I have a very good friend looking at a 62 Dodge Polara Hardtop. Originally, a 361, pushbutton Torqueflite. Engine is long gone, but the original transmission is there, less the converter. He has two 383's which he could install, a 69 and a 65 or 66 (not sure). He wants to keep the typewriter Torqueflite and this is where we run out of knowledge. From my searching, apparently there are different spline counts for the front pump, four verses eight bolt flex plates and possibly different registers in the crank for the converter. HELP. I am a Chevy guy and he, a Ford T and A kind of guy, so we have really limited knowledge here. Can anybody point us in the right direction, is it possible to put this combination together? Thanks guys.
Hi, friend of mine just installed 318 Magnum engine in his 62 Fury. Took out the 313-ish, and installed the later engine mating it to the original 62 push button transmission. Been driving it about a month now. Don't have details, but he said it went pretty easy.
About the only thing I know about Torqueflites is that they are engine series specific in the bolt pattern. I no longer have contact info for the guy who was one of the best Mopar Torqueflite mechanics in the Northwest if not the country from the mid 60's until he retired. I'm not sure that he is even alive now. He did one for a truck for me back in the 80's.
I did a little digging, the 383 should bolt up, but as you asked, torque converter is specific to the transmission(pump spline match up), TC balance to crankshaft. I mentioned above the 313/318 swap, the poly engines had same bolt pattern as the LA engine, the 361 he has, is same as the Dodge big blocks, like you noted.
On small blocks things change 61 vs 62 & up. Imperial Services makes/made an adaptor to use the push button tranny with the newer tranny, believe the 62-65 will also work with the push buttons.
I was thinking that the push button valve body could work with the newer transmission but I could be mistaken. It’s been years since I got involved with the older ones. My buddy ran a 64 Chrysler 300 K with a 440, 727 torqueflite that ran high 10s low 11s at the strip. He used a complete later transmission so could convert from the ball and trunnion to a slip yoke. But I believe that he was using the valve body from the 64 transmission to retain the push button shifting.
its an easy fit till it isn't....had a mechanic in Bayshore , name was Vern , years back....helped me with a 63 torque flight....someone out in Hamb land is the God of Mopar swaps
Choptop, you are not wrong. I googled Imperial Services and they do not list it on their website, however it is still under construction so.........maybe. I was also informed that we could change out the pump shaft for the 67 and up 727 along with the 67 and up converter and flex plate, but that would require the use of the 69 383 (but what do I know, I am a Chevy guy). However that now brings up the issue of 62 using a ball and trunnion instead of a slip yoke, that I forgot about. Convert to a newer style 727 and then change out the 8 3/4 for a 65 and up B body rear with a U joint and without the weak suck axles. Thanks everyone who posted. When we finally develop a plan, I will update.
The early push button trans have a smaller button on the front of the torque convertor. If you put that on a later engine the flex plate will break. Talking small blocks here, don't have as much experience with big blocks. Measure the register in the back of the crank and compare the the button on convertor. I've seen many of them break the flex plate. If the crank hole is bigger, turn a sleeve to make up the difference and press it in. Dave
the 727 torqueflite input shaft spline changed in 67, but so did some other internal parts. The crank/converter pilot changed in 62. So, perhaps a 65/66 converter will fit the input shaft of the transmission, and fit either of the 383 engines. Look in the torque converters, see if the 69 is fine spline, and the 65/66 coarse spline, where it fits the input shaft. Pictures of everything will help folks help you.
Are you referring to Pat? All of these engines are internally balanced so no issues there. IIRC, the spline count for 62-66 is 19. I don't recall any changes in the converter nose diameter but it needs to be checked. MaMopar is famous for running changes in the 1960's.
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