Never tried this before!

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kempkan

kempkan

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i just bought a '73 rust free dart for 2000 bucks in primer and needs painted. It has a 318 stroked to a 390 with heads intake cam headers with a stupid ford 9in. I'm currently stroking a 440 to about a 496 all the same fun stuff as the 318 minus the ford 9in (trying to find a dana 60 or a 8.75). Where do i start putting the big block in the car? Do i need a k-frame, special oil pan, headers, motor mounts, will it clear the factory steering linkage, or any body mods? Thanks for the help!
 
I am currently in the process of a 440 swap in my Demon.

Special parts needed are from:

Schumacher Creative Services
Blow Out Proof Poly-Loc™ Mounts. Note: We are currently transitioning our ... Schumacher Creative Services founder Michael Schumacher is proud to show off ...
www.engine-swaps.com/

and:

TTI Home page
TTI Performance Exhaust and Headers. 1555 Consumer Circle. Corona, California 92880-1726. Manufacturing / Warehouse location. Product Info / Tech no. ...
www.ttiexhaust.com/

and from sources like Summit Racing(summitracing.com)

Mancini Racing(manciniracing.com)

and of course, ebay.

Also see bigblockdart.com

and this site for more info, David.

DSCN1759.JPG
 
kempkan said:
i just bought a '73 rust free dart for 2000 bucks in primer and needs painted. It has a 318 stroked to a 390 with heads intake cam headers with a stupid ford 9in. I'm currently stroking a 440 to about a 496 all the same fun stuff as the 318 minus the ford 9in (trying to find a dana 60 or a 8.75). Where do i start putting the big block in the car? Do i need a k-frame, special oil pan, headers, motor mounts, will it clear the factory steering linkage, or any body mods? Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...

Before you go spend a wad on some overpriced aftermarket swap mounts, look around on this site and over on www.bigblockdart.com, where you'll find simple do-it-yourself modifications that will allow you to use slightly modified stock parts to achieve the same end.

The spool style V-8 ('73-up) k-frame that is currently in your car is a nice piece to start with and only requires a slight modification to the driver's side mount and the use of '73-'78 Big Block B, C, or R body spool type mounts.
For an oil pan, one from a '66-'73 fullsize, usually referreed to as a "187" pan is the one commonly used for this swap.
The stock steering linkage already on your car will clear a Big Block.

IMO, it's a darn sight better to figure things by modifying them yourself, than to call up "XYZ easy mounts" and just pay through the nose, when you could have learned something and done it cheaper.

But that's me. :p

Mark.
 
Nothing wrong with a Ford 9". You certainly won't gain any strength with an 8.75 and the 9" can be built to be stronger than the Dana 60 for less than what you will pay for a Dana.
 
the 9in has 4.10 or 4.11 whatever ford gear ratios are. i dont like the ford 9in. it makes the car sit too high in the back. its because of the leafs i know that but i cant even figure out what its out of to get the rear brakes for it. i know its not the good "N" ford 9in either from what my drive line guy said its really old 64ish he's guess but half the numbers are gone. it needs rebuilt and i dont know what to order the rebuild kit for.
 
I would go to Schumacher and get there mounts. This way you can do other things to the car then just trying to install a motor. I have done a few of these swaps and to me, its alot better then trying to fit the motor with mounts that do not work.

70.JPG
 
i figured they would be a little more expensive than that. i checked year one too they are almost $220 or something too. What about a deep oil pan in a 440 dart or should i just stick with the "187" pan?
 
68dodge said:
....This way you can do other things to the car then just trying to install a motor. I have done a few of these swaps and to me, its alot better then trying to fit the motor with mounts that do not work.
Click to expand...

Excuse me, but what else can you do with engine mounts BESIDES install an engine?
Nothing else is off on the stock k-member using spool type mounts OTHER than having to move the driver's mount ears back @ 3/4 of an inch.
What's so damned hard about that?

If you're going to mention power steering box clearance issues, those won't go away unless you use elephant ears, anyway, but most folks use manual steering boxes of some form, which clear just fine.

I also have done, or been involved in, a few Big Block A body swaps and have found that even the aftermarket swap mounts CAN, and do, sometimes SUCK to install.

I won't pay to make it "easy", when I already know a reasonably simple way to do it anyway.

Mark.
 
Mark Nixon said:
Excuse me, but what else can you do with engine mounts BESIDES install an engine?
Nothing else is off on the stock k-member using spool type mounts OTHER than having to move the driver's mount ears back @ 3/4 of an inch.
What's so damned hard about that?

If you're going to mention power steering box clearance issues, those won't go away unless you use elephant ears, anyway, but most folks use manual steering boxes of some form, which clear just fine.

I also have done, or been involved in, a few Big Block A body swaps and have found that even the aftermarket swap mounts CAN, and do, sometimes SUCK to install.

I won't pay to make it "easy", when I already know a reasonably simple way to do it anyway.

Mark.
Click to expand...

Never said you were wrong, I just prefer to buy the mounts so I do not have to reweld the mounts to the K- Frame. It saves me alot of time for other body modifications. Bruce
 
Can't get anything stronger then a 9"...lots of options and rear disk brakes if you want...to rebuild shouldn't cost too much...should be done for around $300 bucks if you do most the work yourself...and since the pumpkin is removable you can have your mechanic set the back lash and the rest of the assembly can be done at home.
 
Guys I would have to strongly disagree about the 9'' ford rear end being stronger than an 8 3/4 or a dana, the only reason they are so popular is they are plentiful and cheap, do your homework, make an actual side by side comparison {check out Dr. diff's website] the only advantage of the 9'' is the modular reinforced 3rd member housing which can be had for the 8 3/4 now. I aint saying the 9's aint tough but the 8 3/4, and especially the dana's would beat it hands down in actual performance, maybe not in costs $$, nothing against frauds but give me Mopar anyday, not trying to be argumentive as I have buddies that run them[9''] with no issues, but Mopar would be my preferance,and again this is my opinion, I built an 8 3/4 for my DART 440,narrowed,backbraced,aftermarket axles,green bearings,detroit locker etc. that I feel is one of the toughest there is....just my 2 cents worth...
 
The big reasons to NOT buy Schumacher mounts when you have a spool mount V8 k-member is that you can run stock mounts, it's considerably cheaper, AND the Schumacher spool mounts require you to drill a new hole for the large bolt and install that bolt while the engine is hanging there (PITA).

Do yourself a favor and spend some time in the tech archives at www.bigblockdart.com. Mark isn't completely correct on the mods, though. Both motor mount saddles need to be moved back.
 
rbdart said:
Guys I would have to strongly disagree about the 9'' ford rear end being stronger than an 8 3/4 or a dana, the only reason they are so popular is they are plentiful and cheap, do your homework, make an actual side by side comparison {check out Dr. diff's website] the only advantage of the 9'' is the modular reinforced 3rd member housing which can be had for the 8 3/4 now. I aint saying the 9's aint tough but the 8 3/4, and especially the dana's would beat it hands down in actual performance, maybe not in costs $$, nothing against frauds but give me Mopar anyday, not trying to be argumentive as I have buddies that run them[9''] with no issues, but Mopar would be my preferance,and again this is my opinion, I built an 8 3/4 for my DART 440,narrowed,backbraced,aftermarket axles,green bearings,detroit locker etc. that I feel is one of the toughest there is....just my 2 cents worth...
Click to expand...

Just another opinion, rbdart: The aftermarket has been building brand new 9" rears for racing for years. They haven't been building 8 3/4's. Dana's were always considered strong, but too heavy for racing. If I remember correctly, racers used 9" rears because they were the strongest and lightest. The aftermarket simply picked up on that. Maybe the 8 3/4 is better and the 9" just had a "head start", and became what everyone runs, without anyone thinking about why?
 
kempkan said:
the 9in has 4.10 or 4.11 whatever ford gear ratios are. i dont like the ford 9in. it makes the car sit too high in the back. its because of the leafs i know that but i cant even figure out what its out of to get the rear brakes for it. i know its not the good "N" ford 9in either from what my drive line guy said its really old 64ish he's guess but half the numbers are gone. it needs rebuilt and i dont know what to order the rebuild kit for.
Click to expand...


How would the 9" ford sit any different than any other axle? I'd have to guess that the leafs are the stock A body leafs, so that can't be the problem. Unless somebody mounted the leafs on top of the axle, I can't see how this would affect the stance?
 
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