Hello /6 people, my first post here...




I have a clean 66 A100 225/3 on tree, 36K orig miles, tag says 3:91 rear but I think it actualy may have 3:55 (have heard many were changed at dealer pre delivery?) It does 65 just fine, no tach but it is not screaming 65, and 1st gear is realllly long!

Been doing alot of research here and have learned a ton, but still have a few questions:

I use this van regularly in the Summer for family camping, weekend trips etc. Sometimes commute with it (90miles RT). looking for idle-4500RPM, good torque, truck engine.

While it does pretty darn good in stock form, I am looking for a bit more power: Super six, cam, increase compression, head work, electronic ign/recurve, etc.
The van see's lots of hills/mountains. Willing to run 91 oct.

Here is my plan:

HEAD: Already have a big valve mildly ported head (bought on ebay from CA a few months ago, anyone here?), brand new late casting, hardened seats, 3 angle valve job. its not milled yet, but I plan on having it milled around .090-.100 for SCR of around 9:1+ (DCR to be determined once head is off and cam is chosen)

CAM: Howards 256/256, has .473 total lift with 1.5 rockers. Not sure where lift will end up with the existing 1.4 rockers it has. Or should I regrind stock cam and not worry about the potential gear mesh issue???

Intake: Super Six 2BBL. I found an alum 2bbl intake locally from an 82 RAM (cheap). I like the idea of saving weight, but am aware of the tendancy for leaks. It appears this intake is not welded though, are these later truck intakes a good choice? I plan on either a BBD or a Weber (leaning towards a Weber 36/36

Exhaust: Stock mani, getting a brand new one for 25 bucks tomorrow. I will attempt to open it up around 2.25 and will mill intake/exhaust assembly flanges, port match, etc.
I already have a new 2.5 custom exhaust mani to bumper which is partly why i want to go with stock mani, plus, I don't know if headers would work well in an A100 with shift rods and clutch linkage in the way, also alot more heat in that dog house.

Ignition: Pertronix and recurved dist. Who should I send the distributor too, anyone here do these?

Option A: Do all this to the 36K engine in the van now, just pull the head and leave the bottom end alone. Intstall the head with everything on it, and install the cam with block in van (looks doable I think, but may need to jack engine up a bit)

Option B: Do above + change oil pump, home/re ring, bearings etc with leaving block in van (tons of room under/around engine). "In van" rebuild is what i am leaning towards now.

Option C: Pull orig engine and rebuild the 82 super six (from which I am yanking the mani) and swap complete engine. This presents more work/$$ since I would probably bore it out, deck block, etc.

I have a 4 core alum radiator that will fit nice with some minor mods.

Also thinking electric fan

Considering installing the Rams A833OD, making it 4 on the tree with a rod for reverse, but thats another topic!

Definately going with scarebird front disc, also for another topic!

Opinions appreciated!

Many thanks,

Mark

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66 A100, 64 356C

great looking van

on your list,, I would do plan A as an short term, low budget fix,maybe minus the cam,
use the $ saved to finance plan C with the 4 speed, good cam,,,using the head from plan A,

you then have a rebuilt plan C engine with a stock short block from plan A as a spare..

I agree with Dadtruck 100%. I would get your stock cam reground to the RV10 or RV 15 profile discussed on the Erson cam thread on this board.

I would also ditch the pertronix and go for HEI or sotck Mopar ei. I haveused Pertronix in the past with success, but I like the parts availability of HEI better.

Also, you won't find a stock slant six two barrel air cleaner that will fit the two barrel carb and clear the engine cover. I recomend you modify the one barrel air cleaner to accept the two barrel carb and keep it, but run a snorkel out to above the front bumper to get some cold air into the carb. A100 are notorious for having heat related problems, so any way you can help get cooler air into the carb is a good idea.

An overdrive 4 speed would be a great swap, and you already hav most of the parts to do it. I would opt for a floor shift, if possible.

I favor a stock-type clutch fan over an electric fan, and especially for a van used for camping i recommend a deep cycle battery, a high output late style Nippondenso alternator, and an auxilliary battery for camping charged through a battery isolator.

Sounds like a fun rig. More pictures are always appreciated!

Thank you for the replies,

Yes I like the idea of just swapping on the head/mani combo's and leaving the bottom end alone (for now), but i will still change the cam.
From what i have read the stock early cam is totally anemic and worth changing. Will still be a pretty mild cam, but probably worth it.

The regrind sounds good, with DCR around 8-8.5:1 I could stand to go bigger 256/256 seems good.

Yes, the A100's have lots of heat related problems, which is one reason i am not going with headers.

I have a defroster fan/plenum set up from an old Imperial i will install on dog house to evacuate heat/fumes through the floor, infact someone on the van forum has just done this the same way i was planning. I will probably make it after run as well, with an ald audi surface mount temp switch.

The cold air pipe is a good idea, i have looked into it but did not really see a nice way of doing it. Its worth figuring something out though.

All that said though, it never overheats even floored 2nd gear up long climbs, it gets plenty warm though.

"EDIT"
I was looking at pics of a truck like the parts truck I am looking at tomorrow, and it had a top loader trans? the other A833OD's i have seen were side shift. Maybe I was looking at something wrong. Will find out tomorroww

Thanks,

Mark

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66 A100, 64 356C

Oh and i already have the pertronix so i will stick with that. I do want to get the distributer recurved though, been reading up on that.

Yes, the nipondenso sounds good, that or a larger Mopar alt. I had charging issues last year and put in a new stock 30A alt and reg so for now I'll run it. cost only like 35 bucks for both! I'll bypass the amp meter and upgrade wiring where necessary when i upgrade charging system. One thing at a time though, otherwise my ADD will start kickin in again...


I like the idea of a fan clutch, will look into bolt on solutions instead of electric fan.

The headlights suck, but i have some Hella round 5" conversion lights and will relay them.


I should also mention, I put a hitch on it and tow a small trailer with some dirtbikes, bicycles, etc. It tows good for what it is but a little more power is always nice

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66 A100, 64 356C

Welcome! That is a nice A100 you have there! I have the same one, only it's a major project if I ever get around to it.

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My name says what I got! Mine was a dog when I got it, one of the best power adders that I did was the super 6 upgrade with a Weber 32/36 and a 2 1/4" exhaust. I'd piece meal it and do the add on's first before tearing into a original motor, but that's just me.

Thanks, nice to see some A owners here.

That A100 looks pretty saveable. Here in the rust belt it would be considered "very solid"
Its probably fine to let them sit in the dirt like that in CA, but here I would get that sucker in the air or the bottom would be gone in no time.

So tommorrow I am picking up that complete 82 super six engine for $150
the guy does not want to sell just the intake so i have to take the whole thing. I guess it is worth it since it comes with a few new oil filters, new starter, alt. Engine is complete from aircleaner to oil pan, 150K, runs fine.
He put a 318 in his truck...

Also picking up a brand new exhaust mani for $25, guy just wants it gone, was going to scrap it!

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66 A100, 64 356C

If it is running good, I would leave the 82 motor assembled as a unit and swap it right into your van. It will have hydraulic lifters and possibly a slightly more aggressive cam than the stock 66 cam. Be sure to swap the oil pan and oil pump pickup from the 66 motor onto the 82 motor. However, you will need to figure out an air cleaner solution.

That way you have the 66 motor on a stand to be massaged and modified at your leisure and you have a good runner in the van and working.

On the subject of A100s, just ran across this, looks like a good deal:

http://salem.craigslist.org/cto/4565574744.html

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The van looks amazing, and the family is cool too. If it were me, I would start with the Pertronix, electrical upgrades, exhaust, and super six upgrade and drive it while building your target engine, then swap in a complete rebuilt engine. I put many fun, economical miles on this car with just those upgrades.

Oh yes, I did the od 833 also early on. It is well worth the effort.

One thing to remember: those valves and seats were not made for unleaded gas. If it burns a valve you may be forced to do the head upgrade earlier.
Sam

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NICE looking van, cool color! Loosely wrapping the cast exhaust manifold in header fiberglass tape will do a good job of reducing temp inside the doghouse. You can normally wrap the downpipe from the cast exhaust. If you wrap the cast manifold too tightly it can crack.

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Tom
'86 Alfa Romeo Spider, red "Dinsdale"
'10 Corvette, red "" (no name yet)
'95 Ferrari 348, red "Zoom"
'04 Maserati, black "Evil"
'05 Aston Martin DB9, green "Bond, Treasury bond."
'82 Dodge W150 Power Ram, yellow "E. Valdez"

Thanks for the comments and advice.

I picked up that 82 Super Six for $125. He said it ran great, but judging by the 3 completely dismantled mud trucks, with trashed parts spread all over the property, I am willing to bet he ran this thing hard!

I also got that brand new exhuast mani for $25. I was going to meet the guy but he was running late, so I left the $ with a tree behind gas station and he dropped off the mani next to same tree. I grabed it later that day.

Plan for now is to get this 2bbl alum mani cleaned up and get the whole top end assembled. Then may decide just to build that 82 bottom end and pull my existing engine, leaving it stock and intacked.

I am considering having the exhuast mani ceramic coated

The intake manifold is a two piece and has some pourous looking welds, but i will take care of that.

pics soon...

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66 A100, 64 356C