slant 6 / 318 swap

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6t3gt

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I have a 63 gt with slant 6 and want to drop in a 318/904 combo. I don't know exactly what tranny I currently have but I believe it is an A727. besides the motor mount would I need any other modifications (rear end, drive shaft etc...)

Thanks
 
When you drop in the 318, the tranny mount in the car now should be use with ease to mount up the 904.
The drive shaft will need to be shortened about 2 inchs
The rear end, IMO, should be upgraded to a 8-1/4 over a 7-1/4. Though, the little rear will live with a stock 318, there known to give out with minimal power increases from a 318.
Exhaust manifolds can be a trick sometimes. It depends on where they exit.
 
any suggestions on changing drums to disc brakes?
 
I'm stil running 9 inch drums up front on my s/b swap. It's fine. Though I would suggest discs when you can. Factory part should be easy and cheap to come by. Though a new system, like Wilwood for example is a smokin upgrade.
Late year B body parts, ie; Cordoba, with the larger discs will fit on even with the slightly taller spindles.
 
Isn't the drive shaft on a 727 car shorter than a 904 car? So you would need a longer shaft going from 727 to 904...... and a different front slip yoke.
 
YEP! I cut down the 904 shaft to fit the 727. Good catch. my bad.
 
This may be a dumb question but I was told a 727 is better than a 904, does anyone know the difference as which is better and why?
 
wouldn't he also need a different tranny? Slant 6 bellhousing won't match up to the v8. Not sure if your planning on trying to use the 727 since you asked about it. If your going with the 318/904 combo then no issues. Just wanted to make sure you knew you could not use the current tranny behind a v8.
 
The 63 dart has a 904 cable shift trans with a ball and trunion type u-joint.
You will be changing drive shafts to a slip yoke type with conventional u-joints. You will also be installing a floor shifter.

Schumacher has motor mounts that will bolt in a 318 or 360 onto the slant 6 k-member.

You will need a v-8 center link so the oil pan will clear.

The 727 trans is a larger trans and will not fit in the 63-66 A body without making a larger trans tunnel .

The late* 904 and 998 trans will bolt right in with a late 318 or 360**.
Note : *70-87
** Externally balanced requires a balance weight on the torque
converter .

As for 904 vs 727 in an early A body I suggest a built 904 with a Gear Vendors O/D.

'Which is stronger a 727 or 904 ?' A 727 is but it takes more power to operate it. Unless your planning on neutral starts at full throttle the 904 will get'er done.

With your combo a 8 1/4 rear axle will work fine and are available.

First thing to do is upgrade to Disc brakes. There are kits that use the early spindles or you could use the '73-76 A body spindles , rotors, calipers and upper control arms with ball joints . OR '73-78 B body Spindles, rotors,
calipers with the '73-76 A body upper control arms and ball joints.

This just in ... Unisteer is close to releasing a bolt in power rack and pinion
steering system for the A body.
This will open up header clearance on the drivers side.

As for headers there are a few choices TTi, Tri Y and Dougs. all are spendy.

But with the rack & pinion from Unisteer there may be another option for a simpler header similar to the original v-8 manifold except in tubing. Same goes for the passenger side.

Gee I wonder why no one has come up with a tube style header like the O.E. manifolds for early A body V-8 swaps. Oh sure it wouldn't flow like a tuned header but it would flow way better then the cast manifold and leave more room in the engine bay.
 
I recently bought a 63 Dart 4 door based on budget and condition of the car which was rather great for the money. This is basically my first mopar car as I have been driving a dodge mini-van for 11 years due to the need of the size of the vehicle. I've noticed on this site that not many 63 or 64s seem to be mentioned on here. Is there a preference for the newer models based on ease of swapping engines and other parts or is it just a style issue? I thought about the swap to a 318 but with all the work needed to modify the firewall and driveshafts and clearance issues, I wonder if I should have looked at a newer model mopar. I do like my 63 but a v8 and 4 speed would make it so much more fun to drive. I also DJ at local car shows in the summer so the 4 door has the room I need for equipment which is one reason for the 63 and the huge trunk it has along with the back doors to load stuff as needed. Again I was curious if people tended towards the newer models just because of ease of modifications.
 
What about the rear brakes? Get a kit or swap s rear end from a later car?
 
I`m not sure about 63 or 64 but I have used two dusters to up grade a 65 Dart and a 65 Barracuda. The rear ends fit so I had larger rear drum brakes and was able to add a leaf to the rear springs as well. Proportioning valve worked master cylinder worked I didn`t have to buy anything besides replacing control arm bushings. Gives you the larger bolt pattern so you can put just about any style wheel you want which is a big plus since you can`t get many custom wheels in the small pattern
 
Also cable shift trannys for v8s are not so easy to find any more. Could be a problem.
 
The 8-1/4 rear can use a disc set up from a Dakota. The 8-1/4 rear doe an "A" body can be had cheap. Look here on the A body forum in the classifieds.

A note on the power differance on the auto tranny.
The 727 uses more power but not much. When drag racing these two side by side, it is a know factor that the 904 is quicker by a tenth or two. This is important for racing but not so important in the street. The 904 weighs less, uses less power and is more compact. It is plenty strong and can be made very strong should you ever decide to go drag racing with it.
It will stand with the 727.

But as mentioned, the 727 size can be an issue in a big way.

The newer A body cars are just easy to come by. There larger engine compartment lends itself to engine swaps a bit easier. Any engine can fit in. Parts are also easier to find due to the popularity.
 
6t3gt, have you considered a Magnum engine swap? I put a '70 318 out of a Cuda into my '69 dart in place of the 225 /6 and I'm not impressed in the slightest. I am in the process of putting in a magnum 360 into the dart and these things are more powerful than any la small block by far with a few small mods. Just my 2 cents.
 
6t3gt said:
I have a 63 gt with slant 6 and want to drop in a 318/904 combo. I don't know exactly what tranny I currently have but I believe it is an A727. besides the motor mount would I need any other modifications (rear end, drive shaft etc...)

Thanks
Click to expand...

Will need a 111-inch wheelbase A-body drive shaft for a 904.

Not sure when it started, but by the '66 models, the front flex joint, ball & trunion, was replaced by a Spicer type universal joint. Your 318/904 combo probably has the U-joint, so the drive shaft will need to come from a 66 or later Dart (except Demon/Dart Sport & 66 Dart wagons), Swinger/Scamp, 73 or later Valiant 4-door.
 
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