Sold my '57 Buick and am looking at a replacement project. It's a '61 Dodge 'Dart' pickup. 1/2 ton long box. V-8/4-speed trans. I have a couple questions about it, since I've never had one of these. First, the truck runs but the engine smokes. The seller isn't 100% on the engine displacement, but reading up on it I assume it's a polysphere V-8. Thinking about rebuild options and wondering if it'd just be simpler to replace it with an LA-series 318 or 360 for the time being and worry about the 'Poly' later on, if at all. I haven't found much for resources for these trucks online, but what I do seem to find indicates the bell housings between the Poly and the LA aren't the same. Can anyone confirm this? If they aren't, is there an adapter so I can mate the LA to the four-speed? Second, does anyone know what size wheel bolt pattern this thing has? It's a five-lug setup. Looking ahead to wheel swap options. Thanks guys! -Marc.
I put a 360 in a truck like that and used the three-speed stick transmission. Bellhousing bolted up, but I had to get a flywheel balanced to the 360. That was 40 years ago, I don't remember what the flywheel was out of. I know it was a bit of a parts scramble to get it all together, but it is possible with all stock parts. I retained the original hydraulic clutch setup.
Ha! I thought the same thing! Apparently it's what Dodge called them in '61. In '62 it became the D-100 and the Dart became, well, the Dart.
Assuming it's a 1/2 ton model, the bolt pattern is the usual 5 on 4.5" (Ford, Chrysler, Studebaker). The LA and A series (Poly) block are the same on the bell housing bolt pattern except for 1 hole. They do mate up. - EM
Never heard of a Dart pickup, learned something new today. How many miles are on the engine? I have to wonder if the smoking isn't a valve seal issue and not a rings/wear issue? Sometimes a valve job with new seals/seats is all it takes to make the smoke go away. Not everytime, but worth doing a compression and leakdown test (I think that's what you need to do to determine it, right?) just to see. 318 Poly is a good engine and known for long life, could be worth a shot.
be advised that Chrysler changed the crank flange bolt pattern beginning in 1962 along with bell housing bolt pattern(although I believe the bell can be used. the flange difference will,however, determine what trans you can use with what engine. jim
5 on 5.5 should be the bolt pattern for wheels, not sure on engines. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Well then....that's what the hell a dart pickup is! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Dodge didn't go to the 5.5 bolt circle until the 1980's Sent from my SGH-T399 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
So the earlier trucks were the same bp as the cars? I know the later ones shared the large bolt pattern with Jeep and ford.. hence my reply. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app Edit:: Sorry, lapse in updates with my interweb , everyday is a school day.
I'm far from en expert but I believe that at least the 1/2 ton pickups were the same BP as the passenger cars. - EM
In the ad photos, it looks like it's got Mercury Mountaineer SUV wheels on it right now, so whatever that would be. 5 on 4.5 I guess? Looks like a pretty sweet old pickup.
I never heard of the trucks being called a dart either, but yeah they are 5 on 4.5, I cant remember specifically about the trucks but if they are like a lot of the old chrysler products the driver side will have left hand thread lug nuts/studs and the passenger right hand thread. Not that this pertains to your truck but the old pre 73 dart cars etc only had a 5 on 4 bolt circle.
Yes the drivers side of the truck will be left hand thread, and to confirm above responses, the bolt pattern is 5 on 4.5 just like the cars Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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