I finally located a rebuildable A500 (hydraulic & lockup), which I plan to install behind the slant in my '87 D150. Please bear with me, I do not know much about tranny's, especially the newer ones.

Any recommendations for what kits & accessories to use so this tranny lives a long, happy life behind my somewhat abusive right foot?

Any opinions on reverse manual valve bodies? I would like to remove the factory column shifter and replace it with a floor shifter. I would mount the OD and lock-up on/off switches on the handle (for the thumb). This truck is mostly a street cruiser, but will see the strip on occasion (if they ever open the drags up here again ).

Are there 'heavy duty' parts (akin to V8 904 parts for slant 904's) that can be installed?

Recommendation on TC stall speed? Currently I plan on around a 26-2700 stall TC. Also, does Midwest Convereters (I believe that is what I have seen recommended) make TC's for A500's?

Currently, my slant is (guestimated) somewhere around 170-180 HP and 240-250 ft-lbs. I plan to at least make the 200 HP and 270 ft-lb mark before I am done, and I may slip one of those blue bottles on it in the future.

I already have the adapter plate for the trans, and access to a welder, steel stock, and a BFH for the trans tunnel and tailshaft mount.

One of my friends (even though he is a Chevy guy ), whom owns and runs his own trans shop, will be rebuilding the tranny for me and I would like to start getting parts together.

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

-Aaron

_________________
The "Silver Bullet"
87 Ram D150

*bump*

I am looking at This Transgo Kit PN TFOD/500/518/618 and a floor shifter from Lokar (summit). I may nix the reverse manual VB, at least for now.

Does anyone have any experience with the Transgo kit?

I am also not finding much for higher stall TC's for A500's. everything seems to be for an A518...

-SM

I've heard good things about the Transgo kits, althought they're a little spendy. I didn't rebuild mine, just did a home-job shift kit based on an old High Perf Mopar mag article - worked great and 30k miles w/ no troubles.

A500 and A518 stalls should be the same unit, I believe. I got mine from SMR Converters in Canada. That was the biggest expense, and didn't get me a lot of stall (2300 on medium-built motor). Nice guys and good service though.

Lou

_________________
Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Hi,
Where did you find the adapter to mount the A500 behind the slant?
This would be a good swap for my Dart.
Thanks
Todd

Get in touch with andyf.

Details are in this thread:

http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9429

-SM

I heard the oil holes for the o.d. unit, in the axle, is too small.
I think that was on the older 500´s.
Don´t know this, just what I heard...
I think they drilled the holes 30% (area, not diameter)

Todd,

Here is a picture of the /6 to 904 bellhousing adapter. The same adapter works for the 727 bellhousing but the shields are a little bit different.

Andyf, with your adapter would the motor still have to be moved forward to access the mounting bolts and so the tranny clears the fire wall? Has anyone other than Dart270 successfully installed an A-500 into their A body and if so what modifications did you have to do? I know what Dart270 has done and still has to do. Also has anyone figured how to add the factory trans computer so that the lock-up and od functions don't have to be manually activated by switches flipped by the driver?

Thanks-Dart68

I have the new adapter plate (Andy's unit) in my '68 Dart. My apologies for not posting pics as I'm still sorting out internet issues on the other side of the world (in New Zealand for 5 months).

Andy's plate takes 0.40" off the adapter thickness, so motor relocation is not strictly necessary. I had moved my motor 0.5" forward and there was still room at the firewall even with the factory plate. His plate works very well and is 10 lbs lighter than the factory iron plate. I put 800 mi on the car before I left the US and all was good.

Cheers mates,

Lou

_________________
Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Here is a schematic for automatic control of OD and lockup:

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/Slanted_Mind/ODTranswiring.jpg", width=600>

I created this diagram from the description given at the following site:

http://www.transmissioncenter.net/alto_3.htm

-S/6