I've always loved these cars. Found one locally not all rusted to bits. Only issue is they really buggered the front end up putting a Chevy 350 in it. Im not completely concerned with period correct so I put this down here. Would like to put a Chrysler v8 in it. It seems to me the easiest route would be a new K-member. 62-66? I saw a tubular one for $550. I dont know how good the pic is but steering box is a mess and they welded a steering arm to a steering arm. Anyone do something that might make it all easier? Later unit that would have had a v8 and disc's?
OEM is best [and Cheapest] Try and find a complete front end from a 62 -66 Barracuda / Dart / Valiant and bolt it in. Mopar is reasonably easy to mix'n'match if you have some basic knowledge Or ..................... An early K-member with later [eg '74] Duster disc brake front suspension A 67 or newer K-member will not work with any A-body before '67. The frame rails were spread in '67 to better accommodate V8s. It is my understanding, that a '63-'66 K-member can be used in the '61-62. At this point, all of the suspension parts from the 67 onwards will bolt right up. But, you will need to use a center-link and the pitman and idler arms from the '63-'66. A '65 V8 and ALL '66 center-links give an 1" additional clearance below the oilpan. This is also what we did with Aussie Valiants [using AP5-AP6 K members .center-link RHD steering box] And then VG Valiant Suspension [and VH Valiant hubs to get 4.5"PCD rh thread ]
@Sharpone is asking about headers on his (ospho headers), so you can follow along there. I'd also recommend ForAbodysonly for more hardcore info. I'd seriously look for a complete K frame, suspension and steering and not bother with a V8 as a first step. If you have the skills, money and must have a V8, I'd look at redoing the whole mess with fabbed frame and cage, no inner fenders and custom steering/suspension. I've seen a number of them swapped and most are not great cars after with minor mods. They run hot, handle poorly and have servicing issues.
It looks to me like they hacked up the K member to install a GM power steering box in what was probably a manual steering car, then hacked it up some more to install the Gm motor. My concern is what they hacked up to weld the angle onto, that is currently holding the steering box. The question running through my mind is that even if you can find a good K member, will you still be able to bolt it onto the car? The front bolt on the left front corner is about the same location as the hack job on the steering box. I'd really like to see close up pictures of the entire area of that driver side frame rail. The car looks so clean, and I love those strange looking early 60s Darts and Valiants. I'd put forth the effort to fix the mess, but the question is, do you have the skill set to do it, or will you have to hire it done? Are you capable of welding on a sheet metal "frame", and do you have the equipment to do it? If you have to hire it done, you better be in love with the car, this one will probably be very expensive by the time you get done. At any rate, a replacement K member will be needed. If you want a V8, you will need that K member to be for a V8 (and other V8 specific parts). I'm not impressed with most aftermarket K members I've seen. If that left frame rail is rally screwed up (and maybe even if it is not), you may be better off using later model (73 & up) A body V8 K member. Then we build it with rectangle tube frame rails and modify the inner fenders. I ran a 400ci big block Mopar in a 73 Duster using the stock duster suspension and K member in one of our dirt track cars, but even those "used to be plentiful parts" are not as easy to find these days. A complete running 73 +, V8, Mopar A body, donor is going to be a great place to start (a donor with a good V8 drive train & front suspension is what you need, the number of doors, and the condition of the back 1/2 of the car is not important). It might not be a show car under the hood, but it can be a fun driver when finished. If you are up to the task, and can take very good pictures, we can probably walk you through the process.
Fun ain’t it. If you’re not a sick puppy dog the V8 ain’t for you. My question is why did they leave the vibration dampening coupler on , it’s up from the u joint. Definitely cobbled. A friend has a 64 barracuda with a factory 273, realty cool car. I’ve been struggling with exhaust manifold fitment issues as @RodStRace stated above. Rod you’re scaring me! LOL. @ @gene-koning and Rod have been guiding me. We’ve got some sharp cookies here. As stated above For a bodies only is good site also. The disc conversion is an easier deal. Cool car!!! Dan
67 and newer K members won't fit. Chrysler widened the frame rails. So you use an earlier K member [V8] and center-link . But all the rest can be 73 + which is the best way to disc brake convert. The absolute cheapest method [maybe easiest] is to play the waiting game and hunt down a smashed/rusty 66 Dart/Barracuda/Valiant V8 donor car. Take all the running gear from this and suspension ,even the exhaust, torsions, shocks, and rear end. [if it was column auto you can even swap this over] Me and a Friend [with beers] could blow this whole job in a week. Ge it going to a reasonable standard ,then decide on brakes / wheels etc
Nice looking Plymouth you have there, I say if a tubular k frame fits your style of build go for it. I’m look forward to seeing what you put together… Edit: I will add that old Mopar K frames have their own set of problems, if you can find one that is straight and unmolested then it will need a thorough inspection after sandblasting to reveal all the cracks and there will be cracks. But nothing that can’t be fixed with effort and a decent welder.
Just replying here. All seem to hit mostly on the same point. I've already built a frame for my Pontiac from the steering box forward. We can do it. I just wasn't wanting to. Lol This car had a 350 in it. Guy said he drove it but it was scary. I can understand why. With no inner fenders on my Pontiac it makes a mess in the rain. Be nice to have something where I didnt have to worry about that. We are $300 apart on price. Lol.........overthinking this, you would think you would find V8 conversions but they seem rare. Perhaps for a reason.........
BTW, @gene-koning I agree, I love the early Valiant and Lancer style. You also mentioned the aftermarket K frames. I did NOT include them in the suggestions, but should have said that they have had detractors for as long as they've been sold. I have not owned one, but wouldn't buy one myself. @Sharpone , just trying to explain why while it's possible to stuff 10 pounds into that tight bag, it's got issues, even with all the effort and right parts. @Kerrynzl , Gene touched on the frame rail being questionable. I know the 67-up unibody is wider from the firewall forward. With the massive rebuilding being done on Mopar unibodys for rust and mods, I wonder if the entire later frame rails, torsion bar crossmember, inner fenderwells, core support could be grafted in place. Huge amount of work and I believe the track width and other things including steering column location are going to be different. Then there is hanging the early sheetmetal. I think this is a dead end path, but bring it up to make sure it's not viable. I'm sure there are a lot of videos documenting restoration of these, I watch Questionable Garage who is doing a 70 Satellite currently. It seems like most are B and E bodys (high value) That get the major repair. To get an idea of the amount of work to even consider this, I'd look through the aerochargers forum where the documentation on some of the builds is fantastic. @wvenfield I don't know what Pontiac you worked on. Some were body on frame, some unibody. The Valiant is unibody. Those inner fenders which define the area and are a big issue with fitting things in are part of the structure of the car forward of the firewall. Cutting holes in them (fenderwell headers) or removing them turns the front of the car into a wet noodle. Same with compact Fords of the era. The Novas had a subframe that bolted on and that's why you see drag car front subframes made for them. Not so for the others. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/1962...lete-Deluxe-Subframe-Kit-w-Brakes,434216.html https://www.churchboysracing.com/products/modular-front-subframe
@ Kerrynzl, I believe the difference in width between the old K member and the new K member was about 2" at the mounting bolt center line. I would have to measure that again, too much time has passed. If the 2" difference is correct, that means the frame rails each only have to move outward 1". If the current frame rails where the K member bolts to are screwed up (I would be surprised if they were not), modifying those upper frame rails to accept the 73+ K member is not a hard fix, and can have most of the original inner fenders reattached to the "new" frame rails. It would be a matter of splicing the level part of the slightly wider "new" frame rails onto the angled parts of the original frame rails. The location of that splice would make it easy to reinforce the slightly wider upper frame rails. If the "new" frame rails came from a 73+ donor, the upper control arms are already in the correct position. Modifying and reattaching the inner fenders to the new frame rails brings back the strength of the structure. If the donor car's inner fenders were in good condition, I may create a combination of parts to reattach the inner fenders. Without a doubt, the absolute cheapest method is to find a donor V8 car. Finding a 73+ V8 donor will be easier and cheaper then finding an older V8 donor, and the newer donor probably already has the disc brakes. For me, finding an A body V8 donor of either era would be the deciding factor on which direction I would go. Your time frame for getting it done is also correct. @ RodStRace, The Novas didn't get the bolt on subframes until the 1968 model year. The earlier years were strictly unibody cars. Also, the mid 70s Mopar B body cars had plastic inner fenders. I can guarantee you that removing those inner fenders did not make the front ends wet noodles! I ran a couple of them on the dirt track, those were tougher then the early B body cars with the intact inner fenders.
Gene, thanks for the corrections! I am no Nova expert! I do wonder why they offer a 62-65 kit as the link shows. I know the later ones have a bolt on subframe that extends under the floor, like the Camaros, with bolt in inner fenders. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/62-65-chevy-ii.459738/page-6 Later Bs are not even close to early A bodies. C Bodys are way different, too. Bolt in versus welded structure!
56 Pontiac. Yes not the same but just noting we are capable of more than bolting and unbolting. I would also never spent 2-3 times the price of the car for a subframe. Lol
The post 66 A-body has a track width 1.4" wider than the early cars.[these were widened between the frame rails to accommodate V8's being installed from underneath at the factory] So the later cross-member cannot be used unless the frame rails were shifted outboard The steering box /idler arm is further apart. The torsions are further apart etc etc. Even if a later crossmember was used [re-drilled] this would result in needing longer tie-rods [and create bump steer issues] And the upper A-Arms would need to be moved outward or lengthened [or you have huge negative camber] I wouldn't dismiss the idea of using a 70's donor V8 car. All that would be needed is a pre-67 K -member and centerlink [66] This would be probably be the most doable approach [netting disc brakes, dual circuit M/C, Radiator, power steering box etc etc] and hunt down the K-member/ centerlink separately. You would also end up with 5 x 4.5 PCD 63- 66 the V-8 and 225 K-Members were identical. The only difference was the motor mounts and the steering center link. The steering center link for V-8 cars has a dip in it to clear the V-8 oil pan [All 66 V8 and 225 have the same V8 centerlink] For a rear-end [Me, being the King-of-cheap] I would suggest a Ford Explorer 8.8 with 2 x shorter axles Because ^^^ they are tough ,for doing burnouts [off road ]
I love the wacky looks of it, and it's the perfect color combo, too. If you could find an early A-body V8 K member, and then some 73+ front brakes and maybe a big bolt pattern 8 1/4" A body rear to make all the bolt patterns match, this would be such a cool car. The bitch part is, everybody is looking for those same bits, and has been for 30 or 40 years already. So there's not tons of good loose ones laying around. You'll probably have to pay up for that stuff. You wouldn't have to paint or upholster it though, that's gotta be worth something.
The desirable V8 crossmembers were from 67 onwards. 63-66 V8 and six crossmembers were identical [only the engine mounts were different]
As far as the parts, I had them laying around. 73-up complete spindle out. Problem was, worn discs. Questionable calipers. At that point, hoses, bearings and seals too. All you really need is the spindle and caliper bracket. Price the parts out.
That I did not know. So any K member from any 63-66 will bolt into this car and eliminate the lion's share of the butchery? That should be a lot easier to find.
Just get the V8 or any 1966 Centerlink [it saves a lot of problems] Just be aware that 340/360 mounts[brackets] are different to 273 /318 Its the lugs on the block that are different. but not an unsurmountable problem You can buy a kit here [there are other DIY solutions] https://www.engine-swaps.com/produc...a7d8azZhKa3mXRbLHIuXrvXfISkbF2U5IG2MXhYg7BLzB
I guess I'd want to know how much hackery was done to that left framerail, in the pics it just looks like some booger mounts got added on top, maybe not that big of a deal to cut that shit off and clean it up again. It's nice to know what mix of factory parts could be used here to put it all together, and this car would make a really nice driver with a small block Mopar in it. If you could source those parts, and if the price of the car is right, I'm all for it.
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