I am exploring swapping a slant-6 into my LandCruiser. I am wanting to use an automatic overdrive transmission with the 225. I have read the boards, here, and it seems that if I had a plate that was found in some 60's trucks that I could use an A500?? an A518?? Is this correct?

By the way, US Gear has an auxiliary overdrive listed on their website. It is called a V2OD. The web site states that it is only for some GM and Ford transmissions, but I called a transmission shop in Iowa that US Gear lists on its website as being a "Major Supplier" (vendor), and the contact, Chris, said that a bracket could be somewhat easily made for remote mounting it, thus, with a jackshaft . . . a universal overdrive--if anyone is interested. The overdrive sells for about $1,500 to $1,800.

Hmmm. I have not heard of that OD unit.

Gear Vendors sells an OD unit that replaces the tail unit on a 727 or 904 (different parts). It's around $2k.

I put an A500 in my '68 Slant Dart and used the factory adapter plate. Search "A500" on this site and slantsix.com and you will get tons of info.

There is a new aluminum one in the works at www.arengineering.com. May come out this winter?

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I'll have the first ones machined up within a few weeks. I have everything I need on hand and have started to fill in the unknown areas in the CAD system.

First thing I found out is that the factory adapter doesn't allow the use of a mini-starter. I'll obviously fix that situation. I also assume that the shields used with the factory adapter are long gone so I'll fab new shields.

Lou-

I rooted around arengineering's website, but did not see anything about the possible release of this adapter. Is there any info on their site about it?

I am hesitant to upgrade the converter in my A999 if this plate will be out within the next year, and i could upgrade to an A500 tranny w/ O/D.

Any new info/places I should be looking?

Thx

-S/6

I talked to Andy today, and he's pretty excited about it. He just picked up a slant six block for 'mock ups', and he asked if I could keep an eye out for an A-500 so he can bolt one together....

-D.Idiot

Guys,

Andy is well underway with the adapter plate project and I've been corresponding with him about it, so just sit tight for a bit and there will be more news soon. OD for Slants, here we come!

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Schweet Now I have an excuse not to buy a new torque converter, just yet.

-S/6

So DI and myself were standing in the shop starting at the adapter plate and a 904 tranny and we figured out that it isn't going to work. Basically, the factory adapter plate doesn't mate with a 904 because the starter is in a slightly different location than on the 727.

Caught us by surprise. I just assumed that since both a 904 and a 727 bolted to the back of a small block, that they used the same bellhousing. I guess that means the adapter will need to be designed for a A500 rather than just a copy of the factory one.

Andy,

The starter bolts to the trans only, as you know. Believe me, this is a tiny modification to the factory plate. Check your email...

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

That was kind of strange, the 727 the starter hole was perfect and on the A-904 the small block hole was really off.

I suppose Andy could make the hole 'wider' and pull a completely mopar thing and make a starter shim plate/cover shield like the stock ones, but include one of each type in the adapter kit....


I remember we were talking about the 'ear' that the car slant uses with the high mount starter, today I got the priviledge of pulling a low mount starter bellhousing with the 11" clutch setup for a slant out of a Truck, and it didn't use that ear (but the bellhousing is a heavy stout cast iron part off the Bismarck too...)


-D.Idiot

Oh yeah, it can be designed around. Just an unexpected wrinkle in the mix. My thought at the moment is to make the adapter plate specifically for the A500 and not to make it work for both. I do not want to sell a product that a guy has to modify with a hacksaw before he can use it! Although, I guess that would make it a typical Mopar aftermarket part wouldn't it!

I'm thinking that there isn't really too much reason to bolt up a 727 behind a /6 anymore or a A518 for that matter. The tranny would weigh more than the motor! DI did have an interesting point about using the plate in order to allow the use of a large small block bellhousing and clutch setup. I guess that would be one way to get a /6 scattershield and such. I'll have to ponder that thought a bit more.

I take it you've either got an FJ40 or an FJ55? A slant won't give much benefit over our stock F engines, aside from more availability of performance parts, and even for slants, they can be hard to come by

My ideal solution for my rig (I have an FJ62 myself) will be either a VW 5.0 TDI (diesel V10) or completely stripping the engine bay naked, doing some fab work, and shoving an EFI'd 426 HEMI into it. Either way you're talking alot of modification work to adapt those engines to your transmission (though granted you'll have the same issues with a slant).

If you want to get some good mod ideas for your Cruiser, you might want to check out the forums at http://www.pirate4x4.com. They've got a section specifically for Cruisers. I post myself as "BumberJumper".

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

although I think it's funny to see someone asking about trying to get an A-833OD behind a Chevy 350...the adapter is available, but he's going to be sorely ticked when he forgets to have the main case drilled for steel countershaft bushings (the OD tranny is great behind mild performance engines, but it tends to wear out and wither quickly behind hopped up V-8's without a few mods, and even then the aluminum case may not like the stress much...)



-D.Idiot

Well I was going off the indication that he wants to put a different engine into his Cruiser, so I was giving him some other ideas for engine swaps and mods. You can put pretty much any angine up to the trannies that we've got (except some older transfer cases could split if they got too much stress), but as much as I like slants, I wouldn't put one into my Cruiser. I'd want something that can really pound on the low end torque, not something that's primarily used as a daily driver or race engine.

And I'd never Chevify my truck

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

The owner of the junkyard I go to often has a side business of making sand rails and custom mini-4x4's...many of the 2 and 4 seaters are driven by the good ol' 350,THM350 setup. But recently he's had lots of requests for lighter single seaters with 6 cylinders from Ford and some imports. He has one he's almost done with that is a 'mini' monster truck (his 10 year old son will be test driving it...), it's powered by a honda 4 cylinder....

I think for a 4x4 it's about torque, traction, and power to weight ratio...(almost like drag racing...except there you worry about top end...not all about launch)...


-d.idiot