Need opinions

[Dodge383fi]

I have an original 67 short bed with a 383 and 4 speed. I am planning on using this as a daily driver when I retire. Due to physical constraints, I want to change over to an auto. What are the opinions on possible loss of value if I make this change. I know it's my truck and I can do what I want, but there aren't that many 67 big block short beds out there. Do you guys think I'd be making a mistake? Would it be better to keep it as is? Just curious. Thanks.
-Ed

[EarlKann]

IMO, these trucks aren't "collectible" like the muscle cars of the era. I wouldn't expect there to me much loss in value. Go ahead and swap it. It's not as easy as you may think though.

If it were a factory HPP, I'd tell you differently, but it's not.

Here's a big block shortbed that I'm betting won't make his $7,250 reserve.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/331636218738?

[PwrWgnDrvr]

U'll need a 67 big block auto, an auto dash and dash shifter assy with cables, auto cross member and mount, and driveline. Probably more. Not easy to find and a lot of work to install.

[cudamike66]

Considering the amount of time. effort. parts chasing and dollars needed to do the swap "right", IMO you'd be farther ahead to simply sell the truck and then use the proceeds to buy whatever you feel would better fit your needs

[Dodge383fi]

Well I'm not going for a factory conversion. The cross members are out there and I'll just use a floor shifter. The only thing I might have problems with is getting the parts off without cutting. I want to remove the factory rivets. Anyway, I have thought about selling it but it's been in my wife's family since new so that might be hard. I guess I'll just keep thinking.
Thanks for the opinions.
-Ed

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Well, think about this: Its been in your wife's family since new, as a 4 speed truck. As soon as u start chopping it up and converting it to something else, the truck that was in your wife's family will no longer exist, and that factoid will be moot. Might as well sell it....

[wally426ci]

I'm not apposed to the idea of converting a truck. I often wonder what I'll do eventually since I've had multiple surgeries in my clutch leg. This is what I would do since time is on your side: post a wanted ad for everything needed to convert and see what pops up. The other option is to find a pre-69 auto truck like a 68 383 D200 and get it all at once.

I will say that the value won't change much if you do it factory style, but I am one of the semi-purists that hates seeing a floor shift in something that never had it. If you are going as far as changing everything else, I'd hold out for that dash shifter assembly.

[Hobcobble]

I have an original 67 short bed with a 383 and 4 speed. I am planning on using this as a daily driver when I retire. Due to physical constraints, I want to change over to an auto. What are the opinions on possible loss of value if I make this change. I know it's my truck and I can do what I want, but there aren't that many 67 big block short beds out there. Do you guys think I'd be making a mistake? Would it be better to keep it as is? Just curious. Thanks.
-Ed

You would need to locate an auto tranny cross member with the correct
brackets. The bell housing cross member needs to be cut out, leaving
the "stubs" intact, as a spanner[s] needs to be bolted to the stubs using
the factory drilled holes in them. If you go aftermarket shifter, you'd need
to come up with a good kick down linkage. You will need an auto tranny
radiator and, if necessary, an auxiliary tranny cooler. You would probably
need to wire in a neutral safety switch too.

Going the "stock" route involves a factory dashboard with the provision
for the shift lever/mechanism. A matching vintage shifter cable, tranny
mount bracket [for cable] and correct arm for the shift selector shaft
[on the tranny] would be necessary as well.

You would need the correct drive shaft yoke for the LoadFlite tranny. There would
likely be a modification needed to the length of the drive shaft as well.

John

[Txas2step]

John, you make it sound like a "piece of cake".

[Dodge383fi]

I have an original 67 short bed with a 383 and 4 speed. I am planning on using this as a daily driver when I retire. Due to physical constraints, I want to change over to an auto. What are the opinions on possible loss of value if I make this change. I know it's my truck and I can do what I want, but there aren't that many 67 big block short beds out there. Do you guys think I'd be making a mistake? Would it be better to keep it as is? Just curious. Thanks.
-Ed

You would need to locate an auto tranny cross member with the correct
brackets. The bell housing cross member needs to be cut out, leaving
the "stubs" intact, as a spanner[s] needs to be bolted to the stubs using
the factory drilled holes in them. If you go aftermarket shifter, you'd need
to come up with a good kick down linkage. You will need an auto tranny
radiator and, if necessary, an auxiliary tranny cooler. You would probably
need to wire in a neutral safety switch too.

Going the "stock" route involves a factory dashboard with the provision
for the shift lever/mechanism. A matching vintage shifter cable, tranny
mount bracket [for cable] and correct arm for the shift selector shaft
[on the tranny] would be necessary as well.

You would need the correct drive shaft yoke for the LoadFlite tranny. There would
likely be a modification needed to the length of the drive shaft as well.

John

Cutting out the bell housing cross member is the part that worries me. I would like to have so it could be returned to a stick if someone wanted to. That is also why I don't want to go the dash route. Lokar has a nice looking shifter that is very similar to the shifter I have now. They also have a kickdown cable and brackets. I was thinking of just an oversize tranny cooler or two instead of changing the radiator. But I know there would be a lot of details that would crop up. Like I said though, still just in the thinking stage.
-Ed

[PwrWgnDrvr]

U must cut out the crossmem in order to fit the auto trans and u must install the spanner to maintain the frame integrity. To return it back to original, one would have to remove the spanner and crossmem stubs and rivet back in an original crossmem....Piece of cake!

[Hobcobble]

FYI,
Installing a factory auto shift lever dash would not permanently alter
your truck. Depending on the style of aftermarket floor shifter and
kick down linkage/cable you opt for.... you "might" have to cut the
floor for installation.... not just on the tunnel cover portion...
Food for thought....

John

[Dodge383fi]

All good info. Thank you guys. And that's why I haven't started down that road yet.
-Ed

[swptln]

U must cut out the crossmem in order to fit the auto trans and u must install the spanner to maintain the frame integrity. To return it back to original, one would have to remove the spanner and crossmem stubs and rivet back in an original crossmem....Piece of cake!

Terry & John,
Why would you have to put a spanner in the frame between the old bell housing mounts. You would have to put in a rear tranny crossmember.
All your 69-71 frames don't have a spanner where the early bell mounts are. To me it would be no different right.........I've never looked at one, but do they actually have the bell crossmember on the pre-69 727 trucks?

[PwrWgnDrvr]

U must cut out the crossmem in order to fit the auto trans and u must install the spanner to maintain the frame integrity. To return it back to original, one would have to remove the spanner and crossmem stubs and rivet back in an original crossmem....Piece of cake!

Terry & John,
Why would you have to put a spanner in the frame between the old bell housing mounts. You would have to put in a rear tranny crossmember.
All your 69-71 frames don't have a spanner where the early bell mounts are. To me it would be no different right.........I've never looked at one, but do they actually have the bell crossmember on the pre-69 727 trucks?

Since u asked Mark, I just went outside to a 68 D100 383/727 Adventurer and took a look. The bell crossmem is torched out and there is a spanner bolted to the stubs.

[soopernaut]

U must cut out the crossmem in order to fit the auto trans and u must install the spanner to maintain the frame integrity. To return it back to original, one would have to remove the spanner and crossmem stubs and rivet back in an original crossmem....Piece of cake!

Terry & John,
Why would you have to put a spanner in the frame between the old bell housing mounts. You would have to put in a rear tranny crossmember.
All your 69-71 frames don't have a spanner where the early bell mounts are. To me it would be no different right.........I've never looked at one, but do they actually have the bell crossmember on the pre-69 727 trucks?

The front suspension ties into that crossmember on 61-68 trucks. The 69-71 trucks don't have this issue.

[Hobcobble]

I've never looked at one, but do they actually have the bell crossmember on the pre-69 727 trucks?

Mark,
You sold your '68 W200 too quickly. In answer to your question, yes, there is a
bell housing cross member on '61-'68 Sweptlines. It is integral to the leaf spring
perches. When it is cut out to accommodate a LoadFlite tranny, you need to bolt
in spanners to keep the frame rigidity / integrity. The LoadFlite cross member
bolts in a bit further down the frame. The manual tranny '61-'68
Sweptlines [A745, NP420, NP435, etc.] had no additional cross member than the
one under the bell housing.
John

[swptln]

Mark,
You sold your '68 W200 too quickly.

Ha ha, it's now parked in my garage, with title in hand.
I understand you can't completely remove the crossmember because of the spring perches. I don't see why you have to have a spanner/crossmember installed at the bell location, because you are going to be putting a crossmember in for the 727 which will only be 12" back from the original bell crossmember and then just plate the frame where you would cut the old bell crossmember so it will be just like a 69-71.
Adding a spanner/ crossmember seems to be an awful lot of work for nothing, along with being a nuisance to do any tranny work.

[Hobcobble]

Spanner & LoadFlite Cross Member

Mark,
I'm assuming you got the W200 back from your nephew?
As you can see in this pic, the factory spanners aren't a
big deal to install. The bolt holes are already there.
John

[Dodge383fi]

This is great guys, I love pictures. Can you remove the cross member without torching it? Or is it too hard to get at the rivets and bolts? From looking at my truck it looks doable but maybe a pain. I assume a truck with the spanner would have the corresponding stubs uncut.
-Ed