'67 D100 3spd to 727 Auto Swap?

[JLeather]

Looking to make my '67 a little easier for my wife to drive. I'm taking it totally apart sometime for rust repair (probably get started next year) and while I'm in there I want to convert it to an auto trans. I'm sticking with the /6. I bought a cab to replace mine with (like I said, rust repair). The replacement cab is also a '67 but it's from an auto truck and has a pretty cool in-dash auto shifter. Unfortunately most of the shifter linkage and the handle are missing. Does anyone have a parts diagram for the in-dash auto shifter? Anyone know where I can get the parts from it?

Second question, I've located fairly locally a 727 from an early 80's D150 /6 truck. He says he's got all the carb and shift linkage, the TC, etc. Also the driveshaft. How difficult is the swap? Is a 727 what the '67 auto trucks came with originally or was it a different trans? Any reason this won't work with my '67 engine?

[Rodger]

John

1. The 1980 something 727 ( or 998 ) from The Slant Six Powered Dodge Truck will bolt to your
1967 Slant Six and should bolt up to the same location's.

The newer Transmission has an Valve Body Unit which allows an "part trottle" dowm shift vs
stomping the peddle to the floor.

Because the Spline Count changed from 1967 to 1980 something you must use the 1980'ish
Torque Convertor.




Rodger & Gabby
COS

[Hobcobble]

Looking to make my '67 a little easier for my wife to drive. I'm taking it totally apart sometime for rust repair (probably get started next year) and while I'm in there I want to convert it to an auto trans. I'm sticking with the /6. I bought a cab to replace mine with (like I said, rust repair). The replacement cab is also a '67 but it's from an auto truck and has a pretty cool in-dash auto shifter. Unfortunately most of the shifter linkage and the handle are missing. Does anyone have a parts diagram for the in-dash auto shifter? Anyone know where I can get the parts from it?

Second question, I've located fairly locally a 727 from an early 80's D150 /6 truck. He says he's got all the carb and shift linkage, the TC, etc. Also the driveshaft. How difficult is the swap? Is a 727 what the '67 auto trucks came with originally or was it a different trans? Any reason this won't work with my '67 engine?

Parts Needed.....
A)proper dash shift cable
B)proper shift selector arm on tranny matched to the dash shift set up
C)carburetor with proper throttle body shaft to accommodate dash shift kick down
kick down linkage [Or use an aftermarket lick down cable]
D)Radiator with provisions for tranny fluid lines
E)removal of bell housing cross member
F)installation of correct tranny tail shaft member
G)installation of spanners to bridge the old cross member you removed
H)correct drive shaft for auto tranny truck
I)install 3-pin neutral safety switch and splice into current wiring harness

Or......
A)Teach wife to shift three on the tree shifter.....

John.

[JLeather]

I figured I'd get that response eventually. Here's the thing, I don't know if it's just my particular truck or simply "the nature of the beast" (Dodge) but as far as stick shift vehicles go this one is tough to drive. I taught my wife to drive stick on my old '66 Chevy C20. Manual steering, manual drum brakes, column shift 3spd and a 292 inline 6, all quite similar to the Dodge. She took to it well enough, and I drove it daily for several years in college. The Dodge, however, is quite a trick to drive even for me. The shifter works fine, it's not an adjustment issue. I don't even really have to think about shifting. The problem is mostly the clutch and possibly the rear-end ratio. The clutch is hydraulic (as you all know) whereas my old Chevy was a linkage. I just don't get any feedback from the Dodge's clutch. I know from experience where the friction zone is on this truck and when i drive it frequently I'm fine, but I can't feel it coming. It takes such little pedal pressure that before you know it the clutch is engaging. Makes getting started on a hill a real challenge, even for me, and my wife just hasn't been able to get it. Couple this with the fairly anemic power of the 225 /6 and the fairly steep rear end ratio (3.23?, 3.55?) and she just constantly stalls it out. The truck also has really difficult steering (again, not sure if it's just my truck or a Dodge thing) which is distracting in a parking lot making it also tricky not to stall when inching into a space. My friends who are also no strangers to stick-shift comment that this truck is pretty touchy when I let them drive it. So, it's not that my wife can't drive stick-shift when she sets her mind to it, but this truck is tough by even my standards.

I figured with an auto trans behind the /6 the difficult steering and rear-end ratio wouldn't matter anymore. I have also considered swapping to a 318 and keeping the 3spd (which appears to be a fairly simple and straight-forward swap), but I'd still have the hydraulic clutch to deal with and frankly the 318 isn't that much more power than the /6, and so probably wouldn't be that much more forgiving. I suppose another option is a complete frame swap to something late-model, but that seems like a lot more work than the trans swap and then it wouldn't really be a '67 Dodge anymore.

It's really mostly my wife's truck at this point. She's the most attached to it, and talked me out of selling it last year when I discovered just how rusty it's gotten (a complete cab-ectomy and front clip are coming, but that's down the road). Doesn't do her any good if she can't drive it.

I'd considered a whole engine/trans swap too, to a late model 318 EFI motor and auto trans. Might not be much more work than a 727 swap behind the /6, huh?

[Hobcobble]

No worries.....your wife got further than mine did My wife
just couldn't get the hang of the NP435 top loader 4spd.
I'm working on another D100 that has a 727 Loadflite in it that she can use.

Your door tag will tell you the gear ratio, provided the gear chunk in
the axle is original. The 3.55 and 3.91 were popular ratios for the Slant
Sixes. Gear chunks are easy to swap out too.

As for steering..... it could be a [combination of]... worn steering box, worn
king pins, worn drag link, worn tie rod ends. If all the components are brought
up to snuff..... the D100 should turn quite easily with stock size tires in it.
John

[Seff]

My wife just couldn't get the hang of the NP435 top loader 4spd. John

John, thats kinda funny, i started out on my 73 w200 with a 360/4 speed granny 1st. best way i learned was driving in a field in circles Learning to shift the monster. :)

[Roxyflash]

Does the three speed have a crossmember that has a flat one piece mount for the tranny?If so the 727 will bolt to it.I had a 69 dodge with a six and three on the tree.I put a 318 with a 727 in it bolted right in with the correct engine bracket mount.I used a B&M floor shifter.I unhooked the clutch linkage.The steering is just a sweptline thing unless you can find the power assit componets.Other than that make sure the king pins are in great shape.The steer box gets worn and can cause a wandering steering with lots of slop in the wheel.They can be a bear to steer when not moving.A good running 318 will surprise you of how much more power then a 225 six.A good running six with a three speed can run hard if in great shape.My brother had one and could smoke the tires in first gear.

[JLeather]

The /6 727 deal fell through. I'm still in the way early parts collecting/planning stage on this one. The truck is off the road, I picked up a better cab (still needs front mounts and rockers but atleast it has a floor and the kick panels aren't gone). I also picked up a whole front clip in really nice shape. I need to make the truck an easy runner with an auto. Power steering would be nice but not a necessity, and power brakes are probably going to happen but I don't mind keeping it drums all around.

I'm still considering a whole frame swap if the right truck comes along, kill several birds with one stone, but I would like to keep it fairly 'original' not for collectibility sake but just so it's the same truck when I'm done.

Roxy, what year 318/727 did you use? Are you saying it mounted at the bellhousing? I think the '69 is different, but hopefully someone more knowledgable will chime in.

[JLeather]

This is probably a stupid question, but I can't just bolt up a regular SBM 727 to my /6 can I? There are plenty of 727's around here from small block cars, but I was under the impression that they would not work with a /6? I'm fine keeping the truck a /6, in fact I kinda like it that way, but it's tough figuring out the parts I need to just put an auto behind it. There's the 200R4 conversion stuff they're kicking around at the SlantSix forum, but that's pretty pricey before you even get to the trans. I also don't think I want to swap a 904 in after reading about how underbuilt they are. Any other options? An adapter of some sort perhaps?

[JLeather]

Not trying to clog up my own thread, but what about the motor/trans from a '73 Dodge Van with a /6 and an auto? Would that be a 727 or a 904? Would the mounts work out? I just found one on craigslist in the area, running and driving (which would solve a couple of my problems at once :) ).

[Hobcobble]

I would think either tranny would suffice.... I kind of doubt you'd be able
to kill a decent 904 behind the Slant 6. They're stout enough of a tranny.
Others can likely assist you on adapter plate information, which are necessary
when grafting the SB V8 trannys onto a Slant 6. I'm kind of sketchy on that
combo myself....
John

[Oldguy]

My 73 van had a 727 behind the /6. Still have it but the van is now a storage shed. Mike Too bad you're not closer. You could have the tranny.

[JLeather]

Picking up the whole van would net me all the kickdown linkage, flexplate, etc. Plus my current /6 has some bad lifter noise (I think the valves have sunk into the head a bit). Can I use the van crossmember in the swap? Maybe even the shifter/column?

[Hobcobble]

Picking up the whole van would net me all the kickdown linkage, flexplate, etc. Plus my current /6 has some bad lifter noise (I think the valves have sunk into the head a bit). Can I use the van crossmember in the swap? Maybe even the shifter/column?

You'd have to see where the pivot shaft falls. As your '67 has the
bell housing cross member, the "stubs" that must be left behind
after the center portion is removed to accommodate the automatic
tranny may very well be in the way. A stock auto tranny '67 would
have the cable operated dash lever shifter set up.
John

[JLeather]

Yeah, I've got a proper '67 dash with the shifter hole, but none of the linkage or the lever. I assumed the Van has the shifter on the column and I was thinking about what sort of work it would be to re-use the van column. I don't mind a floor shifter if it looks good, but I don't need a tacky Lokar or Hurst chrome shifter behind my meek /6. Maybe I'll just make something.

The van deal might not work, the guy seems a little sketchy. There's also an '80 pickup nearby with a /6 and an auto that I need to call about.

[JLeather]

One more thought. The 4spd that came in these trucks, how was the first gear ratio? I can probably teach my wife to drive this thing fine if I put a granny 1st in it. I would assume that's a much more plug-n-play type swap?

[WD]

I've got a column shift linkage clutch 3 spd you can have if you come get it. It's out of a late 50s Plymouth Savoy (big heavy sedan). You're on your own for finding the right pedal and arm though...

Your best bet is to find a donor and rob it of EVERYTHING you can repurpose. Wiring harness, ignition, complete power train and drive train, brake parts... Any updating you do to a daily driver class truck is well worth the effort. Sweptline brakes aren't the best in the world (1948-56 was a better design), the steering column guts are hard to get, the seat is atrocious, the fuse box is likely rotten by now, the wiring is getting crispy... you'll be money ahead AND have a better running, driving and stopping "old truck".

My 49 Dodge pickup is getting a LOT of 92 Ranger parts transferred in place of stock "weak sister" components. Use what you can get while staying on track and on budget.

[JLeather]

Just to double check, an '80 D150 with the /6 and auto trans would be a 727 right? I believe I read it was '82 when they went to a smaller 904-based auto in the trucks?

[WD]

Unless you plan to build a Super 6 either transmission will be fine.

[JLeather]

Well, I am really thinking hard about a B&M 144 blower in the future :) I can't keep anything stock for long