Mopar Muscle Association UK

hello can anybody tell me what sort of gearbox would be fitted to a 69 valiant straight 6 and would a v8 fit that box also what gears are best 3.23:1 or 3.5:1 for the most power , thanks jp

I am not an expert but I think the /6 boxes do not fit the small V8s....

I didnt think they would i think the starter is to high up ,thanks pete

No, they don't. Guts are the same, casing isn't.

Guessing the Aussie's are the same as ours? A904 you'll have.

(Holy cack... did I just answer a technical question? Some of this stuff must finally be getting through! )

OK

complicated

http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/va ... ations.htm


what car is it?

a 69 could be a VE or a VF most likley a VF as pictured in the link above

i.e sloped front to wings with indicators in the top and round headlamps

if it has a slant 6 then it will have had an Aussie TorqueFlite "A" or "B" Automatic that is a locally made Borg Warner 35. A is for cars B is toughend up a bit for towing

fella in practical classics was selling New old stock BW 35s for £75 each a few months ago but these will be UK car bellhousing pattern

my guess is the bellhousing was unique to the aussie car as i can't see a slant 6 having the same mounting pattern to the UK cars (rovers stags etc) that had the BW35

if it was a v8 then it was standard small block stuff like the US

i.e a proper TF 904 with small block bellhousing

yes you can get 904s with the slant 6 belhousing if you stay /6 i'd get a 904. the Borgwarner has a rep for falling to bits on things over 2 litre

to swap to v8 you really need a v8 kmember or you could try an engine swap kit from shumacher but they are for LHD cars so can't say if you can fit it and your steering box at the same time.

Kev on here will know he had a 318 V8

to do the job really properly

a small block 727 will fit (i.e if you had ideas about a stroker 340 or 360 engine)
but you need to hammer back the lip where the tunnel meets the bulkhead. probably over kill unless racing is the plan (and you can use a 904 for that as well)



the v8 had 2.92:1
the six had 3.23:1 or a 3.5:1 on the LSD version

if you buy bits second hand do not buy a centre or gearset from a car that was 2.77:1 (the centre is good for spares only and the ring gear is 1/2 an inch thicker)

your rear axle is a Borgwarner M78 with 4 inch stud pattern for the wheels.

it will be open centre or a 2 spider gear LSD with 25 spline axles

any BW m78 pinion and crown wheel fits (aparts from 2.77:1)

the modern equivelent of the 3.5:1 gearset is the GM Holden 3.45:1 used in mid 80s holdens they cost about 80-100 in good used condition on Aussie and US ebay

LSD centres are $550 AUD in as new rebuilt condition
or you can get a second hand one for £50-100

its a cone diff so most second hand ones need shimming new cones or machine work on the old cones.

ideal set up would be aussie 318 with 904 and and LSD diff with 3:23:1
for a nice street car.
3.5:1 would probably involve a new Converter

slant 6 flex plates are different slightly from v8 flex plates

axles
BW m78 fits
US A body 8 1/4 fits
US A body 8 3/4 fits

but may need offset spring hangers for the US ones

stud pattern for wheels needs to be checked in all cases

you can get BW m78 conversion axls to convert a 5 on 4 inch pattern to a 5 on 4.5 inch pattern. but that leaves the front on 4 inch

you would need to upgrade to 1970 VG disks and calipers which are 5 on 4.5

or just get the 1970 disks/hubs stubs and uses mid 90s landcruiser calipers.

its easy when you say it

i can help on the axle front i.e find stuff for ya to bid on

904 in slant 6 config should not be hadr to come by as most will have removed and replaced with small block version
small block v8 version should not be too hard either

aussie BW35.....well you would need to find a /6 or hemi 6 automatic car that had been upgraded and relieve the current owner of their stash of old bits

if really stuck check the links in the sticky at the top of the aussie section

castlemain rod shop and dellow automotive do kits to fit any engine to any gearbox in most any car

slant 6 with toyota cellica/supra iron case manual is supposed to be nice
but they hang a bit low

Dave

Yes your right dave its a vf and ime sure i will be picking your brains more than once as you seem to really no your stuff ,I had a yellow vf coupe with a 318 in 13 years ago but sold it and would like to make this one perform even better do you no if a 440 will fit in one of these without cutting out the inner wings as i dont want to butcher the car so will go smaller if i have to ,Thanks john paul

You would be better off stroking a small block in one of those. Almost the same capacity but lighter and a easier fit. Enough room to get the spark plugs out and things like that.

I have a small block 727 spare. As far as I know its all complete and working but no guarantees as I havn't tested it.

I also have the 273 and 904 from my VE that I wont be needing much longer. 904 has major slippage issues and needs looking at. 273 is good.
I had hoped to keep them as they are numbers matching for my VE but I wont turn down a good offer.

68valiant wrote:
I also have the 273 and 904 from my VE that I wont be needing much longer. 904 has major slippage issues and needs looking at. 273 is good.
I had hoped to keep them as they are numbers matching for my VE but I wont turn down a good offer.

A 273 and a knackered 904, thats gotta be worth its weight in scrap!

Trigger_Andy wrote:

68valiant wrote:
I also have the 273 and 904 from my VE that I wont be needing much longer. 904 has major slippage issues and needs looking at. 273 is good.
I had hoped to keep them as they are numbers matching for my VE but I wont turn down a good offer.

A 273 and a knackered 904, thats gotta be worth its weight in scrap!

must be over 800 pounds (lbs) then...
the little motor runs perfect since I rebuilt carb and electrics, I could never scrap it.
If I dont sell I'll probably try to squeeze it into a mobility scooter, ride on lawn mower, reliant robin, or something silly as a side projet.

for a pre 71 aussie valiant the 904 is going to be easier
273 is still 4.5 litres in theory good for plenty with the right work.

318 can be made to do fantastic things guess a 273 could as well

the 727 will hit the tunnel entrance unless Mr hammer comes out to play.

six cylinder K frame could have mounts removed and re welded for v8

if you do that you may consider centering the v8 in the car

thus making a bit more room for headers (steering box is still an issue) and a standard brake booster rather than the remote.

all RHD mopar had the US LHD floor pan with the engine and tunnel off set to the right as you look out of the screen
this gave counterbalance to the diff that tries to always lift the RH rear wheel wheel the weight of the driver and gave more space for the driver and the handbrake in a LHD car

it does the reverse in a RHD car in relation to space and weight....probably helps the diff issue
so you have an oportunity to re balanace the car a bit

you can't go too mad otherwise you run into clearance problems for shift linkages and the tail shaft in the tunnel.

you also alter the tail shaft to diff angle which is not too drastic but the diff is slightly off centred as well i.e you have a long and a short axle


dave

Thanks for the very handy info but have decided i am going to put a 360 with 727 and 6 71 weiand with 2 4 barrel carbs ,will rebuild the 360 first with low compression although was told if i put 360 heads on a 318 compression should be 9:1 and could run the weiand as long as i dont pan it all the time