Small block drivetrain opinions

[Pizmo]

I picked up a 65 coronet 440. The car is missing the drivetrain. According to the fender tag this car was born with a 318 poly and 3 speed automatic.

I'm a long way away from needing to worry about the drivetrain, but I would like to have somewhat of a plan formulated for when I get to that point.

I'm not looking to build a 10 second drag car. I do want the car to have some get up and go, but nothing too crazy. I am also not too worried about keeping it original either. I do want to keep it a small block because I dont want to bother with swapping k members and modifying the suspension and whatnot. I also dont have a massive budget so I have to go about this as economically friendly as possible.

So in your opinion what do you think would be the cheapest and easiest way to go about acquiring a drivetrain for this car? Should I look for a parts car with a donor drivetrain to build? Should I look for a new crate motor and trans combo? Should I consider something like a newer small block magnum conversion?

Let me know what you guys think

 

[multimopes]

Welcome aboard from NJ. It's your choice but I would look for a donor with a drive train. The lower the mileage the better. We've all heard the stories of the little old lady who barely drove something for a long period of time. I used to drive back roads, (in fact I still do), whenever I had to go somewhere and take notice of cars on people's property. If it looked interesting enough, I'd stop & inquire about it. I actually got pissed when I finally got a chance to ask about one in particular and found out they paid to junk it but would have given me the car for free! That was a Mirada with a 318! I did actually buy a couple cars this way. Best of luck with your search.

 

[Pizmo]

Welcome aboard from NJ. It's your choice but I would look for a donor with a drive train. The lower the mileage the better. We've all heard the stories of the little old lady who barely drove something for a long period of time. I used to drive back roads, (in fact I still do), whenever I had to go somewhere and take notice of cars on people's property. If it looked interesting enough, I'd stop & inquire about it. I actually got pissed when I finally got a chance to ask about one in particular and found out they paid to junk it but would have given me the car for free! That was a Mirada with a 318! I did actually buy a couple cars this way. Best of luck with your search.

Thanks for the advise. I uploaded a couple photos

The problem I'm running into with finding a parts car is that everyone with a 1975 and older car thinks that it is worth its weight in gold. I dont want to pay $3500 for a rusted out 72 4dr dart with a donor v8 that I still have to build

 

[multimopes]

Maybe a junk yard might have something that they pulled the engine out already and put it on the shelf. Try calling a few. I know of one that does just that, unfortunately it's in PA.

 

[MoparLeo]

Does yours have the type writer buttons on the dash ? If so that would be another consideration. The first generation aluminum Torque-flites had cable operated transmissions, rear oil pumps that could be push started and some had a drum on the tail shaft instead of cables to the rear brakes for a parking brakes.
Later transmission would require something different in the passenger compartment to select gears and have Park.
You don't need a parts car. You will just have to pay a core charge for a later 318/360 engine and 904 transmission from a local rebuilder. Shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Pizmo]

Does yours have the type writer buttons on the dash ? If so that would be another consideration. The first generation aluminum Torque-flites had cable operated transmissions, rear oil pumps that could be push started and some had a drum on the tail shaft instead of cables to the rear brakes for a parking brakes.
Later transmission would require something different in the passenger compartment to select gears and have Park.
You don't need a parts car. You will just have to pay a core charge for a later 318/360 engine and 904 transmission from a local rebuilder. Shouldn't be a problem.

The shifter is on the steering column, and the parking brake cable goes to the rear axle.

Do you know if the original trans for this car would be a 904 or a 727? I've ran the numbers on the fendor tag and all I can come up with is that it was born with a 3 speed auto. I also cant find any info on what trans dodge typically put behind the 318 poly. The only reason I ask is because I have the original drive line and all the linkages for the original trans. So for simplicity sake it would probably be easiest to put the original type of trans back in it

 

[Sam69sat]

How about a 5.9 magnum engine from a 90's early 2000s dodge? Get a new intake that will accept a carb and few other parts that are needed. Maybe throw a set of headers on it. Should be pretty easy to find a durango with a blown transmission that you can get a good runnning engine out of for cheap. I've thought about going that route. I think those are like 245hp stock. Then when you're ready there are a lot of articles out there on how to get it up to 350-400hp fairly easily by getting some aftermarket heads, cam, and pistons.

Edit: Would be badass to throw an engine and transmission in it and have a running driving project!

 

[Pizmo]

How about a 5.9 magnum engine from a 90's early 2000s dodge? Get a new intake that will accept a carb and few other parts that are needed. Maybe throw a set of headers on it. Should be pretty easy to find a durango with a blown transmission that you can get a good runnning engine out of for cheap. I've thought about going that route. I think those are like 245hp stock. Then when you're ready there are a lot of articles out there on how to get it up to 350-400hp fairly easily by getting some aftermarket heads, cam, and pistons.

I've been giving some thought about going this route.

The only thing is that by the time I buy the motor, rebuild it, and put all the necessary conversion parts on it. I'm not sure if it'll be any cheaper then just buying a crate motor.

But on the other hand buying a magnum motor and converting it to run in this coronet has a lot of benefits like the higher stock horse power and a roller cam.

So it is something I am considering

 

[1 Wild R/T]

65 is still cable shift.. They got rid of the typewriter push buttons but it's still cable shift (Last year) It's the first year of a slip yoke.. 64 was the last year of the ball & trunnion.... If you want to use the stock shifter you'll need to locate a 65 trans... Or find a way to convert it to external shift linkage... 65 also uses the early style torque convertor....

Personally I'd look at the 5.9 Magnum swap, find a motor that doesn't need to be rebuilt, they do still exist... I'd also probably swap in a 82-87 vintage 998 Torqueflite which will have no lock up & the wide ratio gear set...
A&A sells a conversion kit for the shift linkage but most guys use a 66-68 column & linkage...

 

[Pizmo]

65 is still cable shift.. They got rid of the typewriter push buttons but it's still cable shift (Last year) It's the first year of a slip yoke.. 64 was the last year of the ball & trunnion.... If you want to use the stock shifter you'll need to locate a 65 trans... Or find a way to convert it to external shift linkage... 65 also uses the early style torque convertor....

Personally I'd look at the 5.9 Magnum swap, find a motor that doesn't need to be rebuilt, they do still exist... I'd also probably swap in a 82-87 vintage 998 Torqueflite which will have no lock up & the wide ratio gear set...
A&A sells a conversion kit for the shift linkage but most guys use a 66-68 column & linkage...

All of that is very good info... thanks

Is a 998 TF a pretty common and easy to find trans? Is there any easy way to identify a 998? Should I be searching junk yards for 82-87 2wd drive pickups?

 

[1 Wild R/T]

All of that is very good info... thanks

Is a 998 TF a pretty common and easy to find trans? Is there any easy way to identify a 998? Should I be searching junk yards for 82-87 2wd drive pickups?

Pickups or RWD cars... Mirada's, St Regis, Etc.. We still see them down here at the local PNP from time to time.. Don't know about your area but I suspect the same is true... Back east the old cars have rusted away but west coast we still have people driving stuff from the 80's..

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Heres a steering column that could be adapted pretty easily..

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/pts/d/madera-mopar-1967-plymouth-belvedere-dr/7299563321.html

Might look around this website

https://www.car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?userSearch=int&userPID=1000&userLocation=All+States&userIMS=&userInterchange=E>BF&userSide=&userDate=1999&userDate2=1999&dbModel=22.31.47.47&userModel=Dodge Truck-1500 (1994 Up)&dbPart=300.1&userPart=Engine&sessionID=13000000167561880&sURL=www.car-part.com&userPreference=miles&userZip=98328&userLat=46.8687000&userLong=-122.2082000&userIntSelect=727143&userUID=0&userBroker=&iKey=&userPage=4

Thought this was possible.. Less than 62K miles & 250 miles from you..

 

[Triplegreen500]

Hmm...

I used to run a Mopar crate 360/380 Magnum motor in my '72 Satellite wagon. Low-13 second street car on pump gas and street tires, full interior, all steel. THAT was a fun motor. Had to sell it years ago to get money to pay off my (now ex) wife's debt. Grrr. Still have the car, but a regular LA 360 in it now.

I have a 2005 5.7 Hemi drivetrain, complete, that I pulled out of my personal Magnum R/T that was t-boned with 36k miles on it. I was thinking about putting it in my wagon, but that project's been stalled out for years...maybe time to sell it and just throw EFI on the 360. I have the complete Magnum - engine, trans, harnesses, computers, pedals, driveshaft...even the diff (IRS) if you want. Engine and trans are out of the car and on a pallet in the garage; computers are on a shelf. I think I have conversion mount brackets, too. Harnesses and pedals are still in the shell outside (I was planning on re-flashing the computers, and putting street rod harnesses in the car). If you're interested...let me know. We're on opposite ends of the country, but I'm an hour from Carlisle and plan to be there this year, I could easily bring it to the fairgrounds if we set up a relay system...

 

[747mopar]

Sometimes fate plays a role, I had a Dakota RT offered to me for $500.. looks like the daughters car will be getting a 5.9L and an overdrive automatic. I would never buy something just because of the deal but the 360 magnum option was already on my mind so...

 

[Pizmo]

Hmm...

I used to run a Mopar crate 360/380 Magnum motor in my '72 Satellite wagon. Low-13 second street car on pump gas and street tires, full interior, all steel. THAT was a fun motor. Had to sell it years ago to get money to pay off my (now ex) wife's debt. Grrr. Still have the car, but a regular LA 360 in it now.

I have a 2005 5.7 Hemi drivetrain, complete, that I pulled out of my personal Magnum R/T that was t-boned with 36k miles on it. I was thinking about putting it in my wagon, but that project's been stalled out for years...maybe time to sell it and just throw EFI on the 360. I have the complete Magnum - engine, trans, harnesses, computers, pedals, driveshaft...even the diff (IRS) if you want. Engine and trans are out of the car and on a pallet in the garage; computers are on a shelf. I think I have conversion mount brackets, too. Harnesses and pedals are still in the shell outside (I was planning on re-flashing the computers, and putting street rod harnesses in the car). If you're interested...let me know. We're on opposite ends of the country, but I'm an hour from Carlisle and plan to be there this year, I could easily bring it to the fairgrounds if we set up a relay system...

That's a very generous offer. Thank you!

Unfortunately it is just too far away.

 

[Pizmo]

Sometimes fate plays a role, I had a Dakota RT offered to me for $500.. looks like the daughters car will be getting a 5.9L and an overdrive automatic. I would never buy something just because of the deal but the 360 magnum option was already on my mind so...

I am pretty sure that I am going to go the magnum route on my coronet (unless something happens to fall in my lap between now and the time I'm ready to start forcusing on the drive train).

The magnum motors a fairly cheap, they are easy to find, and from everything I've read it looks like converting them to run in an old car is pretty straight forward