'66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction

[John Kelley]

Originally Posted by KMachine

Why didn't you take that offer?

Alex explained that in his post.........they were "unreliable" :-)

[Mopar Steve]

My '72 Dart had left hand studs on it.

[bigshow2966]

Originally Posted by Alex Denysenko

Mopar used right and left wheel stud threads through 1969. 1970 they went to all right hand.
Also all A bodies had 7/16 studs like a chebbie through 1969.

All drum brake A-bodies had 7/16" studs with 4" bolt circle, and disc brake cars until '73.

Left hand threads on driver's side only until '71.

Yeah, Mopar did some weird stuff for sure.

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by Alex Denysenko

Paul, that little clutch assembly was the most worthless POS ever placed behind any V-8.
Leave it to Mopar.
I don't doubt you on some obscure 8.75 in prior 67 A bodies, but I can tell you that I have never seen one. First A body I ever laid eyes on with a 8.75 was a 67 Dart GT 383 4 speed that a friend had bought new. I helped him change the third member using two bumper jacks circa 1969. Boy was I a dumb kid.
Mopar used right and left wheel stud threads through 1969. 1970 they went to all right hand.
Also all A bodies had 7/16 studs like a chebbie through 1969.

Bill, I had to work on them all day long, so I had no desire to work on them in my "fun" time too. Besides, they were just to unreliable.
My employer at the time even offered me a brand new 340 Demon to race at their expense and I declined.

Paul, you are incorrect on the 66 Comet 289/271 Hipo. That engine combo was only available in Mustangs after 1965. Nothing else.

Mercury offered the 271hp motor in the Comet caliente in 1965, it turned out to be a one year only offer. A friend of mine bought one and for a mere $236.00 got a full tri-power set up across the counter. 1966 brought the 390ci cars and the 271hp was dropped.

JimR

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by treessavoy

Mercury offered the 271hp motor in the Comet caliente in 1965, it turned out to be a one year only offer.
JimR

The 289-271 was also available in the Comet in 1964. Inspired the East African Ralley participation by FoMoCo that year.

[Paul Ceasrine]

D-Dart Contributors,
I knew I could stir up the pot a little more. Very good pick-up on the
1966 Comet (Jim R). But, (McCormack Mercury) home of the semi-famous 'Billy Lagana', a 65' Comet A/FX racer, out of Mt. Kisco, New York had one. Probably not a production line car. Not sure if it was a factory installed special order, or dealer installed option. But it was a 289/271HP car. It was running in C/S in 67' (when classes were bumped up one notch). Same thing, 13.80's @100 MPH.....
Alex, Those "Auburn'' clutches. Were like a box of 'Dunkin Donuts'. Good for a dozen only. (12 holeshots only). How would you like to find an "Inland Shifter' and an 'Auburn' clutch package under the Christmas Tree. Mother Mopar did make some bad mistakes....
Paul

[bill dedman]

I need to know (just for my own satisfaction) what kind of shifter was OEM on a 1971 Demon 340 car.

I purchased the complete engine and drivetrain (340, aluminum bell housing, OEM flywheel, clutch, cast iron 4-speed with a 2.39 or 2.49 1st gear (I can't remember which, but it was not a 2.66, to my surprise, ) driveshaft and an 8.75," 3.91 Sure Grip with 13,000 miles on it (in early 1972) out of a wrecked car (rolled), with the shifter still attached to the transmission.... for $500 1972 dollars (that would be $2,560.00, today.)

Bolted it ALL (including the driveshaft, without modification; go figure.... 2"-different wheelbase, but the driveshaft fit, perfectly) into a '64 Valiant V-200, 2 door sedan.

After putting a 3,000-pound Hayes pressure plate (with the centrifugal weights removed.) I raced that car for years, and never missed a gear... and I never EVER lifted, to shift.

I am really ignorant about shifters, and afrer hearing all the verbiage about Inland shifters, I would love to know what I had. I could power-shift that car at 6-grand, all day long; no problem... like a VW Beetle!


The shifter was the original one, and I'd like to know which one it was; Inland, or Hurst.

All I remember about the way it looked was that it had a curve in the shifter to accommodate a bench seat, and, it had a white plastic ball on top, with the shift pattern etched into it..

Anybody know what shifter I had???? I don't remember seeing the word, "Hurst" on the shift lever; in fact, I think it was round, not flat.

Any information will be appreciated!

[ddartdude]

Bill,
It have to have been a Hurst shifter. If it was an Inland shifter, chances are that you would have ripped the handle off of the shifter mechanism while power shifting. It would have landed in the back seat. I think they only used it in 1966 on both the A and B-Bodies.
Alan

[dart4forte]

Originally Posted by ddartdude

Bill,
It have to have been a Hurst shifter. If it was an Inland shifter, chances are that you would have ripped the handle off of the shifter mechanism while power shifting. It would have landed in the back seat. I think they only used it in 1966 on both the A and B-Bodies.
Alan

Inland used through 68. 69 they changed back to Hurst

[dart4forte]

Originally Posted by Alex Denysenko

Paul, that little clutch assembly was the most worthless POS ever placed behind any V-8.
Leave it to Mopar.
I don't doubt you on some obscure 8.75 in prior 67 A bodies, but I can tell you that I have never seen one. First A body I ever laid eyes on with a 8.75 was a 67 Dart GT 383 4 speed that a friend had bought new. I helped him change the third member using two bumper jacks circa 1969. Boy was I a dumb kid.
Mopar used right and left wheel stud threads through 1969. 1970 they went to all right hand.
Also all A bodies had 7/16 studs like a chebbie through 1969.

Bill, I had to work on them all day long, so I had no desire to work on them in my "fun" time too. Besides, they were just to unreliable.
My employer at the time even offered me a brand new 340 Demon to race at their expense and I declined.

Paul, you are incorrect on the 66 Comet 289/271 Hipo. That engine combo was only available in Mustangs after 1965. Nothing else.

Sometime in the middle of 65 Ma Mopar decideed that they didn't want to keep replacing 7.25 rears in 4 speed cars under warrenty so they switched to the 8.75. NHRA finally picked this fact up and authorized the use of that rear in stock. I gave a copy to ddartdude. The letter was copied from an original and given to me by a long time stock driver.