K-frame / Steering Box/ Motor Mounts advice?

[Meangene83]

So my mechanic called me after looking at the Steering box swap job I hired him for.
I picked up a firm feel stage 2.

He called me in a panic talking about how the frame was altered so the engine could be dropped. This that and the other thing, he basically sounded overwhelmed and had made a call to his "fabricator guy".

This led me to check my database of pictures of the underneath.
I don't know what I am looking at, I am hoping someone can explain to me what I am looking at and what should be done to make it right.

It is a 1973 Roadrunner, with a 1968 383 engine. Power steering, headers.
I have been tooling around town in it for a few weeks now and the engine hasn't torn itself free as of yet. Should I be worried?

 

[SureGrip]

Looks like someone 'modified' the K-frame to fit the big block.

The lower center section has been cut back and the motor mounts have been 'relocated'.

If it were mine, I'd find a BB k-frame and swap it out right (can use Cordoba and other k-frames, which aren't hard to find in junkyards).

 

[Meangene83]

So I guess I have two choices:
1. Leave it as is and drive it.
2. Tear it all apart and replace the K frame.

Is option 1 a realistic option??
i have no clue why the previous owner did this, he probably didn't want to buy any parts, so he just chopped and welded away.

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

It's hard to tell from the pics just how dodgy the previous owners fabrication work is. Your mechanic is concerned, so why not get another 1st hand 2nd opinion. As SG said, K-members are cheap and abundant and swapping it is pretty straight forward...

 

[Meangene83]

What worries me is the question, What else did be hack up and change to make it fit?

if I do go the K member swap route, get a new one to fix this modification, what other modifications am I going to find all the way back to the tires?

i am going to meet the mechanic today and smash our heads together to see what falls out...

starting to smell like money pit in here. Bummer

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PS what is Cordoba?

 

[GearAddict]

I second (or third) the K member swap... they can be had for $100 usually and is are a pretty straight forward operation to replace. Your steering components look pretty worn, so throw in a PST kit for $250 and you'll be in good shape.

You could leave it as it is... But it's hard to tell what the quality of the work was. If all that was done was adding brackets to re-locate the motor mounts, the worst that can happen is the drivers side snaps and then you are back to the same descision about replacing the K member. If you are more focused on driving it than restoring/rebuilding it, then I don't see it as a huge safety concern at the moment.

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What worries me is the question, What else did be hack up and change to make it fit?

if I do go the K member swap route, get a new one to fix this modification, what other modifications am I going to find all the way back to the tires?

Get it up on a rack and get a knowledgable mopar guy under there to inspect. With it on a rack, you can pretty much see everything that could have been altered in the suspension pretty easily, just gotta know what to look for.

 

[dvw]

The only difference between big block and small block is the distance fore and aft of the mounts. The cut in The K-frame is clearance for the pan. This modification is very common. If the welds are sound it's no big deal. The linkage and gear box should all be in the original location. Everything fits now headers etc. Why mess with it. Look how far my K-frame is cut. Drives fine at 147
Doug

 

[mopar12372]

if the work is good why worry? put the new parts on the car and drive it. the car isnt origional

 

[SureGrip]

Yes, my issue would be the soundness of the welds...looks like the motor mounts are tacked in with some odd brackets added on.

The Cordoba is a late-model B-body until 1979, then they became R-bodies.