Big block duster pain in the A$$

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Fisher said:
Ok i dont have the dropped center link. Mine is only 2.5 " from top to bottom. so it is the 6 cyl link. Will a V8 link be different?

2qwleep.jpg


Are the pitman arm and idler arm mount holes on centerline of the link? If not, would mounting it so it is lined up in the clearance areas of the pan make a better fit? Did you say the idler and pitman arms are the same part numbers as the V8 models? Just kinda thinkin out loud so to speak.
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I´m building my 68 Valiant right now to a 383/4-speed.
I´m wondering if you choose the bigger Sandwich Engine mounts or the thinner ones?
I saw both on many Photos.
I choose the Trans dapt Engine mounts and they fit pretty well.
Only thing is that it seems to be the Engine sits very deep in the compartement.
But i´m just in the mockup phase.

Anyway, the engine slides in very nice with B-Body HP Manifolds.
Extremely tight on passenger side. Have to grind a bit off the manifold.
Maybe when i use shims under the mounts, it comes up a bit and i have more room there.
 
Steve A said:
Fisher said:
Ok i dont have the dropped center link. Mine is only 2.5 " from top to bottom. so it is the 6 cyl link. Will a V8 link be different?

2qwleep.jpg


Are the pitman arm and idler arm mount holes on centerline of the link? If not, would mounting it so it is lined up in the clearance areas of the pan make a better fit? Did you say the idler and pitman arms are the same part numbers as the V8 models? Just kinda thinkin out loud so to speak.
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So what are you saying? do i flip the centerlink around will that move it back. i asked this question 4 times now and nobody has an answer if it can be swapped end for end?
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Fisher said:
Steve A said:
So what are you saying? do i flip the centerlink around will that move it back. i asked this question 4 times now and nobody has an answer if it can be swapped end for end?
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It CAN be installed end for end swapped. However, it won't fit right when it comes to connecting tie rod ends...angles will be hokey. I flipped mine around a few times scratching my head trying to figure it out.
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Jlcaptain24 said:
Fisher said:
It CAN be installed end for end swapped. However, it won't fit right when it comes to connecting tie rod ends...angles will be hokey. I flipped mine around a few times scratching my head trying to figure it out.
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Yup, I took detailed orientation pics when I removed mine from the 68 GTS 383, so I knew for sure which way it went back on after a chassis rebuild.
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And for what it's worth, I have a 440 in a 72 swinger with shumacher mounts and 187 pan. The center link hits slightly when when full lock one direction. I still need to address it...I'm thinking it'll be in the form of a BFH. Not dying to dent my freshly painted pan...but looks like I;ll have to.
 
ok great thank you for all the replies everyone. i will be tweaking my pan to clear this evening. I was hanging on as long as i could. lol
 
Fisher said:
well not according to the guys i spoke to here that have done the swap. the oil pan needs to be dimpled.
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Then somethin is WRONG.

People have been doin this swap for 40 plus years. More than 20 years before Michael Schumacher opened his doors. It's a tight swap, but it ain't rocket science.
 
And for what it's worth I used a slant k frame with all of the original slant steering parts. I had no issues with it rubbing or binding. Trans dapt mounts with home made shims on passenger mount.
 
Fisher said:
I am done thanks for all the help then pan is now dented, have a good day everyone.
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don`t feel bad, I`ve read on here where a lot of guys had to do that. or maybe it was on bbdart.com
 
mopowers said:
Those centerlinks are from an early A (pre-67) and will not work with a 67-up A body. I believe there are no difference from slant 6 to v8 centerlinks after 67.
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The one off my 68 sure looked a lot shallower than the 74 I put on it..... Could have been early production maybe.
 
Fisher said:
Ok i dont have the dropped center link. Mine is only 2.5 " from top to bottom. so it is the 6 cyl link. Will a V8 link be different?

2qwleep.jpg
Click to expand...

Don't compare your centerlink to the one in the picture. Those are from an early A. I took that picture a long time ago. I wish it wasn't posted in this thread because it doesn't have anything to do with your situation. If you're having an issue with oilpan interference, there's something else going on. Placement of the engine is off or something.
 
Jim Lusk says," There were two center links from 67-up (67-72 and 73-76), but there was no longer a difference between what came on a slant car and a V8 car. The difference is in the direction of the idler and pitman arm studs and the amount of drop needed on the link to clear all engines."
 
wannadrag said:
Doesn't he need the v8 style dropped center link?
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That's a myth. There is no 'dropped centerlink' after 67. The same link was used from 67-72 and 73-76 whether the car was a slant 6 or a v8 car. The only v8 drop centerlinks were used in early A's.
 
mguner said:
Jim Lusk says," There were two center links from 67-up (67-72 and 73-76), but there was no longer a difference between what came on a slant car and a V8 car. The difference is in the direction of the idler and pitman arm studs and the amount of drop needed on the link to clear all engines."
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Exactly. Jim knows his stuff.
 
You bring up a good point though. I wonder how much difference there is from a 67-72 link and a 73-76 centerlink. If the idler and pitman arms are swapped. Are they interchangeable?
 
I was going to ask if the sector shafts on the steering boxes were the same. Then you could swap pitman arms and use the early box on a later car....
 
My 440 slipped into my 70 swinger like a glove. Tri-y headers and schumacher mounts. No problems at all.
 
Pic of a 73-76 bottom

67-72 top



No such thing as a V8 centerlink on a 67+ A body car.
 
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