standard transmission conversion on my 225 slant 6, 66 Valiant station wagon as I'm neck deep into it already!? ;)

I know I need the setup from an early A body (64-66?)........bellhousing, clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing, transmission, transmission hump, pedal assembly, clutch linkage, floor shifter. Are my years correct on what fits? It's a 66 wagon, so I believe the body itself is a 65 correct?

Also, what standard transmissions would be a "Bolt in"? I assume factory, 4 speed (A-833) for those years correct?

I was thinking of doing a hydraulic clutch set up, but I like the idea of keeping it all looking stock.

Thanks in advance!

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To clarify things further the 64/65 humps are virtually the same with the round shifter hole. The 66 hump has the oblong hole. As I understand it, the 64 slant 4 speed bell housing is a bit different where the ball stud fits mounts; don’t remember if the 65/66 clutch linkage is the same as the 64 due to the location of the 64’s ball stud. The 64/65 833 is a very strong transmission due to the extra ball bearing in the tail shaft. The downside according to some is the 64/65 833 uses the ball and trunnions instead of the 66 and later slip joint. There is a slip joint adapter as a workaround for the hall and trunnions joint.

My 65 wagon was originally a slant/904 which I’m converting to a V8/833 among other major modifications. I didn’t have to piecemeal all the parts as I had parted out a V8 4 speed car.

mid you need any mire information, drop me a line and I’ll be glad to try and answer any questions.
 
The easiest is to use the 64-66 4 speed bellhousing if you can, but I have used the newer /6 O/D bellhousing also. I can't remember how the clutch linkage was set up. You can use any A/F body 4 speed including the O/D 4 speed. You just have to be aware of front bearing retainer and the pilot hole in the Bellhousing. The next thing to match is the rear output splines or ball and trunion as post #4. The last is to match the shifter and shift linkage to the trans.
 
The easiest is to use the 64-66 4 speed bellhousing if you can, but I have used the newer /6 O/D bellhousing also. I can't remember how the clutch linkage was set up. You can use any A/F body 4 speed including the O/D 4 speed. You just have to be aware of front bearing retainer and the pilot hole in the Bellhousing. The next thing to match is the rear output splines or ball and trunion as post #4. The last is to match the shifter and shift linkage to the trans.

Yea, thinking about the A-833OD since it would be better for highway cruising. Hoping I can find a stock version that will fit the 66 trans mount.
 
To avoid confusion, your body is a 66 even though it was built in 65.

1966 was the first model year for the slip joint output shaft. So if you are trying to look "Stock", any A-body A-833 will work including the aluminum OD used in the mid 70's. I think Brewers has a fiberglass 1966 floor hump available. The OD trans has a 3.09 first gear so you can use a taller rear gear and not suffer too much on take off.

I'm doing the same on my 64 Val and I'll tell you it's not cheap. Took me 2 years of scrounging to get all the parts together.
 
Yea, thinking about the A-833OD since it would be better for highway cruising. Hoping I can find a stock version that will fit the 66 trans mount.

For the OD transmission you will want either the 75/76 A Body or the 76-80 F Body transmission. IDK if either will mate to the stock 66 trans mount. Brewers will probably know.

if you’re going with the 833 OD, contact me as I have a slant bellhousing for that transmission that I will not be using.
 
Also, what standard transmissions would be a "Bolt in"? I assume factory, 4 speed (A-833) for those years correct?


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The 745 3 speed manual is the only "standard" transmission for that year and type of vehicle, it was a column shift.

The 833 4 speed was originally available those years in A bodies, but the 4 speed is not a standard transmission.
 
All early abodies from the factory already have the holes to of have come with a manual transmission 833 or the column shift, you just need to get the inner fender pivot ball and the bell crank pivot and slant six z bar, four speed or three on the tree pedals, the rod that goes from the pedals to the z bar. You will need to cut open your trans hump not much and put in your 4 speed hump, I screwed mine down and sealed it with glue that way when you dissassemble to change clutch in the future it's easy or to work on the shifter it's self. bellhousing inspection cover and plate.

The OD four speed will need the matching bellhousing to go with it, make sure you get the correct flywheel, because depending on what year your motor is you might need the small diameter crank hole, or the bigger, you also might need to fab up a bell crank to work on your abody when using the later bells.

If it were me I would go with the period correct tranny set up plus they have that lower gear ratios the first gear 3.09 and so fourth, for a slant six you need good gearing, my buddy has an over drive with 2.76 gears with a slant the damn thing barely moves at a dead stop. But on the free way that's another story. I converted two early abodies to a four speed my dart being the last with a hot 225 best thing I did hands down I daily drive this car and get great mileage, and still fry the tires.
 
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Trans mounts for your car will fit the transmission the same, there is only one cross member and it will work with an A Body manual or auto trans. I am running an O/D trans in my 66 but it has a 273. Clutch linkage is stock 273.
/6 linkage and flywheel info and cautions per post #10 sounds right. I was running a 170 and A-833 O/D in my 64 Barracuda. If I remember correctly, I ran the early 170 flywheel and 10 inch clutch and pressure plate. There is a 66-67 small spline 4 speed trans and small spline output O/D trans, if you can find one of these you maybe able to use your existing driveshaft.
 
Thank you everyone!

I have a better understanding of what I'm doing now and already have a few leads on parts!

This site/group is fantastic, thanks again!
 
One last question on this......

So early A body 3 speed bellhousings won't work on the A-833 transmissions, correct?
 
And as for the transmissions themselves......

A B-body A-833 could be converted to an A-body by switching out the tailshaft and tailshaft housing for the A-body parts?
 
So, this is happening!

Part are starting to come in!

Going the way of the A-833OD, mostly to help with the highway cruisin.

Looking at a transmission tomorrow and it doesn't have a shifter. It's out of a 73/74 Dart.

For shopping for a shifter, should I be shopping for one for the trans or the body? One for a 73/74 Dart OR a 66 Valiant?

And with that being said, I'm talking the mechanical part of the shifter, I'll be making a custom stick arm for it.
 
Wanted to give a shout out to Doug Strom who helped me out with the clutch linkage parts! Reasonably priced, packaged well and had them the next day!

Has a collection of 63-66 Valiant parts right now if anyone is looking! He's on here also!

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So, this is happening!

Part are starting to come in!

Going the way of the A-833OD, mostly to help with the highway cruisin.

Looking at a transmission tomorrow and it doesn't have a shifter. It's out of a 73/74 Dart.

For shopping for a shifter, should I be shopping for one for the trans or the body? One for a 73/74 Dart OR a 66 Valiant?

And with that being said, I'm talking the mechanical part of the shifter, I'll be making a custom stick arm for it.

Shifter should be for the body, 66 Valiant. I prefer the original A body 64-65 Hurst. It has a bolt on handle. It may be perfect as is. There are some on eBay now or I have a spare I would sell. Use the later 6350 aluminum mounting plate, O/D rod set from Brewers, the stock A body reverse lever arm, 064 O/D 1-2 lever arm, and the 065 O/D lever pointing down for 3-4 position. I'll upload pictures later.

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