A couple of Mopar questions....

I've recently finished a mild custom build of a '60 Plymouth Belvedere. It's a stock 225 cu in 6 and Ive got a poly 313/318 which I've been thinking of droping into it.

1/ What p/button gearbox was standard on that poly?

2/ Did the 6 cyl and V8 models have different strength torsion bars?

3/ Just to ramp it up a bit, I also have a 392 and cast iron torqueflite........
what things would I need to consider strength wise to fit this beast? and
would the unibody take it.It just looks like it weighs a lot.

4/ I would also like to convert it to disc brakes but most of the kits I've seen require 15" rims to clear the calipers.....I have 14's. Is there any other way to get it done with the 14's?.........bear in mind that NZ is not awash with these kind of parts but if I had a wish list of bits for the job I would import them from your shores.
Any help with any of the above would be gladly recieved..Cheers, Jerry.

 

One of the most popular (and cost effective) disc brake conversion kit suppliers is AAJ brakes. http://www.aajbrakes.com/ You can buy just the adapters and brackets and get a list of what other parts to buy (which rotors, calipers, etc) or buy the whole kit with everything you need.

 

I can only answer the torsion bar question, YES, V8s use heavier bars than 6-cylinder cars.

 

Cool grill! I've just dropped a 331 in my '60 Savoy. It was /6 & 3 on the tree. Just shoehorns in. Not a lot of room for the aftermarket air filter, your 392 is a raised deck, but the intake is a little squished, so you might get by w/o cutting the hood. There are ex mans that point @ the torsion bars & some that point away(331-354) not sure on 392. Modified the stock tranny crossover for use with the late model 727. Use the OEM up angle oil filter adaptor.

 

Don't know if you had them there, but on my 58 Dodge, I used 76 Dodge Aspen, ( Plymouth Volare), spindles and discs, to do my front brake conversion, and yes, the stock 14 inch wheels cleared the setup, (I bolted on a stock wheel, 14", that was original to the car), although I chose to run 15", as that's what I had.

 

As mentioned, the V8 cars used a different set of torsion bars for the front suspension. Even 318 polys are heavy engines.

The 392 should fit along with the cast iron Torqueflight. I might be wrong, but I didn't think Chrysler switched to aluminum Torqueflights until 1962. The cables from the 392's Torqueflight should connect to the Plymouth's push button controller.

Also as mentioned, I'd be looking for the older 331/354 air cleaners that come off to the side of the carbs. This should give you a little bit more room between the hood and carbs.

Keep in mind these cars came with 383's so putting just about any big block in that engine bay should be fine.

 

On my '60 the A Arm mounts are about (all measurments apx) 7" apart. The Aspen spindles sent in a kit had mounts only 5" apart, even with the TBs totaly relaxed the A Arms wouldn't fit, & if they'd bolted on there would have been no room for thier movement. I got spindles off a '77 New Yorker. The distance between was 6", & that worked. You'll have to shorten the tie rods, tie rod ends, & the adjusting collar.

 

FYI - the AAJ brakes setup does work with the 14" wheels and I think uses aspen rotors as well - but they simply give you an adapter that fits over the existing spindle so that the aspen rotor will slide over it (bearing/race size is different) and some brackets to mount a caliper (I think its a 70's mid-size GM caliper and pads). This kit makes it really easy to do the conversion - no ball joint work to deal with, etc. My recollection is that its pretty inexpensive. Oh, and I think they also have a modified master cylinder that fits the car (the flat looking one that fits under the stock vacuum power assist if you have power brakes) with the proper valving or whatever for calipers vs. drum cylinders.

I think I did my conversion in a couple hours on a saturday afternoon (and then the rear disc conversion the next day

This is the setup everyone seems to promote on the forwardlook.net web site. There are lots of discussions about it in forums there.

 

73-74 Satellite/Coronets use 14" wheels with discs, don't know what the A Arm spacing is, or if 14" steel wheels would fit my set up.

 

George....................Are ya' talking about "spindle height" here, when you say "A-Arm spacing"?

 

No. talking the distance between the upper & lower mounts.

 

Hmmm, O K...........................Upper and lower A-Arm mounts?
In regards to potential ball joint binding?

Just trying to get on the "same page" with ya'.

 

Not just the ball joints, literally too close together to bolt them onto the Aspen spindles. Had they been a little wider they'd have bolted on with out any free play to move up n down as you drive over highs & lows in the road. The '77 NYer spindles were closer than the '60, but seems to have enough travel.

 

10-4.

 

Thanks for your posts guys, that gives me something to work with.
The slant is still humming along but has seen better days so I'm just wanting to start checking out what I need.....probably keep it simple and go with the 313....it was a stock mill in that model.

As for the brakes, I put the car together for my dearly beloved so I don't want her to have any brake drama's.
The AAJ setup looks good as you say....a bit spendy but complete and easy to fit by the looks.
Damned if I can get the drums to cooperate!

 

I have had a 318 Poly in my 1940 Dodge and have had it since 1973, great engine but to be honest its no Hemi.........if you already have both engines then I'd go with the Hemi EVERY time, parts are easier to find, not a lot of difference in weight or physical size for that matter BUT hemi's are 10000% easier to find HiPo stuff for, look better, are a Hemi, Go better, are a Hemi, are a Hemi, are a Hemi..........tell you what I'm over in West Island and I'll do a swap......my Poly for your Hemi.........lol......andyd

 

I hear ya on the hemi front, but if I put that in there I may never see my wife again
It's just a criuser and all it needs is that V8 rumble.

Also the hemi's in a 57 DeSoto Firedome Sportsman hardtop which is saveable (needs floorwork and brakes..more brakes ) I was just sorta thinking aloud on that idea.

 

brother i cant answer not one of your questions but i can tell you that car is BEAUTIFUL!

 

Was the 392 a previous swap? or just a mis-identification?

As for the disc brake set-up, be sure to connect with our very own olddaddy (www.rustyhope.com). He should have something for your Plymouth.

.

 

With the additional info, yup, many 392s aren't 392! If it is a DeSoto, it'd be even easier to fit!

 

Thanx Outlaw... the things we do for love huh?

George and 73RR......it's definitely 392 it's a C58 Ive checked it out.
Some one has swapped it into the DeSoto some time previous in the States. I am the 3rd owner here in NZ and it was imported about 5-6 years ago.
It hasn't been legally on the road here yet but I did sneak it out a coupla times........once for a 400 km round trip... mmmmmmmm... Hemi.

I'll post a pic when I get home from work.

 

I saw you on one of those trips at Drury heading for the motorway..... looked good too.