Hello All,
I have a 65 Dart GT with 9 inch drums. I can get a 74 duster that has power front disc brakes. I am not sure of the rear end size, but the car has a 318, automatic. Will the parts from the Duster work on my Dart without too much modification? From what I have been reading the front hardware will bolt in. But how about the rear end? Do you think that the proportioning valve from the Duster will work in the Dart, or will I need a aftermarket adjustable valve?
Thanks for any advice,
David

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1965 Dodge Dart GT

It should all bolt up. Most people use the disc brake prop valves, I kept the drum valve on my 73 and it stops real good.

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70 Dart, 360, 727

The only issue I can think of here is that the Duster may have a 8 1/4" rear end, and you may need a slightly shorter driveshaft to put that in. Or you can have a driveshaft shop shorten your existing driveshaft if you need to.

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

Thanks for the advice,
David

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1965 Dodge Dart GT

I'm doing something very similar on my 1965 Barracuda. My parts car is a 74 Duster and I was planning to switch over the front spindle assembly and upper control arm along with the 8¼" axle. I was hoping that the Duster's driveshaft would be the proper length for my car. I think my trunion joint is shot so it would work out really well for me if the Duster's driveshaft fit properly.

What're you doing for a transmission in your '65?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I'm using the stock A904 cable-operated transmission.

Later driveshaft probably won't fit without mods, then:


'65 Barracuda: 106" wheelbase
'74 Duster: 108" wheelbase

So, if you did a swap of the rear axle from the '74 to the '65, the driveshaft would be a little long if it would fit.

BUT, you're keeping the '65 transmission, which means the '74 driveshaft won't fit (cross-and-roller front U-joint w/slipyoke) instead of ball-and-trunnion, unless you install the cross-and-roller conversion kit that amounts to a splined shaft bolted onto the transmission's output flange...which requires a driveshaft shorter yet.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Most bigger cities have a shop that services brakes and suspensions for heavy trucks, and they can likely make you a drive shaft. To them it is no big deal. I have had three different shafts made for my various combos over the years. They cost about $100 each time, which included balancing, and they worked just fine. They can mate most anyfshaft front to any shaft rear, at any length you want. They will tell you how they want you to measure eveything. The closest truck shop to you can tell you where to find such a shop.because they need to know where to send this kind of work.

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I was hoping to avoid the cost of a new driveshaft but I know there is a shop in a nearby city that can make one for me. I just need to switch the parts over so my car is in towing condition. Thanks for the advice!

You don't need to take the car to them. Maybe that is not what you were saying. In any event, just take then either the old saft that needs to be shortened, or two parts of the shafts you want joined, and they will tell you how to measure everything. If it were me, I might want to go with the slip joint conversion Dan was talking about, and start from there. That's kind of up to you though.

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HIJACK IN PROGRESS

Just because I really dont know and it may help out. Could he swap the output shaft and tailshaft housing of his 65 tranny with a later unit in order to take the later slip yoke drive shaft?
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TOYOTA REGIUSACE
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Mexico City Hotel

Nope. The '65 and earlier transmissions have a rear pump driven by the output shaft, so the whole arrangement back there is quite different. I'm sure such a swap could be engineered, but the fabrication and parts customising required would very quickly exceed the cost and effort to have a workable driveshaft made up.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I think I'll do as Sam suggested and take my driveshaft to the shop and have them modify it. I'm sure I could easily measure the appropriate dimensions so I don't have to tow the car there.

Wouldn't the simplest solution be to just shorten the Duster's driveshaft by 2" or is the 74's slipyoke different than the 65's?

I was planning to reinstall the old 9" drum brakes on the Duster so that I could still roll it around. If the slipyokes are the same, do you think I could get by with the Barracuda's driveshaft installed in the Duster even though it would be 2" too short?

The '65 simply does not have a slip yoke. The ball and trunion U-joint serves as a U-joint and a slip yoke. If the ball and trunion joint is bad I would use the slip yoke adapter with a custom driveshaft. Otherwise you get into doing funny thinks like swapping in a '66 steering column to shift the later trans.

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Joshua