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6.1 for my 64 Polara!

Polara 500 707

Well-Known Member
Local time
4:47 AM
Joined
Oct 25, 2018
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60
Location
California
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Hey everyone. Love this site. Always great input and I love stopping in just to see what everyone has going on. I’d love to say I’m going to consistently update my build, but I work full time, married, and have a 2 and half year old. But I still do make tome to work on the car.

Original black plate Bakersfield car. Shows 82K on the odometer. Supposedly the car got stored for 2 long stints of time... once in a barn, and then 2nd owner’s garage where I bought the car.

October will be one year since I’ve had it. I’ve pretty much been stripping the underside since I got it. Front and rear suspension are gone now and the 1/2”-3/4”of undercoating is now down to bare metal/primer.

Plans are resto mod style while keeping the classic touches such as the exterior trim and most of the interior.

First big spend is in the books! Found a 6.1 SRT8 motor and transmission with all of the computers and only 40K miles which is low considering those motors are 10 years old. Hotwire harness in my near future.

Stay tuned for updates if you’re interested!!! 9E052EF6-65F9-4420-BAFF-608BABB57354.jpeg 4217C213-EFD3-4D29-A8B3-DD4B02A21EE6.jpeg 1988D8F0-0B5D-479E-B294-E13EDE47A1A0.jpeg 94B1E73D-38D2-47C9-B47E-C37EF1E11420.jpeg 8CEFA502-78C2-4400-8C0C-DDE22F6704B7.jpeg
 
I know your pain with under coating never to see the end of it. Great idea with the 6.1 keep us updated.
 
Great choice, I have a 06 Chrysler 300, 09 Challenger SRT8, 2010 6.1 crate engine in my 66 Satellite and a 6.1 based engine in my 03 PT Cruiser that is actually 426 inches now. Plenty of power for our old rides. Your 64 will make it a great home.
 
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Great choice, I have a 06 Chrysler 300, 09 Challenger SRT8, 2010 6.1 crate engine in my 66 Satellite and a 6.1 based engine in my 03 PT Cruiser that is actually 426 inches now. Plenty of power for our old rides. Your 64 will make it a great home.
Is your 66 EFI? Drive by wire or cable? I’d like to keep my original gas pedal if possible. Haven’t quite got that figured out yet since I’m using the 6.1 factory injection set up.
 
A few more pics

Is your 66 EFI? Drive by wire or cable? I’d like to keep my original gas pedal if possible. Haven’t quite got that figured out yet since I’m using the 6.1 factory injection set up.
It's EFI, drive by wire and original gas pedal. The gas pedal is connected to the drive by wire conversion box.
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Check the thread..........
late model hemi in to early b bodies
 
Very helpful. I knew there was some type of conversion box but haven’t gotten that far yet. Is yours under your dash or in engine compartment? Brand? Thanks!!
 
Check the thread..........
late model hemi in to early b bodies
I followed your last build very closely. But Mr. belvedere build. I got worried at the end for awhile that it wasn’t going to work out. I’m glad that it did!
 
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The owner is having a blast with that car.

Check out my build on my Polara, lots of useful stuff there for ya since they are the same car.
 
I’d like to keep my original gas pedal if possible. Haven’t quite got that figured out yet since I’m using the 6.1 factory injection set up.[/QUOTE]

I too wanted to keep my factory gas pedal. I used 5.7 hemi's method to make it happen. It is a Throttle bell crank from a 2003-4 Hemi Ram. PN: 53032456AE. I bought mine new from a local Dodge dealer. They are pretty expensive at over $350.00. You should be able to find a used one at a salvage yard. I have a spare that I bought for $60.00. I mounted mine under the hood near where the battery tray used to be and used an aftermarket cable between the gas pedal and bell crank. If you go this route, you will need to relay that info to Hotwire when they build the harness since the drive by wire plug needs to go into the engine bay instead of under the dash. Here are a couple pics.

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I’d like to keep my original gas pedal if possible. Haven’t quite got that figured out yet since I’m using the 6.1 factory injection set up.

I too wanted to keep my factory gas pedal. I used 5.7 hemi's method to make it happen. It is a Throttle bell crank from a 2003-4 Hemi Ram. PN: 53032456AE. I bought mine new from a local Dodge dealer. They are pretty expensive at over $350.00. You should be able to find a used one at a salvage yard. I have a spare that I bought for $60.00. I mounted mine under the hood near where the battery tray used to be and used an aftermarket cable between the gas pedal and bell crank. If you go this route, you will need to relay that info to Hotwire when they build the harness since the drive by wire plug needs to go into the engine bay instead of under the dash. Here are a couple pics.

View attachment 833841 View attachment 833842 View attachment 833843[/QUOTE]

Very helpful information. Anymore pictures of that setup? I have a few months before the motor gets dropped in. Thanks!
 
I have lots of pics the install in my 68 Charger . Yours will be quite different though with using the Nag1 transmission. There has been tons of headway made since I did mine and I used the 5R45RFE truck transmission because of the isssues with controlling the Nag1 had not been ironed out yet. I am sure glad Mopars have the removable K frame making it a snap fitting these drive trains in. I think I had mine in and out half a dozen times before I was able to button it up for the last time. I had to make more cuts to the tunnel since the truck transmission is larger than the Nag1. Here are some pics that may help you. I bought a kit from Bouchillon Performance when I did mine. They had me install a Corvette fuel regulator between the in tank pump and engine and a lot of other trial and error issues that hopefully they have ironed out by now. I had plenty of problems with it and finally replaced it with an adjustable regulator. Some people have made it work I guess but IMO it is junk science. Chris at Hotwire is up to speed on these swaps and is very helpful with technical questions. Good luck with your install. I'm sure you will love it when it's done. Way better driveability, fuel mileage and a host of improvements to enjoy. If I can help, don't hesitate to ask. We are all here for ya.

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I have lots of pics the install in my 68 Charger . Yours will be quite different though with using the Nag1 transmission. There has been tons of headway made since I did mine and I used the 5R45RFE truck transmission because of the isssues with controlling the Nag1 had not been ironed out yet. I am sure glad Mopars have the removable K frame making it a snap fitting these drive trains in. I think I had mine in and out half a dozen times before I was able to button it up for the last time. I had to make more cuts to the tunnel since the truck transmission is larger than the Nag1. Here are some pics that may help you. I bought a kit from Bouchillon Performance when I did mine. They had me install a Corvette fuel regulator between the in tank pump and engine and a lot of other trial and error issues that hopefully they have ironed out by now. I had plenty of problems with it and finally replaced it with an adjustable regulator. Some people have made it work I guess but IMO it is junk science. Chris at Hotwire is up to speed on these swaps and is very helpful with technical questions. Good luck with your install. I'm sure you will love it when it's done. Way better driveability, fuel mileage and a host of improvements to enjoy. If I can help, don't hesitate to ask. We are all here for ya.

View attachment 834442 View attachment 834443 View attachment 834444 View attachment 834445 View attachment 834446 View attachment 834447 View attachment 834448 View attachment 834449
I have lots of pics the install in my 68 Charger . Yours will be quite different though with using the Nag1 transmission. There has been tons of headway made since I did mine and I used the 5R45RFE truck transmission because of the isssues with controlling the Nag1 had not been ironed out yet. I am sure glad Mopars have the removable K frame making it a snap fitting these drive trains in. I think I had mine in and out half a dozen times before I was able to button it up for the last time. I had to make more cuts to the tunnel since the truck transmission is larger than the Nag1. Here are some pics that may help you. I bought a kit from Bouchillon Performance when I did mine. They had me install a Corvette fuel regulator between the in tank pump and engine and a lot of other trial and error issues that hopefully they have ironed out by now. I had plenty of problems with it and finally replaced it with an adjustable regulator. Some people have made it work I guess but IMO it is junk science. Chris at Hotwire is up to speed on these swaps and is very helpful with technical questions. Good luck with your install. I'm sure you will love it when it's done. Way better driveability, fuel mileage and a host of improvements to enjoy. If I can help, don't hesitate to ask. We are all here for ya.

View attachment 834442 View attachment 834443 View attachment 834444 View attachment 834445 View attachment 834446 View attachment 834447 View attachment 834448 View attachment 834449

Thanks for the reply, details, and pics. Your car is clean and swap looks good in there!

Hoping I’ll be able to pull one of those bell cranks off of a junk truck...they are pricey! Trying to pick and choose where I spend the big money.

Hotwire does seem to have this swap as straight forward as it can be. I’ve read a lot of negative things about the corvette fuel setup and going to avoid that since it sounds like a crap setup.

Not many parts going on for a few months while I finish getting the underside coated, engine bay cleaned up, and Dana gone through. Plan on talking to Gerst and Hemi Denny and going with one of their setups.
 
Thanks for the reply, details, and pics. Your car is clean and swap looks good in there!

Hoping I’ll be able to pull one of those bell cranks off of a junk truck...they are pricey! Trying to pick and choose where I spend the big money.

Hotwire does seem to have this swap as straight forward as it can be. I’ve read a lot of negative things about the corvette fuel setup and going to avoid that since it sounds like a crap setup.

Not many parts going on for a few months while I finish getting the underside coated, engine bay cleaned up, and Dana gone through. Plan on talking to Gerst and Hemi Denny and going with one of their setups.

You should be able to find one. I believe the 03 and 04 Hemi Rams used them. If you can't find one, let me know. I would sell the one I have in post #10
 
Stay away, far away from the Vette filter/regulator. I went through 2 of those little bastards on the last 6.1 swap in just a couple of months. Get yourself a good regulator, Aeromotive or FAST. Save yourself the expense and aggravation, buy once, cry once. Make sure to use a good intank pump.
 
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Stay away, far away from the Vette filter/regulator. I went through 2 of those little bastards on the last 6.1 swap in just a couple of months. Get yourself a good regulator, Aeromotive or FAST. Save yourself the expense and aggravation, but once, cry once. Make sure to use a good intank pump.

Going to spend my money wisely and try and avoid as many headaches as possible. Aeromotive just started making tanks I believe for the 64-65 B bodies with an in tank pump. I think it’s a Dorman repop but with their components. I don’t have any first-hand experience with their products, but I know they have a good reputation. I’ll just have to figure out the regulator, but it will not be the Corvette style!
 
I was not aware Aeromotive was building tanks but I have one of their adjustable regulators and it works great! You might want to order one with the tank. They make regulators for carburetors and Fuel injection so get the correct one. The Hemi likes about 58psi so start there. I think mine ended up at 56psi
 
I was not aware Aeromotive was building tanks but I have one of their adjustable regulators and it works great! You might want to order one with the tank. They make regulators for carburetors and Fuel injection so get the correct one. The Hemi likes about 58psi so start there. I think mine ended up at 56psi

I found out about it from another member’s post on this site. This site is gold for information. I’m trying to use as much info from other guys builds to make mine as smooth as possible! Seems like companies are finally trying to help out us Mopar guys!!

https://www.jegs.com/i/Aeromotive/027/18463/10002/-1
 
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Just an update. Before that 6.1 goes in, the underside of the car is getting primed and coated/painted. Since my antenna was loose, I decide to pull the access panels in the rear of the front fender wells to take a look at the lower rear of the fenders where muck likes to hide and start rust. I was overly happy to see how clean and virgin the inside of the fenders were. Pictures barely do it justice. Not even wiped down or air blown before these pics!
 
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