What's wrong with this picture?

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ProjectBazza

ProjectBazza

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
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Somewhere north of Minne-a-no-place
Of course I could be wrong, but if I've done my homework correctly (and read the responses to one of my earlier threads correctly), I don't think a lot of you have seen this before, so considering that I'm as happy as a mole in soft dirt right now (and thus I don't give a damn if I end-up looking like a fool!), let me ask you this: What's wrong with this picture?

IMG_4547.JPG


From a different angle:

IMG_4551.JPG
 
Does this help?

And please know I'm not trying to be a jerk. I'm just "feeling my Wheaties" and enjoying the early night-off, as this went a lot better than expected because..........................

IMG_4553.JPG
 
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The oven cleaner you sprayed on the engine worked a lot better than you thought it would??
 
Pretty damm slick. Did a search has some unique features, and a bunch of the dart platform. Neat.
 
Ok, last clue and then I have to hang it up for the evening, as it's been a long day and wife says I get cranky when I don't get enough sleep.

Here's a shot of a "typical" (LHD/US-made) A-body engine bay (picture swiped from member "jonnyrose" on this very forum):

dart k member 001.JPG


Hint: Note the steering box.
 
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LocuMob said:
LocuMob said:
Frame mounted steering gear.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Bingo! Someone give that man a see-gar!

In an earlier thread I asked how hard it would be to remove the k-member, and most of the responses I received talked about disconnecting the steering linkage and/or steering box.

Last Sunday I removed the suspension, with the k-member in place, and then called it "good enough for now".

This evening I decided to tear into the steering (inners, outers, sleeves, etc), and when I got under the car I was surprised to see that the Aussies didn't mount their steering boxes to the k-member after all! It's kind of hard to make out here, but:

IMG_4543.JPG


So I got out the impact, and...Zip. Zip. Zip. Zip. Bang. It was on the ground!

Now again, at the risk of looking like a fool, I think all of the US/LHD cars have a k-member mounted steering box, but the Aussie box is frame mounted, meaning dropping the k-member was a piece of cake!

So I got done early tonight and now I can get to bed at a reasonable hour (for once).

I'll tear into the steering tomorrow night.

Jim
 
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The Australian setup is very strange. The steering box is mounted to the right hand frame rail about 14 inches further back compared to an American spec A body. Their idler and Pitman arms point forward, not rearward like LH drive cars. This must result in a steeper steering column angle.
 
Kern Dog said:
This must result in a steeper steering column angle.
Click to expand...

Possibly, and I guess that would make sense, but I don't know that I'll be able to measure it as my pinion angle gauge is still "gone missing" (packed-up) since we moved. I know I have one somewhere, in one of the many boxes and storage containers....

Maybe I can check it with my iPhone, I really don't know. But I can take some pictures if you like. Just shoot me a PM.

Jim
 
I wish studying the pic and thinking, "If we need a odd shaped manifold too clear steering gear on the left side, you would need similar on the right side. I was wrong.
 
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Other than the frame mounted steering gear, It looks to me like the exhaust manifolds are the same for each side.
 
Kern Dog said:
The Australian setup is very strange. The steering box is mounted to the right hand frame rail about 14 inches further back compared to an American spec A body. Their idler and Pitman arms point forward, not rearward like LH drive cars. This must result in a steeper steering column angle.
Click to expand...

I was initially going to say that seems like a better setup (rigidity and space) but after reading this maybe not... There were probably good reasons Chrysler engineers originally put the steering box where they did with regard to steering linkage geometry. The flatter steering column angle was also a signature trait of Mopars back in the day but apparently not everyone liked it. I sure do, feels more "performance oriented" that way.

After all when they designed the original Valiant (which the B-body is also based off of) they were aiming for a car with a more "European" driving feel to compete with the British and German imports.
 
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