i've got a 71 dart swinger with a torqueflite 3 speed...
i'm thinkin of doin a rebuild this summer and i'm wondering if it would be worth my while to find a four speed, possibly with od.
the build will be for street/strip use, but will get a hell of a lot of highway driving. i'll be going to college in Tennessee and my family's in VA.
ideas??

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My Dart
GO VOLS!
It's not rocket science, we're just splitting atoms.

There's no 4-speed auto trans that'll bolt to your slant-6 without an expensive adaptor nor fit under the car without major floorpan mods.

There are a few different 4-speed stick shift transmissions that'll bolt (with the correct bellhousing) to the engine, and fit under the car, but a 4-speed swap is a great deal of work. You need:

-Transmission
-Bellhousing
-Clutch linkage complete
-Shifter with linkage complete
-Floorpan hump (cut and weld!)
-Swing pedal assembly
-More suitable rear axle ratio (4spd + 2.76 rear axle = zero to sixty in twenty-five minutes)

-Labor time and money to recondition all of the above as necessary and install in the car

Just how expensive and difficult this will be depends on your facilities, skills and local parts availability. Calculate the real costs then put it in terms of the price of gasoline to figure out how many miles you'd have to drive to make it back.

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

you answered my real question...

i'm really hesitant to tear into my baby in such a manner...
although i have to wonder
would the fourth gear make any difference, or just add to accel. time.

i'm assuming there's no type of OD i can get. that would improve highway mileage the best.

oh well. she's a great transmission

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My Dart
GO VOLS!
It's not rocket science, we're just splitting atoms.

You can get an electric overdrive but they run about $2000.... as discussed in another thread, you can buy a LOT of gas for that amount. I think I calculated that it would take 10 -12 years to recover the cost at today's prices.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.