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HOT ROD DODGE - Swapping 440 CU IN Plant into slant six 85 Dodge Truck - Experience Welcome

tallhair

tallhair

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or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb!

Cause this HOT ROD DODGE is going to be The Bomb!

Hey guys.

I have a friend who is swapping a 78 440 into a 85 Heavy Half short ton Slant Six Dodge OD manual trans truck. We are looking forward to banging some OD trans gears in a Big Block Hot Rod Dodge Truck! Once the 440 is in and everything is sorted he'll adjust as necessary on the rear end and springs and may switch to a non OD 833 trans. Main thing is to get it running and reliable.

We could use some advice, assistance, counsel, and general encouragement.

Details:

The truck came with a slant six and OD manual trans.

He has a low mileage 78 440 with truck oil pan, motor mounts, and exhaust manifolds that came out of a truck motor home and plans to use the original OD trans, linkage, trans support, drive shaft, heavy half springs, etc.

He has a repro Brewers Big block bell housing with 4.805 diameter bearing retainer opening. Brewers said he could machine the bearing retainer housing down to the 4.805 size.

He has a 26" rad with the outlets on the correct sides

Questions:

What do we need to source to make this swap work and what needs to be modified or swapped to other parts?

Trans cross-member? Plans to use original slant six version - any mods required?

Will this swap change the shifter hole in the floor pan?

What flywheel is needed for the externally balanced 440 manual trans combo?

any issue with the brake booster clearance for the 440?

any issues with drive shaft? we assume not with the same trans as long as it's location is not moved fore or aft behind the 440 vs the slant six and bell housing swap.

What's needed to modify / marry the following:

clutch fork- what are the issues and best method to do this?

Z bar - cut and re-clock and shorten/etc
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Z bar and clutch fork alignment / mounting to the frame and repo Brewers BB bellhousing?

Steering clearance - any issues?

Steering sector - any issues?

We'll figure out the alternator brackets etc.

What are we missing and I'm sure it's a lot?

And most of all is there an existing thread where some one has done or is doing this?

Appreciate any help and or encouragement
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Most of it's a no worry thing - if the tranny stays in the same place, as it should, nothing connected to it but the engine/bellhousing has to change. The cross member should be fine if you have the right mounts. You'll likely want the later heavy duty truck brake booster (smaller diameter) to get valve cover clearance. Flywheel will need to be sized to fit whatever bellhousing you have, will likely be an 11 inch but can't say off hand if brewer got you the bell ask them what flywheel, the balancing will have to be for the engine. May need a pivot shaft relocating bracket for the bell end, I'd need to have the rest in to tell, Bear may know.
sounds like fun, just don't try towing with the o/d tranny, I killed mine quick that way.

EDIT: First shot through I responded thinking internally balanced engine so I edited to correct that part - internal balance needs a neutral flywheel, external balance is a different flywheel.
 
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Thanks Polara_500! Right now I'm thinking the most pressing issues are getting a clutch disc and pressure plate and a 10.5" 130 tooth flywheel for the externally balanced 440 (available from Brewers for $230).

Then sorting out the Z bar, fork, hardware etc and addressing the brake booster. He is wanting to get it stabbed in there soon to get it out of the shop it's in and back home. Hopefully the motor mounts are the correct ones.
 
Is someone looking for lil ole me ? :confused: lol And thanks for the faith or confidence it sounds like you guy's have . ... Now I know there a ton of questions and a lot of them have been answered already . Since your "just" asked about the brake booster . You need the small one and you don't have to spend big money getting a special one from the aftermarket . You can get one from your local auto parts store . Have them look it up for either a mid 80's 3/4 ton truck or a mid 70's big block truck . Just make sure it's the small one. If you want I'll get you the part numbers . Also , I'm not sure if you know yet , but the booster is going to have to either be pulled out and tied to one side during the install of the motor or installed after the motor go's in .
 
I have a question about the 440 . You said it was a 78 . Did you look at the back of the crank to see if it's drilled to except the stick ?
 
tallhair said:
Thanks Polara_500! Right now I'm thinking the most pressing issues are getting a clutch disc and pressure plate and a 10.5" 130 tooth flywheel for the externally balanced 440 (available from Brewers for $230).

Then sorting out the Z bar, fork, hardware etc and addressing the brake booster. He is wanting to get it stabbed in there soon to get it out of the shop it's in and back home. Hopefully the motor mounts are the correct ones.
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The big block mounts are the biscuit style . Similar to the A Body 340 mounts but are thicker . So make sure you use the truck mounts . If you can't find them then let me know and I can get them from my supplier . On the K frame you "should" be good but I'd have to see it . A lot of the slant 6 trucks had the same K frame and they just added that banana shaped mount on one side to bolt up to the six .
 
I'm pretty certain he did check the crank to ensure it was deep enough but I'll have to double check on that. Regarding these biscuit mounts what do they look like bear?

The ones that are on the engine are shown here. Are these 4WD only mounts?

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I have another engine that has slightly different mounts. Are these the correct ones for 2WD?

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The first ones are 4 wheel drive mounts . The second post look more like them . Not the greatest picture , but can you see the mounts on my 440 ?
IMG_3602.JPG
 
I didn't think I still had this on file . Here's the two wheel drive big block mount brackets .
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Thanks bear.

He got it in yesterday actually. I'm a couple hours from him so I wasn't there. The mounts that were attached to the engine in the first pics worked.


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I'd love to see a shot right along the left valve cover to see the booster clearance. I've always heard the small booster was necessary w/440 but maybe it appears it may be more of a convenience thing.
 
Naw it is touching he said. What year are those smaller diameter boosters and what did they come on?
 
tallhair said:
Naw it is touching he said. What year are those smaller diameter boosters and what did they come on?
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I thought I already told you ? But have your auto parts store look one up for either a mid 80's 3/4 ton V8 or a mid 70's big block truck . Just make sure they have a clue and they get you the small one . Because if they don't know what there talking about they could try and sell you the bigger more common one .
 
tallhair said:
Thanks bear.

He got it in yesterday actually. I'm a couple hours from him so I wasn't there. The mounts that were attached to the engine in the first pics worked.


And the transmission mount lines up fine ?
Click to expand...
 
He's at work today so I wasn't able to speak in detail with him yet but my understanding is yes.

I did send him this link so he's going to sign up to FTO and hopefully will post soon.
 
bear said:
Since your "just" asked about the brake booster . You need the small one and you don't have to spend big money getting a special one from the aftermarket . You can get one from your local auto parts store . Have them look it up for either a mid 80's 3/4 ton truck or a mid 70's big block truck . Just make sure it's the small one. If you want I'll get you the part numbers . Also , I'm not sure if you know yet , but the booster is going to have to either be pulled out and tied to one side during the install of the motor or installed after the motor go's in .
Click to expand...

I've also been researching elsewhere and forgot that you specified the year and type of truck here. Thanks again

Actually he's told me it's not touching after all, my mistake. He said it has about 3/4" of clearance.
 
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