Early A body tranny mount modification and dual exhaust

[daves66valiant]

I thought I would post this thread for those that are intersted in the transmission mount modification to allow for easier dual exhaust setup on the Early A-bodies. This modification/template was taken from the early a-body tti header exhaust intructions. You can buy a pre-fabbed or send a core tranny mount to tti for $110, but this is the easy and cheap way to do it. Can be done in a couple of hours if you have all the materials and equipment available. Hope this helps anyone thinking of doing this to keep the passenger side dual exhaust from hanging down lower than the driver's side.

This is as far as I've gotten so far. I actually wrote the measurements on the tranny mount itself as you can see in the photos. I will post the final result once I'm finished.

-Dave

 

[Keith Mopar]

NIce job Dave.
I asume you are going to box in what you cut out, correct?

 

[dartcuda]

That looks good. i am doing one too. But I left the metal there, just cut out some and then bent it down. Was pretty easy.

 

[daves66valiant]

NIce job Dave.
I asume you are going to box in what you cut out, correct?

For sure. Just didn't have any pieces of steel laying around.

Nice job on yours too DartCuda

 

[Dodgenut64]

Dont you have to cut out the area were it mounts to also? I want to get a tko 5 speed down the road and it comes with a crossmember already cut out for duals, but i think ill have to cut out were it mounts to also. Is this right? Nice work on both of your cross members.
Hey Daves66valiant, what color ya going with on your convertible?

 

[daves66valiant]

Dont you have to cut out the area were it mounts to also? I want to get a tko 5 speed down the road and it comes with a crossmember already cut out for duals, but i think ill have to cut out were it mounts to also. Is this right? Nice work on both of your cross members.
Hey Daves66valiant, what color ya going with on your convertible?

Hey Dodgenut64,
No you don't have to cut out the area where it mounts. It mounts in the original position, you just have more room to pipe your exhaust. These are the only cuts needed according to the tti modification instructions. Pretty straight forward so far.

I already have the TKO 5-speed from Keisler with the crossmember for dual exhaust. I'm just doing this for the fun of it and something to keep me busy. Plus I can share the info on FABO. I'm going with PPG EE-1 Dark Blue Metallic and a black convertible top. Hope to have my car back this month.

 

[Dodgenut64]

Thanks for the info. So i wont have to cut anything around there if i get the tko kit with the cross member they supply? thanks

 

[daves66valiant]

I should be able to give definitive proof in a couple of months I hope.

 

[dart44072]

Good job! Nice touch with the measurements.I did mine by eye a couple of years ago. It was my first welding job!

Dave...........

 

[dartcuda]

That looks good too. You did a nice job for your first welding task.

 

[Johnny Dart]

Nice work/thread Dave !!!!!!

Now those TTI's will fit high and tight !!!!!

 

[daves66valiant]

Nice work/thread Dave !!!!!!

Now those TTI's will fit high and tight !!!!!

Thanks Johnny. They should fit nice with the tranny mount/crossmember Keisler supplied me with their 5-speed kit as well.

I think the way I have it cut would allow 3" exhaust pretty easily as well.

Nice work on yours as well Dave (Dart44072)

 

[daves66valiant]

Okay, went to Lowe's and picked up a little piece of 1/8" thick flat steel stock today. Finished the tranny mount and I think it came out pretty good for a beginner welder. Here are the picks

The template design from tti worked out really well. When I bent the steel plate it fit almost flush onto the mount. I only had to do some minor grinding to get the gaps closer.

I love the irwin quik clamps. They work so well.

I left them in place for just a coulple of tack welds

Welds were not too bad for a beginner

I ground the side welds down flush to make it look a little cleaner. Don't ask me to show the inside welds. That was a little tough since it was a tight space.

Here is the final product

Hope this was a helpful thread. I had fun doing it.
-Dave

 

[racingsnake440]

Good thread/work. Don't know if '63s are different but when I cut my crossmember (no measurements - just made it symetrical) I ended up having to notch the floor slightly as well - not a big deal tho

 

[dartcuda]

Hey Dave66valiant, that turned out real nice. Good job. I still need to finish mine.

 

[Johnny Dart]

Dam Dave you should be on that show Chop Cut Rebuild !!!!!!!

NICE !!!!!

 

[daves66valiant]

Thanks guys. :toothy7: It was a fun, quick, very easy project and great practice. I was tickled a bit because no one has ever taught me how to weld. It's amazing how well the little Lincoln migs work with little or no experience. I wish I had somebody to show me some tips though. Took me a few minutes to figure out the right speed, power and gas flow. The table on the inside of the welder was just a guide of course. If I had to do it again I would have put just a few tack welds on the inside instead of trying to run a long bead because its just about impossible to get a grinder in there to make things neat, let alone get the mig in there easily. I do like the idea of things looking symmetric. I figured I'd go with the tti approach just to see how it would turn out. :thumbup:

:wav:

-Dave

 

[dart44072]

Nice job Dave! This is a candidate for tech archives for sure!


Dave.......................

 

[djwhog]

1St off great job Dave!

Now I have a question. On my 64 Dart my mount already ugs very clos to the floor and there is nothing to cut to gain any more room. Was this because I picked up a 4 sped mount years ago from a formula S cuda? I know most mounts hang down on the early A bodies, but mine is very similar to the modified ones I have seen done.

Just curious?

thanks!

 

[daves66valiant]

I wish I knew what the original 4 speed tranny mount looked like. Can't really tell ya. I have a 3 speed mount. Could it be the same?

 

[66340SEDAN]

All the cross member tranny mounts on the early "A" are the same!!

 

[dart4forte]

I wish I knew what the original 4 speed tranny mount looked like. Can't really tell ya. I have a 3 speed mount. Could it be the same?

Looks good Dave, quite different than mine. I have some grinding to do to my mount.

 

[urchinhead]

All the cross member tranny mounts on the early "A" are the same!!

The factory 4-speed crossmember on my '64 Dart is identical.

 

[sb 66 valiant]

maybee consider a u box around the biscuit mount itself? i have had some trouble with them over the years putting a bunch of torque to them launching with slicks, and running manual valve body on the street. found that a u shaped semi-box will do the trick. like a sleeve around the back and sides of the biscuit.. similar to shimming the sides of the spool mount to keep it from blowing the insert out of the sleeve itself. it will shore up the side to side the tailshaft makes under load/shifts, and keep the exhaust from touching under hard acceleration.

 

[fstfish66]

I Agree dave,, you should be on chop cut rebuild,,,nice work man,,