1962 - 1965 Mopar Technical Tips and Links

One great benefit of the emerging World Wide Web is the creation of the ability to quickly and easily share knowledge and information.

In the Mopar cyberspace arena there are many people who have developed web sites to share their Mopar passion! There is much sage advice available providing technical lessons on how to keep these Mopars on the road in one form or another.

Let us know if you have the address of a good technical site to share with others.

Here are some preliminary links to other web sites wrenched by Mopar fans:

• Mopar Oil Pans.
• A Chrysler 8-3/4 Rear Axle Guide And another Guide to the Mopar 8-3/4 rear axle and another overview of Mopar 8.75's that includes drum-to-drum measurements for various years of Mopar 8 3/4 rear ends, as does this list of Mopar 8 and 3/4" Rear End Dimensions -- axle shaft lengths, housing widths, rear end widths, drum-to-drum, spring perch widths (center-to-center) and 62-65 B Body axle housing widths
• Dana 60 Maintenance Manual and Dana 60 differentials review article
• Note: NAPA part number for the gasket for the 8.75 rear end gasket is P27930. UPDATE: This is an old Victor parts number. It crosses over to FEL-PRO Gasket FPG RDS6583. Or use "The Right Stuff" brand gasket sealer.

Don Dulmage's Place: Don's Dodges

Ultrajosh's Mopar Resources:

Early 'Cuda Tech Page

Rebuilds and Upgrades

Building a 500 Horsepower Polyspherical 318

Restoration Tips and Stories

• Diagnosing And Repairing Faulty Instrument Gauges (Mopar) and How To Repair and Diagnose Instrument Gauges (Mopar) and Instrument Gauge Restoration (1968 Mopar but good tips) and Gauge Restoration Mopar (1968 Mopar, but good tips)
• Get Engauged: So you think your oil pressure does not fluctuate? guide to Mopar gauge repair.
• Gauge Rage Mopar gauge repair.
• Instrument Voltage Regulator Build, 1964 Plymouth Fury
• Dave H. helps supply a graphic about wiring in 2 wire alternators and "new" style voltage regulators.
• Have a voltage limiter built into the gas gauge, like the 1964 1965 and 1966 Dodge Dart? Fix and Update (Thanks to Daniel M. for the link.)
• Don D. writes: The only difference electrically in the single field alternators and the dual wire alternators is in the 1962 Mopar alternator style single wire field the other brush holder is bolted uninsulated to the case, there by grounding it. To use a dual wire field on these cars, just put a ground wire from one of the two fields to the case and plug the other in as normal. It works perfectly and the alternator does not know the difference. The original regulator will function fine in this fashion The more adventuresome individual could ground the one terminal the same as the original one is, but a simple ground on the one terminal is the safest.
  
  It is a very simple system. To do an Alternator Test remove the field wire from the alternator. Clip a jumper wire from the field terminal on the Alternator (that you just pulled the small wire off of) and clip the other end to the large post on the alternator (battery). Start the car and see if it charges. If it does then the alternator is fine. If not then the alternator is Kaput. (As previously mentioned, probably brushes as that is about all that ever fails in these alternators.) If it did charge, then the regulator is the problem (we know that because of the previous test (called a full field test) just bypassed all the regulator wiring etc.). Check and see with a test light is there power coming to the regulator (ignition key ON position) (small terminal on the side of the old style mechanical regulators). If there is, then see if there is any power coming down the wire to the alternator. Most common problem is a bad ground on the regulator case, (rusty hold down screws or they are stripped). Alternators despite their reputations are very simple to test and diagnose. Unlike a generator system they only control voltage. Current handled is built into the unit so testing is much easier then with a generator system. -- Don D.
• General tips on how to use common tools to diagnose charging system problems to prevent unnecessarily replacing the alternator.
• Dustin reports Restoring Crinkle Valve Covers on his 1965 Barracuda.
• Fred W. Phaup reports: "For anyone who has tried to put a '64/'65 B body Dodge door on a '63 2 door hardtop b-body, the 1963, 1964 and 1965 doors, glass, vent window, and regulators on the 2 door are the same; the only difference is the door latch mechanism. 1964 and 1965 door latch mechanisms are the same. The 1963's are different."
• Tire Size Calculator, tire and wheel plus sizing calculator
• Depending on backspace, tire sizes to consider for your 1962 to 1965 B-Body Mopar include 215 x 70, 225 x 70, 235 x 70 (seems popular), and 255 x 70. These sizes are for 15 inch rims. Some options for a 1965 Plymouth Fury or 1965 Dodge Polara (C-Body size Mopar) include 1) 255/60R15s on the back and 235/60R15s in front on 15x7 Magnum 500s and 2) 245/60/15 on the front and 255/60/15 on the back, using factory aluminum rims (apparently rims from a 1980 Chrysler New Yorker).
• TireSize.com has online tools to calculate tire and wheel specifications, actual tire speed, gear ratios and more
• Coker Tire original equipment and contemporary tire sizes: 13 inch tires 14 inch tires 15 inch tires
• How to Measure Wheel Backspacing
• Tire size and rim calculator from 1010tires.com
• Wheel Technical Information, including: How to Measure Bolt Patterns; How to Measure Wheel Backspace or Offset; How to Determine Vehicle Fitment; Determine Wheel Caliper Clearance; Typical Lug Nut Torque Specifications; Wheel Terminology; Modular Wheel Inspection and Maintenance; and Modular Wheel Leak Detection
• Stockton Wheel has a form to measure clearances for correct tire-wheel-backspace. Use the section width of the tire your going to use, not the tread width. (Tip from Earl H. Thanks!)
• Instructions for installing windshield washer package Model 33, Part # 2496 556, on 1964 Plymouth and Dodge (exc '880'), courtesy of Terry Lynch. Thanks! [warning, large graphic file]
• On a rotisserie! A 1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Member reports how he is doing with his Mopar's restoration.
• 1965 Barracuda and Dart HP exhaust
• Tool Talk archive of the World of Collector Cars PBS TV Show
• Motor mount part number information: Brand Pioneer, out of Mississippi, made in India, sold in Auto Zone and other stores: Right 602227, Left 602228. This should be correct for all V8 engines (except HEMI) in B bodies for 1965 (I am not sure about other years).Incidentally, the right mount (Pioneer P/N 602227) fits all V8's (again, except HEMI) for all models except A bodies. -- Thanks to Chris North for this information!
  Scott McAlister updates the poly motor mount info, as of July 2002: "Here's the latest on the motor mount situation. NAPA lists nothing to fit our cars, their '66 mounts won't work for us. Auto Zone can order the 602227 RT for $10.49 and stocks them in their warehouse. The LT mount 602228 is currently out of stock from the manufacturer (Pioneer), but normally is $11.99. They can't give me a production or release date. Doan also makes these mounts and I found the RT one #2227 locally in stock yesterday for $8.59. Their LT mount is #2228 and is a special order, same price, they are currently out. Mancini Racing lists nothing for our Poly motors. But Laysons lists both mounts and has them in stock. However, they are a bit pricier. I ordered the LT mount from them. Their part numbers are SR-M160254 for the RT and SR-M160252 for the LT. Both are $24.50 each. All of these mounts are using rubber insulators. Thanks, Scott!
  May 2004 -- Wally Breer reports rubber mounts for the 318 are available from Sealed Power: Part #'s 270-2227 and 270-2228. Thanks, Wally!
• How to Find True Compression Ratios by Bill Cole.
• "Replacing the electrical connectors in the bulk head connector, and the mating plugs? After crimping the wire to the connector, flow some solder into the wire-connector junction to complete the task.
  It is not hard to do, and should be done to keep the juices flowing, and to avoid wiring fires that might occur from current flowing thru high resistance (read high heat) connections.
  
  I found these replacement connectors at a NAPA store for a whole lot less than I saw them bid for on E-Bay. The part numbers are as follows: 725145 for the female (bulkhead) connector .49 each, 725147 for the male (wiring harness matching plug) connector,.29 each, 2001 prices These should fit any '62 on up bulkhead, and companion wiring shells for our aging cars."  [submitted by Dave Hench, THANKS!]
  
• Convert a Mopar AMP gauge system to a VOLT system and avoid bulkhead fires!
  Dim Head Lights? All about Chrysler charging systems and Mopar Voltage Regulators! [Off-site link to A & S Rebuilders, Inc.] [NOTE: Link offline as of 11-15-09]
• Mopar Charging System Overview and Conversion pre-1970 and 1970 and after
• Electronic solid state voltage regulators: REGITAR #C524, WELLS #VR706, STD #VR101, BWD #R280, FILKO #VR369HD. Year One sells the same voltage regulator for about $30. Unless they have changed NAPA sells one that is very expensive but it does not look anything like the original. Do not use the one that Mopar Performance sells. It is for racing only and never shuts off and can overchage the battery in street use. They do suggest using an electronic VR if you change to electronic ignition but I’m not sure it’s really necessary. However I always change the VR to the electronic type if for no other reason it gets rid of the flickering amp needle and instrument cluster lights. -- Dan
  You can get an electronic voltage regluator that looks like non-electronic type from AS Rebuilders, 12951 Lawrence Rd., Sterling, IL 61081; the number used to be 815 626 8949. I haven’t talked to them in a while. -- James M.
• 1964 Plymouth Variable Wiper Switch Wiring -- Thanks to Butch E. for the information!
• Disc brake swap, B Body part numbers  and 1962 - 1974 B and E disc conversion another brake conversion resource as well as Ehrenberg's Mopar Action magazine article.
  New 2005! MORE choices in Mopar disc brake conversions: 1964 and 1965 A body Mopars and 1973-up A-body spindles versus 1973-up B,F,J,M,R-body spindles, which argues that you CAN use 1973-Up spindles for disc conversions in early B Body Mopars. Later confirmed by AR Engineering in an article on how to adapt the big 11.75 inch rotors from the late model Cordobas onto earlier Mopars.
• Brake Tech and FAQ Pedal Ratio and Master Cylinder, etc., including a calculator
• Do you need new 11 by 2 1/2 inch rear brake drums for your 1962 to 1965 Mopar? Check out Raybestos® part number 2953 (or another brand drum that crosses to that part number, like Wagner BD60187). [Thanks to Bob J. for the Wagner number!] On pre-1965 tapered axle drums use the axle part that is in your existing brake drum and install it in the replacement drum.
• Mopar tapered axle brake drums: “The assembly is separate...the hub is swedged to the drum when the studs are pressed in from the factory and or at a machine shop to keep everything in alignment reducing vibration. To remove the drums from the hub there is a tool that slides over the stud and cuts it's shank off releasing the drum. The problem is you have to replace the studs. One caution trying to hammer or press the studs out I have seen people warp hubs doing this and I have seen people get away with it completely. But to do it right the studs need to be drilled out and swedged back in by a machine shop. )-: Now might be a good time to convert over to all right hand threads because they are much easier to find and far less confusing to today’s mechanics. -- [Herb] View how wheel studs are swaged or cold riveted into place on the brake drum and hub using a Ford example. A special swaging tool in a hydraulic press is the procedure.
• Mopar tapered axle rear brake conversion on early Mopar (pre-1965) 8.75 inch differentials with tapered axles.
• Front brake hose for 1962 Plymouth Fury is Brakeware 88257
• When pulling the tapered axles out once I did have an interesting problem. I was pulling the axles to check axle bearing. I was a good thing I did, one needed to be replaced so I replaced both. When I put the axles back in they went too far in and I had too much end play in the axles. We pulled the axles and chunk. We found the thrust blocks that should have stayed in the chunk apparently had stuck to the axles and dropped down into the differential case. We pulled the chunk, found the thrust blocks, reinstalled them and put it back together withoug a problem. Having a thurst block out of place keeping the axle from going in properly or you may be having trouble getting the axle into the spline. Try not to put too much pressure on the seal when installing the axle. There is an inner seal in the differential case that can be damaged. If everything is apart it is a good time to replace the seal. -- Dennis C.
• Mopar Idler Arm and Pitman Numbers
• 4443436AC is the part number for a steering coupler rebuild kit.
• Rebuilding A Steering Coupler in a 1964 Plymouth.
• 1965 Plymouth Steering Coupler Repair
• 1963 Serial Number Designation
• Reading and references, and other vin leads.
• Tip re 1965 Dodge B's:" that little Dodge Tri-Star emblem on the front of the Coronet fenders? It's the SAME as the emblem used on the sail panels of '68 Darts, not that THEY are any more common. Look around for other uses of this item." Paul Pitcher
• 1962 - 1965 Mopar Paint Codes
• To paint aluminum heads: use zinc chromate paint first, and later use the correct Mopar color and the paint will will stick to the aluminum heads. You can get zinc chromate in a boat / outboard parts department.-- Jimmy
• Is your Mopar's gas tank sending unit float leaking? Sadly, mother Mopar in her less-than-wise support of older Mopars, has discontinued the Mopar float. But sneak into your local Ford dealer and get a Ford brass float; it fits right in perfectly. The Ford part number I have is COAZ-9202-B Float Asy. This part number has two brass floats in the package, but the Ford counter parts person should be able to sell you one float, or cross reference the part number to a single brass float. [Editor’s note: if the gas float has a hole in it, the float will fill with gasoline and prevent the float from rising properly, giving a false gauge reading. -- Gary H.]
• Does your Mopar's gas tank sending unit have a dirty sock? No sock? Practice safe fuel intake by getting a new Mopar fuel filter sock to attach to your Mopar's gas tank sending unit. Try asking your Mopar dealer for part number 01670694 or TA2759895. One of these part numbers should provide the solution. UPDATE! October 2004. DChrysler has apparently discontinued these parts. BOO! -- But Kevin M. writes that Ford once again has a substitute: "E1FZ9A011A (long filter), D1FZ9A011A (short filter) for the 5/16 inch fuel line. Be sure to measure your filter sock and go to the Ford dealer and they will tell you which one will match your filter."  Thanks for the part numbers Kevin! Bill C. adds: for a 3/8 inch line on the pickup the Ford part number is D1AZ-9A011-A, (Sender Filter).  Thanks for the part number, Bill!
• You can check the fuel sending unit by removing the wire hooked to it and ground the wire. Then turn on the ignition switch and if the gauge goes to full, the sending unit is bad. If it doesn't go to full, it may be a bad gauge or wiring. -- Gary Bradshaw Also: if you ground the wire to the fuel sending unit it is best to do it with an assistant to watch the gauge. Touch it briefly to ground to see if the gauge moves. Leaving it grounded while you go to see if the gauge moved might damage the gauge. You could also attach a longer lead to the sending unit wire so you can see the gauge while you ground it. -- Paul Lennemann
• Check out a fuel sending unit from a 1978 Ford pickup. The Ford design picks up parallel to the tank, unlike the Mopar sending unit, but the truck pickup still draws off the bottom of the gas tank; as a bonus the Ford item utilizes a 3/8ths size line.
• The fuel tank sending unit ohm readings are approximately 10 Ohms for full and approximately 60 Ohms for empty, with about a plus or minus 30% acceptable variation for these values. One person tested a 1964 Chrysler 300 sending unit and found Full = 5.5 Ohms; 3/4 = 12.5 Ohms; 1/2 = 19.5 Ohms; 1/4 = 29 Ohms; Empty = 57 Ohms. ( Editor's note: Sorry I do not have the person’s name who reported this. Contact me and I’ll give credit.) Jeff C. reports the reading should read approximately 10 ohms resistance at the full limit, and about 73 ohms at the empty stop. A good, original sender he tested with a digital meter came up with 10.8 Ohms full, and 74.5 at empty. Also, Dave C. reports testing a NOS sender and readings ranged from 10 or 20 ohms full to about 80 empty. Ollie adds: “73 ohm empty and 10 ohm full, linear, is the proper gauge calibrations and readings for our vehicles, as confirmed by Auto Meter.”
• Adding seat belts to your 1962 - 1965
• The aftermarket seat belts from Julianos are a three point harnesses that come with a mount for the shoulder harness loop that I welded to the inside of the door post. Drill a matching hole through the trim cover for the bolt and mount the retractor and buckle to the stock mounts on the floor. Works slick! (Thanks to David Myers for the tip!)
• Lap Belt Installation Instructions (Non-Retractable) 2 Point Retractable Seat Belt Installation Instructions
• 318 poly upper radiator hose uses Gates 20168 in a 1962 Dart
• Substitute for the upper radiator hose for a 1964 big block (Max Wedge): get a radiator hose for a 1986 Dodge van with a slant six engine and trim it a little. The \6 hose has the proper pre-formed bends. -- Bill C. -- and Gary B. adds: I use a mid-1970’s big block Dodge pick-up upper radiator hose.
• The angled upper radiator water outlet is discontinued by DChrysler. One replacement aftermarket water outlet to look for is the Four Seasons brand part number 84805. The upper radiator hose connects to this water outlet.
• One big mistake most people make when taking out a radiator for future use, or just saving it for whatever comes down the pike, is to empty the fluid and put it on the shelf. The sediment that stays in the radiator will eat it up if you let it dry out. When you go to use it a year or so later, it will leak, you take it to the radiator shop, they tell you it needs a new core. A lot of effort and investment gone to waste. The best thing to do is to leave a mixture of antifreeze and water in the radiator when your storing it. Use a couple of short pieces of hose, make a plug for them, put a cap on it, and then throw it on the shelf. It will keep for years, and always be good when you go to use it. The next alternative is to have it cleaned and roded before storing in, and then it will keep for a long time also. -- Earl Helm
• Oil Filter Study
• 8.75 rear axle guide, with pictures
• Rear end gear ratio finder -- pre digital! -- "To find out what gear ratio is in the rear chunk, jack up the car and get the rear tires off the ground; use floor jacks to support the car. Put a mark on the driveshaft where you can see it. If SureGrip put a mark on one tire, if not SureGrip put a mark on both tires where assistant(s) can see them. Put the transmission in neutral and crawl under the car. If SureGrip rotate one tire one revolution forward and count the drive shaft revolutions, if not SureGrip get two assistants and have each rotate a tire one revolution forward and count driveshaft revolutions. This method never lies. Tags/buildsheets sometimes do. Since several drivetrains were offered and Mopar had many axle ratios you would need build sheet or fender tag info to know for sure what it came with." Dave Krugler
  Harry Skalla wrote: to find out what ratio the rear end is I jack up the rear, mark the driveline and turn the wheels one full turn, and count how many times the driveshaft turns to close to what your ratio is. Mo added: This method will work IF it has SureGrip, (when one wheel is turned, the other wheel will turn in the same direction). Make a mark on the driveshaft and count the number of turns it makes to one revolution of the tire. Figger the driveshaft into 1/10 increments and it will get you very close to all known ratios that are available. i.e., a little over 3 and 2/10 turn of the driveshaft = 3:23 ratio-- 3 and a little over 7/10 turns = 3:73 ratio. If you do not have SureGrip (tires off the ground and turn in the oposite direction to the other tire) I think if you have both tires on the ground, move it straight forward and count your driveshaft turns to one tire turn, it will give you the ratio. Dan McCormack adds: Mo is correct, I use this method all the time. I usually just count in quarters. 2 3/4 turns is a 2.76, just under 3 turns is a 2.93, 3 1/4 turns is a 3.23, 3 1/2 turns is a 3.55, 3 3/4 turns is a 3.73, just under 4 turns is a 3.91 and just over 4 turns is a 4.10. That's pretty much all of the standard ratios you will find. If you do not have a SureGrip you can still do it off the ground. Block the opposite tire so it cannot turn and turn the wheel 2 full revolutions and again count the driveshaft revolutions.
• SureGrip or peg leg rear end differtial? There is a SureGrip tag put on by the Mopar factory but this tag is often missing after all these years. If the gears are visible, you can eyeball the diffential. Or if a drain plug is installed, you remove the drain plug and look inside the differential. In either technique, the SureGrip case is a two piece construction and has attaching bolts. The conventional peg leg differential is one piece construction and has a dome-like shape. If the rear end assemply is still in the car, jack up the rear and turn one wheel. If the opposite rear wheel spins in the same direction, it's a sure grip rear. NOTE! If the unit has been unused sitting in a junkyard, double check. MO reported that he found a diffential where both wheels turned in the same direction. But inspecting the gears visibly revealed a peg leg differential: all the spider gears were rusted together, so the wheels both turned the same direction!
(Thanks to MO, Jimmy, John, Darwin)
• Gear Ratio/RPM Chart by Tire Diameter
• NAPA sells a five button heater control vacuum switch that can be modified to work on 1962 to 1965 Mopars. The NAPA-Echlin part number is HC205. UPDATE December 25, 2006: Mark from NAPA writes: It appears that there are quite a few of these switches left, though they have been dropped from the computer prior to 1971 or 1972. If you do want one or more, you’ll have to ask for it by the number. It will have to be shipped in from Virginia, so would take a few days to get there. Not that our cars are usually used as daily transportation, anyway. I’m a fan who doesn’t want these parts destroyed when the company gets tired of warehousing them. As far as I know, this isn’t imminent. But don’t wait too long, just in case!  UPDATE July 2008: the switches are still available through NAPA as of this time! Update February 20, 2012: These were only listed as available from the NAPA online warehouse
• When you are planning to remove the vacuum lines from the back of a heater control switch -- DO NOT! The aged, brittle plastic tips are guaranteed to break off.
  
  Instead, label the lines as to where they go and cut the lines about 2 to 3 inches from the switch. You'll have a switch with several inches of vacuum line attached to each of the tips on the switch.
  
  When you reinstall the switch, buy some new vacuum line that is slightly wider in diameter. Use that hose to make a connection where you slide the hose still attached to the switch in one side and the supply hose in the other. A tad of silicone sealer when doing the splice assures no leak.
• I've fixed a couple of heater control switches by finding just the right size brass tubing to fit inside the nipples and cutting it just long enough to match the length from flush inside the switch housing to the tip of the nipple. The brass tubing is available at some hardware stores and most good hobby shops. Cut the piece to length, coat outside of brass tube with JB Weld, insert in porthole on switch body and slide broken plastic nipple back in place over the tubing and wipe off any excess on nipple or smooth surface of inside switch housing and make sure the tube is clear. Let set overnight, put it back together. These switch assemblies are held together by 1/8 inch plastic rivets. I cut the heads off with an Exacto knife then drill them out and tap holes and replace with miniature allen head screws from a hobby shop. Then you have a serviceable switch that can be easily disassembled. Thanks to Dave Krugler for the tip!
• The Operation and Maintenance of the Heater for a Non Air-conditioned 1962-1965 Mopar B-Body by Kevin Merkley. And Advice on the Heater Regulator by Butch Edison. Thanks Kevin and Butch!
• Rebuilding Pushbutton Switches part one; and Rebuilding Pushbutton Switches part two.    Note: These two references were written by Wally Breer from the Plymouth Owners Club, (PO Box 46, Cavalier, ND 58220). Thanks to Darrell M. for the articles!
• Repairing Mopar Heater Switches by David Schoedel

• Installing a Hemi Hood Scoop on a 1965 Plymouth Belvedere II.
• Ball & Trunion boot substitute, thanks to Tom Over (TomOver52 AT aol DOT com) who writes: " While going through all the CV joint boots in stock at my buddie's Advanced Auto Parts store in Harrisburg, PA. the manager, Terry, suggested trying a rack and pinion assembly bellows seal. We found one that worked after trimming both ends off. It is made by TRW Federal-Mogul chassis products part number 15114. I just bought a packet of CV joint grease to pack it with!"
  Randy adds: "There is a piece that must be trimmed off of the assembly bellows seal first to work on the driveshaft. It is too small to fit on the driveshaft and becomes evident once you look at it. The CV seal is much easier to work than old stiff NOS seals. But if you press the cross shaft out, be sure you center it when re-installing it or a new one as a vibration will result from the cross shaft being off any. We had replaced a boot on a 1965 Valiant with a NOS seal, no picnic as the seal was stiff and expensive(on eBay). I tried part number 15114 on my 1963 Belvedere and wouldn't have had to press the cross shaft had it (the shaft) not been worn. The NOS boot we put on the Valiant was so stiff it wouldn't fit over the cross shaft."
  Gerry Peters adds: "I installed a Dorman 614 002 universal cv boot kit; the big end fits perfect, the small end has to be stretched a lot: stuff the entire boot through the trunion and do it on warm day or with a heater blowing on the driveshaft. The boot is not rubber but a silicone. I had to buy a boot clamp tool for $10. The result even looks like the factory piece, other then the grey color."
  Gary 413 notes that he used a Volkswagen split boot on a Ball and Trunion driveshaft.
• Instructions for installing windshield washer package, Model 33, Part number 2496 556, on 1964 Plymouth and Dodge (exc '880'), courtesy of Terry Lynche.
  Update 2007: Shermans-Auto-Museum now repros big block Mopar ball and trunion rubber boots [Update: No longer in stock as of December 2009 Back in stock as of June 2012 ] and Chrysler Ball-n-Trunion Replacement Boot [Note: Auto Hobby Digest Web Site went offline as of June 2009!] that you can install WITHOUT disassembling the ball-n-trunion and without trying to push it through the housing!
• Part number 2258723 is a horn contact assembly that fits a 1963 Dodge 'B'. You can see on the top photo that the plastic goes bad and crumbles, so if you find a new old stock replacement at a swap meet...grab it!  Thanks to Jimmy Peavy for the picture and part number.
• 1962 Dodge Polara 500 Cowl Repair
• A 1970 Cuda trunk lid lip molding fastener kit from R/T Specialties are darn near perfect for installing the beltline molding on a '63 Dodge Polara 500. One would need to purchase additional plastic clips to do the entire car. Nice fit! Thanks to Bill for the info!
• Building Max Wedge Style Custom Headers for a 1965 Dodge Coronet
• "While restoring a 1963 Plymouth Sport Fury and discovered a good fix for a broken speedometer cable. The speedometer cable was broken in the sheath. After trying to extract the small lodged segment for the better part of a morning, I gave up and tried the local Kragen auto parts store just to see if they had a cable that might come close. The closest thing they had was a cable for a later model Plymouth. The part number is CA-3004. The length and gauge end connector all matched. The transmission end did not. This cable sheath on the newer cable is a flexible plastic. The original sheath is made of coiled metal. I cut the transmission end off of the original sheath leaving about 2 inches of sheath sticking out of the transmission end sleeve. This made it easy to unscrew the remaining coiled metal out of the transmission fitting. The plastic O.D. is a bit larger than the trans fitting sleeve O.D., so a bit of whittling was needed to decrease the diameter of the sheath. Once this was accomplished the cable slid into the fitting. I used epoxy to fix the two parts together."  Curtis Thanks for the tip, Curtis!
• 1964 Plymouth trunk spare tire and jack location
• Poly 318 gasket kit from Victor Reinz, made by Dana: FS1134TC, covers all engines from the 277 to the 318 from 1956 to 1968.
• Troubleshoot your overheating Mopar!
  Only two causes of overheating: 1) air flow  2) water flow.
  a) Take your Mopar out to a road where you can run a constant speed for about a mile or so, and be able to pull over.
  b) Get the engine up to temperature and drive at about 45MPH, depending on your rear end gear ratio. You want to pick a speed that you can shift down a gear and maintain that speed.
  c) If your Mopar heats up while driving at a constant speed in high gear, shift down one gear, keep the same speed, and see if the temperature goes up or down.
  d) If the engine temperature goes up, then you have a water flow problem.
  e) if the engine temperature goes down, then you have an air flow problem.
  
  We learned this method back in the 1960's. — Earl H.  Thanks to Earl H. for the info!
• Read Number 4 on this FlowKooler webpage: 16 reasons why your engine is overheating.
• Does your car's motor overheat in stop and go extreme high temperature conditions? install a electric fan with a 12 v supply from the battery to a fan (really foglight) relay and then to the fan. The trigger of the relay was grounded one side and the other wired into the brake lights. Anytime he was stopped the electric fan came on automatically and kept his monster cool. it was simple practical and very effective.  —  Don Dulmage Thanks, Don!
• Mopar Fuel Pump Shield Pattern by Don Dulmage Thanks, Don!
• One man's story: Installing frame connectors in an early B Body.
• Mopar Torsion-Aire Suspension - How a Mopar’s torsion bar works.
• Mopar Torsion Bar Removal: “Take 2 2x4’s about 8" long, at about 2.5" cut a notch. The notch will go around the torsion bar. Drill 2 holes 1" away from the notch on either side. Take 4 nuts and bolts and sandwich around the Torsion Bar. Smack the wood with a small sledge hammer to remove the Torsion Bar.”— Thanks to Dustin C.for the tip! Christopher G. adds that he made this clamp out of two pieces of notched 2x4 and when he bolted them together he put a L bracket on one of the bolts to hit with the big hammer, to pop the bars out toward the rear of the car. Also he reminds us to remember to unscrew the height adjustment screw that is on bottom of K frame where T-bar goes in. Thanks, Christopher! Also remember to put the torsion bars back in the same side they came out of and measure adjustment bolt before so you can tighten to same measurement upon installation (Thanks Gary W. and JH!) Also see Torsion Bar Front Suspension Tips and Tricks Part One and Part Two
• If you do not want to use the torsion bar removal tool (factory or home made), --...remove the tension by backing the adjuster all the way off...then remove the shock and take the nut off of the lower control aim pivot shaft, and at the strut rod. Remove the clip at the back of the torsion bars. To make things easier to to handle ..[if] you are going to go through the whole suspension, you can separatey unbolt the brakes, and then detach the lower ball joint and pull the upper a-arms and spindles. You can then just use a large pry bar to push the lower control arm along with the torsion bar back until the bar pops out of the rear cross member. Once free at the rear, the bar will usually slide easily out of the lower control arm socket. If not, some taps forward on the socket where the bar goes in with a heavy brass mallet will free it. I found this system to work much better than the factory tool.” -- Steve Dulcich January 2014 Mopar Muscle magazine page 75
• Rob L. writes about Conversion U-Joints: Here are some numbers and a link for the conversion of 7260-7290 driveshaft sizes. It's a U-Joint with a large and small cross size to fit big-small yoke/driveshaft sizes.
  Mancini  5-527X  $34.95
  NAPA  NUJ-240-0369  $29.99
  Auto Zone 2-0527  $22.99
  Mopar  5007418
  Precision (Moog)  347
  CR   UJ 347
  TRW  20226
  Rockford Driveline
• Edelbrock Performer Series Carburetor Owner's Manual
• Carburetor sizing: Apply Don’s law: practical carb size in CFMs is double the cubic inches. I.e., a 318 needs 318 X 2 which is 636 cfm so a 650 would be perfect for a screamer and a 600 for a grunter (truck, etc.); a 440 needs then 880 cfm so a 850 would do in a heavy vehicle and a modified 850 with choke removed or 870 would be great for a screamer. A 383 would need a 766 so a 750 would be great for a grunter and a modified 750 choke removed etc. for a screamer. A 400 would obviously use a 800 and I equipped...[a] 400 cu in engine with exactly that producing over 500 hp in streetable trim. HOWEVER, when you go to a ram style manifold you can use two of the same since the signal a carb gets from this type of manifold is very strong so the low speed laziness associated with oversize carbs is not there. Also Crossrams use vacuum secondaries. (AFB are essentially vacuum secondaries although technically they do not use vacuum but air volume to topple the weighted upper secondary air valve, the effect is the same (which is to say no airflow in the secondary till the engine can sustain it.) Or we could put it like this: the car operates normally on a 750 cfm carb (primary side of two 750s which would = 1/2 the total volume of the two carbs). When the engine reaches sufficient RPM and load to open the secondaries it now has 1500 CFM available. Vacuum secondaries area real boost to street performance vehicles because of this. Best of both worlds. Now if you are a stickler and can’t deal with the Don’s law thing, then get your slide rule out and knock yourself out with the math figuring half (because the intake stroke occurs every SECOND revolution) the RPM X cu inches divided by 1728 (cubic foot in inches ); however I must warn you, you will be picking the same size carb when you are done.
  Furthermore, the question comes up in one’s mind that carb sizing is for racing of full performance. What if one just wants carb for an engine that will never see 6000 RPM. Should you use a differeent formula?
  Actually it is not necessary. Because carb sizing is focused on the whole rpm range and proper carb operation at low speed. That is because any engine will operate a carb at high speed. That is never a problem, even a 1050 Dominator on a VVW flat four would be possible at 2500 RPM. It is the low speed perfomance that we are always concerned about and the carb sizing formulas, mine or the complcated math version, are picking the largest size of carb practical that will still drive normally and properly at normal low speed so you can use the same formula even if you intend to drive like yer Granny.
  Remember, a lot of so-called carb problems are actually not, but can be traced to ignition. Otherwise, they can be poor choices well-intended but made because of a misunderstanding of how a carb functions. Here would ba a typical examle and I hear this often. “I have a 750 on my car but the guy who did jetted it down to a 600.” —  WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  Jetting in all carbs is designed for normal mixture (ca 13 to 1 air fuel ratio which means we mix 1 pound of fuel for every 13 pounds of air. And it doesn’t matter if it is a 350 a 500 a 1050 or bigger. The mixture should be the same.) Anytime you need to change a Holley more than 4 jet sizes, even for racing, you need to ask yourself what is wrong. Something certainly is, since 4 jet sizes would bring any Holley carb well into the 12 to 1 AFR range — and there is never any reason to go more than that. Carbs are real very simple. If someone talks like they are not, avoid him. A four barrel Holley, for instance, has four internal parts that can be serviced: 4 jets, one or two power valves, 2 or 4 idle screws and two floats with needle valves. It may have one accelerator pump and nozzle with accompanying check needle (Vacuum sec) or two (double pumper), that is it. I know some race carbs have replaceable air bleeds, etc., but I would avoid them, as they are just an invitation to trouble on the lost highway of hot rod life and rarely of ever need to be touched unless you are running in the top ten of Prostock. — Don D.
• How to Tune Your Holley Carburetor and Other Fuelish Ramblings by Gerard Forgnone
• Carburetor tuning: Carb’s are about venture signal. First, get the timing curve right, our motors like a different timing curve than a chevy. {Editor's note: See the article Timing and Vacuum Advance 101 ] Next get the fuel pressure right. Then start with the carb. Floats First. Start with the factory recommendations. If you’r messed up, and get it out of whack tuning, go back to the factory settings. ALL the settings, primaries, secondary, and accelerator pump cam’s (Holly), and air/fuel bleed settings, needles if Eddy.
  Almost all Street Avengers and Eddy’s work well out of the box. If you bolt it on and it is a dog, go back to the first step, first, then the carb.
  Most Eddy’s have the floats set wrong....
  Start tuning the primaries, primary accelerator pump, get it driving good on the primaries, then start on the secondary side. Most carbs have a tuning chart based on your altitude, use it, it will start you in the correct direction.
  If you skip timing curve, fuel pressure, and go straight to the carb, you get statements like, “It does not work like I expected.” -- Earl H.
• HEI electronic conversion for Mopars
• Risky63 writes: “ I recently found an air cleaner combination that will fit a cross ram intake with AFB’s and clear the stock hood without having to cut the hood bracing. I have a 1963 Plymouth Fury that I put a Max Wedge engine in and I drag race the car usually at Infineon and Sacramento strips. I have been running a hood with a fiberglass Max Wedge scoop that someone cut the bracing out. I wanted to run the stock hood but could not find air cleaners that would clear. The stock Max Wedge cleaners do not flow enough air. K &N part numbers 66-1401 X-stream air flow tops, E-3742 air filters (14x2.8"), 85-3549 drop bases (1 1/4" drop) will fit under the stock hood. A 1/2" air cleaner spacer is needed on the passenger’s side carb. to clear the throttle linkage. I am using -6 braided fuel lines. Russell part #640270 Carter Banjo fitting allowed me to use the braided line. Stock fuel lines should clear without any problems. Hope this helps anyone with the same type car. Thanks for the tip!
  View Mopar air cleaner photos
  Mike adds: My 1963 Chrysler 300 has a 383 two barrel carburetor with the single snorkel air cleaner but the carburetor has the same size opening as the WCFB four barrel. (The outside diameter of the older four barrel carburetor is about 4-7/32 inches as opposed to the newer ones with 5-1/8 inches). I discovered the 383 two barrel takes the same element as the four barrel carburetor air cleaner. I replaced it with a dual snorkel air cleaner that is identical to my original except for having the extra snorkel; apparently it is from a 1965?(1966)-1967 383 4 barrel.
• Tom Faust writes that Standard Motor Products #DS165 and GP Sorenson #GPSLS63 are a couple of aftermarket headlight switches that will fit a 1964 Plymouth. These switches are available through local parts stores. Thanks for the tip!
• Nick Tiberio reports that “for 1963 and several years before, for rear wheel studs that press into the hub and brake drum I found that NAPA Part # 641-1157 will work. The Wheel bolt is 169 1/2-20 x 1 5/8 inch.”
• Mopar left hand wheel studs: DORMAN Part # 610131 {AutoGrade Hardware Type Serrated Stud Thread 7/16-20L Knurl Dia. .561 inch Length 2 inches Shoulder Length 1-1/16 inches; FRONT STUD w/7/16-20L Thd, Front Disc\ (Not sure if the discs are shorter than drums.) These are the 7/16 inch variety on A bodies; I do not know if the B body Mopars use it. -- Menko

1. Bring up #1 cylinder to TDC
2. Remove distributor cap, loosen distributor and rotate the distributor to align the reluctor point for #1 cylinder with the pick-up coil. Tighten distributor.
3. Adjust the valves called out for this position.
4. Move the engine to the next point where the reluctor matches the coil. That's 90 degrees. Adjust those valves, then follow the same procedure for the other 6 cylinders.
5. Loosen the distributor and set it back to its initial setting. Install the cap and time the engine properly with a timing light.

• The National Auto Glass Specifications (NAGS number) is 134 for a 1964 Dodge (330, 440, Polara, Polara 500), 1964 Plymouth (Savoy, Belvedere, Fury, Sport Fury), 1965 Dodge Coronet (all) and 1965 Plymouth Belvedere (all). The windshield fits all models - sedans, hardtops, convertibles and wagons.  —  Bill Watson
• Tips on installing the front windshield and seal and the rear seal on a 1964 Plymouth Barracuda. (The tips apply to 1962 to 1965 Mopars.) I bought the seals and lock strip from Steele Rubber Products.
• I had a local glass shop remove the original MOPAR windshield from my 1964 Plymouth. I did not want to take a chance on picking up a rock. I don't recall where I bought the replacement windshield. The vendor for the windshield also supplied the gasket, as I recall. Now, the important part: the gent who did my windshield work does pretty much all the glass work on classic cars in this area. When he took out my original windshield, he told me he'd do his best to save that gasket as the original windshield was 3/8" and I'd never get another gasket for it. He showed me the replacement windshield is only 3/16" thick. So, if you're removing an original windshield with the MOPAR emblem in it, try to save the gasket. Also, I did get a complete gasket kit for the side windows, front and rear. The only issue I had with the gaskets were the rear ones. I had to put a (very) little silicone on the lips so the glass would enter effortlessly. -- Butch Edison
• How to Tune With A Vacuum Gauge. Link down. Try Tuning with a Vacuum Gage
• Mopar Dash Removal without removing the windshield: Akron Don reports: “Yes, I’ve removed the dash on my 1965 Plymouth Belvedere without removing the windshield. It takes about a 1/2 hour (at least) and lots of patience to remove the screws at the base of the windshield. I used a 3/8 Saltus wrench (one side is an open end and the other side is a socket on a swivel which is the end you use) and 45 degree or deep offset 3/8 by 7/16 box wrench.” -- “ MO (Steve M.) adds: The saltus wrench I borrowed was still too tall, but a 1/4 swivel breaker bar and 12 point socket finally did it -- it IS tedious..”
• Putting an early Hemi into a 1962 to 1965 Mopar B Body
• Electric fuel pumps; The Mallory Comp 140 is a gerotor type and noise seems to be less than a lot of others. I have also used a Carter centrifugal, which isn’t too bad and a lot less money. Most of the noise problem can be alleviated by the way you mount the fuel pump. I mount mine using 1/2 inch thick rubber and bolting the pump to the rubber, then the rubber to the frame with separate bolts. The pumps will also produce less noise if you run a return line instead of a single “deadhead” line to the carb. Also remember that centrifugal pumps will push lots of fuel but they don’t like to suck it very far. Mount the pump as low and close to the tank as possible. Use a good sized filter between the tank and the pump and another filter before the carb(s). -- Bob H. -- 1963 Fury
• Build A Low budget Engine Break In Stand
• Hedman Headers fit a big block 1965 B Body. Part Number 78030 -- They fit great and you can even get them coated, there is a place in Texas I think...that carries them already coated...4 speed or auto (possible issues with column shift autos only), power steering or not. -- Derrick B. Rich adds The original equipment starter fits also.
• To clean an engine bays and an engine (at least for the intermediate stage) I use regular hand cleaner. After taking off the big chunks of grease with a putty knife, screwdriver, etc., I go to it with a scrubbie dipped in hand cleaner, maybe dip an old toothbrush in the hand cleaner for gettng into the cracks. It works great. Keep hosing off between applications. After about three applications you have removed almost all of the dirt and grease; then go in with degreaser to remove all the last remnants. -- Neal Zimmerman
• Oil dipstick tube broken? Remove the broken dipstick tube and clean the hole in the block. Then get some dry ice (Check the Yellow Pages or for ice cream distributors who carry it). Put the end of the tube in the dry ice and cool it down. Once cold, it will slip right into the hole in the block block because the dipstick tube will shrink up appreciably. It works for me every time, especially with those brittle chrome dipstick tubes. When the tube expands to original size, it will seize in the block and there will be NO leaks. -- John, aka moparbikeguy
• Speedometer cable lube? Vaseline works great with no drawbacks. Also good is dielectric grease, however, vaseline is as good as anything. How to? Remove the speedo cable under the dash. Using needle nose pliers extract the core from the cable far enough to grab it with you fingers. Extract it, coiling it in your hand in a circle (6 to 8 inches), making sure to keep it off the floor. Rub the coiled cable with vaseline and reinstall it . All you want is to make the coiled cable wet. There should be no gobs of vaseline. You may have to turn it slightly just before it goes in the last half inch to get it into go into the gear square hole. Use the needle nosers for that reinstall and you are done for several years if not forever. Cable always come out from the top and will not come out from the bottom. Should take about 10 minutes. -- Don Dulmage
  Sil Glide works very well also. Vaseline is cheaper and works very well also. Just do like Don says and coil it very gently. I usually wipe if down as I remove then replace it with a thin coat of Sil Glide or Vasoline. -- mopar413
  I prefer graphite as a speedometer cable lube because it is a dry lubricant that dirt and dust does not stick to. Graphite also never dries out, or gums up like vaseline and petroleum based greases do. -- Jimmy P.
• A wobbly speedometer needle is sometimes caused by the speedometer cable. If there is a kink in the inner member, or both the inner and outer members, the inner moving inside the outer acts kind of like a cam, as the inner and outer kinks align, the cable is relaxed. Then as the inner encounters interference with the outer (housing), it slows just a it and causes the needle to drop. This is exacerbated by the spiral wound inner and outer speedo members.
  Try removing the inner member and wipe it down good. Inspect the inner member for any signs of wear or shiny spots. If wear looks significant, replace the inner member. Most auto stores have kits for under 20 bucks on the "Help" rack. If there is not significant wear, hold it by the tip, letting it hang. Look for any kinks along the length. Gently straighten any kinks until the inner hangs freely and fairly straight. Pay particular attention to the ends. You can roll the cable on a flat surface and see how straight the ends look. Visually inspect the outer member to ensure there are no sharp kinks or bends. Gently straighten any kinks. Try to keep all radii as broad as possible.
  Lightly lubricate the inner member with white lube or another suitable grease, to about a foot from the top. Wipe the inside of the inner ferrule clean and gently slide the inner member back in. You may have to rotate the inner member slightly to align it so it mates with the speedometer pinion. Reassemble and test drive. If this doesn't solve your problem, you may have speedometer head issues.-- Steve Charette
• 1962-1965 Mopar Speedometer Pinion Gear Chart

Templates indicating the location for installing a side mirror on your Mopar!

My side view mirror on my 1964 Dodge 440, that is, the mirror part, was as loose as a goose. To tighten it, I took the mirror off, took the snap ring, mirror, and spring off, wrapped a rag around the base and put it in a vise. Then, taking a small ball hammer, I tapped on each end of the flat metal piece that covers the shaft. By tapping on each end it tightens the metal piece on the shaft. Hope this helps you out.... Butch. Thanks Butch!
Akron Don writes: To tighten the loose side mirror on the door, in the November, 2010 edition of Auto Restorer magazine had a guy who used red Loctite thread sealer in the pivot area, worked the mirror around and consequently the mirror will tighten up. However, it will still move after the Loctite dries so you can adjust the mirror as needed. The author claimed it lasted two years before he had to apply Loctite again.   See more mirror repair tips.
• Most of our B Mopars were originally shipped with single bolt cam gear. The bolt is still available from Momma Mopar but the special cupped washer is not. Many of us replace the single bolt with a three bolt but not all and occasionally I come across a cam that is only available in single bolt. I have spent now three weeks finding a cam washer for this current special “vintage build” using a period correct cam. Maybe we should spread the word. Do not throw out that cam bolt and washer. This is the second time in a couple of months I have had to go looking. and both customers had single bolt cams but had torn down the engine with their friends and chucked the washer or lost it. Some day, soon, there will be no more to find so maybe we could spread the word to other Mopar Web sites to hang onto them whether one needs them themselves or not. Just a thought... Don D.
• Jason writes: 1965 B Body Dodge Hardtop catwhisker weatherstrip: Just in case anyone runs into this problem in the future with their 1964 or 1965 2-door B Body hardtop: the rear quarter window weatherstrip or catwhisker has an angle cut at one end and a straight cut at the other, as viewed from sitting in the rear of the car looking out. The problem I had was which way does the angle cut end face? The answer is the angle cut goes to the back of the car with the straight cut towards the front. The angle cut sort of follows the slant of the sail panel roof-line. Also, the catwhisker itself is a folded over 'V'. The other problem was V up or /\ down? Well, it looks like it goes in V up, as in, if you sit on the sill plate and look down the window channel, the catwhisker makes a right side up V. Thanks to '62 to '65 Mopar Mail List Member Christopher, and some timely pictures of his hardtop, for the answer.
  
• If you touch up paint, do not use the brush in the bottle that comes with touch up paint. Using a syringe instead of the brush gives better paint flow control. But some people use a common pin dipped in the paint, then place the tip of the pin where the scratch is and let the paint ease into the repair. After the touch up paint is dry use a rouge, like the 'Black Magic' brand, to lightly polish the repair.
• To keep bare metal rust free look into these products:  “Wet Graphite” from NAPA and MP-50, a Premium Low-Friction Moly-Paste from Jet-Lube.
• Repairing a cracked engine block used to be a horrible job. Nickel (Ni) rod was used most. Nowadays there are some really good stick welding rods for cast iron. For engines I use rods with copper in them, as they weld better. The trick is to do a tiny bit at a time, just a bzzzzzzt, then leave it for a day, or at least 8 hours. Then another bzzzzzzt. After a week all will be well. If you rush the repair the repair will crack. Preheating will help greatly, but is not easy to do with a block. I have seen some blocks welded so well I was astounded. If the crack does not end in a frost plug hole, then it can be sewn with excellent results. Sewing involves special tapered breakaway plugs and a special tap. I was, in my youth, very good at this, and fixed many, many industrial heads and antique engines while working for Harry Wilson's at Wilson's of Belleville. He once even had me sew down an antique cylinder to just above the ring travel and we had no comeback on that. Another way is to drill out the area if it is small enough and tap it for a pipe plug. I have rescued tractor engines for farmers down on their luck that way (even between cylinders on the gasket deck). A good sealer or JB weld coating the threads improves the seal. Also, and maybe the best, diesel heads are repaired all the time. There is a specialty shop in Montreal that does it (and warranties it as well). I think someone in the USA must too. I had my cracked 426 wedge head repaired there. One head was cracked in the valve cover area and seeped antifreeze slightly. I sent both with instructions that, since it is obviously a weak spot, whatever the cracked head needs do also to the good head. It cost $270, which was nothing compared to having no heads, and now they are better than original. Just a few options I know of. Perhaps there are more.  — Don Dulmage
  Grease seal with spring inside tip: when installing these kind of seals, always apply some axle grease to the area around the tension spring, sorta consealing it. Apply as much as you want. When you drive it in the grease will keep the spring in place. -- Doug Ahern
  
  1964 Belvedere Trunk and Weatherstrip Detail
  
  A good backyard trick when doing press on bearings and collars is to put the bearing and collar under a heat lamp, or just sit them on a 100 watt light bulb. Then put the axle in ice, or hit it a couple of times with a CO2 fire extinguisher. Most of the time the bearing will fall on. -- Earl H.
  
  Gas Tank O-Ring seal for 1962 and 1963 Mopar B Body filler neck:
  2.000" i.d., 2.375" o.d., 3/16" crossection (nominal) (actual - .210")
  The outer diameter of the filler neck is 2.000"
  To install:
  Clean outer surface of filler neck and the groove in the mouth of the gas tank.
  Insert o-ring into groove in the mouth of the gas tank, rub a scant drop of 3-in-One oil on the inside edge of the o-ring. Push the filler neck down into the mouth of the gas tank, making sure the filler neck is sliding through the middle of the o-ring, not catching on it and pushing the o-ring further inside the tank (this is nearly imposible to do anyway).
  Then push or pull the filler neck to the best length to install well in the car.
  Cheers, Paul of Pasadena (the Little Old "put a Dodge in your garage, honey" Lady, lives next door)
  (note: The original part number for the 'O' ring was 1730087 -- long since an obsolete number.)
  
  1962 to 1965 Dodge Steering Column Coupler Modification
  
  Steering Box: “Most loose steering on our cars are from a worn out or mis-assembled coupler. The copper bronze shoes go the way that looks wrong and it is easy to miss-assemble them. Coupler should have no play. When wrong they have about 1/16 to 1/8. I know I know, not yours. I hear it every week when someone asks me, but when I go and check for them I almost always find the box to steering wheel shaft coupler is loose. After they get the box overhauled and all the suspension rebuilt and relieve themselves of a few hundred bucks, they come back and we fix it in 10 or 15 minutes. Mopar dealers have the parts in stock, or did a year ago, and trucks right into the 90s used the same coupler. I just buy the shoes, the spring and the orange rubber. If the pin is good I do not replace it because it is better left alone, unless it is worn, which it rarely is. How to check? Grasp the steering shaft going to the steering wheel in one and and the coupler in the other. Try to twist them in opposite directions. If it is worn or mis-assembled the slop will be OBVIOUS. It is certainly, at the very least, the first thing to check. Very few mechanics of the non-Mopar variety assemble these properly. They look like they should go the other way, but that makes them loose. Coupler can be serviced very easily in the car without removing the box or the steering shaft. Borgeson makes a better joint assembly, if one wants to upgrade.” — Don D.
• Front end alignment: “On radial tires the specs are normally quite close to 0 camber and 0 caster (aka a neutral alignment.) To check take a small plum bob or make one with a heavy washer and a piece of string. With the wheels straight ahead hang the string and bob over the fender so the string passes through the centre of the wheel. When it stops swinging measure the distance from the string to the top side of the wheel rim and then from the string to the bottom side of the wheel rim. In real life the top measurement should be just slightly shorter than the bottom measurement. About 1/8 of an inch which gives the car just a slight amount of Positive camber and helps put a bit more load on the inner wheel bearing which is larger on our cars. Anything from that to both exactly the same would be ‘in specs’ so to speak. Next with the wheels still straight ahead hold the string to the bolt of the upper ball joint. The washer or bob should be almost centered over the bolt for the bottom ball joint. That would be 0 degrees. If it is forward it would be neg caster and if it is behind it would be positive caster.
  Rule of Thumb
  When I am standing facing the front of my car anything coming towards me (from front to back or from the side) is negative (Caster Camber) anything going away from me is postive (Caster . camber ) It makes sense of you think about it. ‘if I am standing in front of a car anything coming towards me is negative.’ — hard to forget.
  And now a short note for those who have already said I think it would be a lot better getting it lined up on a modern computerized alignment machine; (which never has your 1962 to 1965 alignment specs in it anyway, and may have been dropped five times that week alone and could be seriously out of calibration from ther drops and abuse). Let me assure you that I can absolutley guarantee that the bob weight is hanging exactly at 0 degrees. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Other than that there is Radial tire pull:. a very common problem and the previous recommendations about swapping the tire side to side is standard check for this. Also rear axle steer if the springs are severly arched is possible as the spring gets longer as it is compressed flatter which can move the position of the rear axle.
  Other than that there os no magic no phantom stuff, assuming the front end is in good condition. I have seen a siezed shock hold a car out of alignement but that is rare.
  Measure also to see the wheelbase is the same both side of the car: short side always pulls. In fact, the condition is known as short side pull and was used by some aligmnment guys, including me, to offset for the tendancy of the crown of the road to pull the car slighty toward the ditch as you drove. By puttng a 1/2 degree + caster in the driver’s side that made that side just a wee bit shorter and would hold the car straight even on a crown road.” — Don D.
• 1962 to 1965 Mopar Sway Bar Details
• “I bought a new 22 inch radiator for a 1973 E-body 340 and put it in my 1964 B-body. The top holes lined right up, but I had to do a teeny bit of cutting and drilling on the bottom holes. But it was a piece of cake, and looks like it belongs there--other than the square top.” -- Sean B.
• Pentastar Fender Location from 1963
• Max Wedge air filter 13 inches OD / 11 inches ID/ 2 inches high: references to NAPA Gold Filter FIL 2070 (part number 542070). Thanks Brian S.
• How to dispose of old gasoline by reconditioning the stale gas and using it with new gasoline. [.PDF file]

• Removing a windshield wiper arm from a 1962 to 1965 Mopar style arm with a bolt holding the arm in place: “Loosen the bolt and put a piece of wood to protect the car’s paint; then pry off the arm with a screwdriver. You press against the wood and various parts of the underside of the wiper arm where it connects to the stud coming out of the cowl, using the screwdriver like a lever.” —  Gary H. “Keep in mind that you’re also fighting against the pressure of the spring that holds the wiper arm against the glass. I would start prying (as described by Gary) on the side opposite the arm.”  —  Paul L. “For wipers are of the nut and stud variety.... I have reasonable success using a product called Freeze Off. It combines penetrating solvents with a ’freezing action“ that crystallizes the corrosion. A couple of carefully placed and executed raps with a small metal hammer should break up the corrosion enough to allow removal. Removal is, as described [above], by prying the arm upward.” —  Bob in Sacramento
• Removing a windshield wiper arm from a 1965 Mopar style arm without the bolt holding the arm in place: the 1965 wiper, at least on a B-Body, is not held in place by a bolt or other fastner. It is mostly held on by tension. There is a very small tab at the bottom of the wiper arm that goes under the post off the wiper arm that keep it from lifting (usually). You can, like I did, ending up buying a special tool to remove the Mopar wiper arm. Using this type tool and a small screwdriver to move the tab off the post, you can easily remove the wiper. Otherwise, in my experience, it is difficult. -- Akron Don G.
• Mopar Headlight switch: “The headlight switch on my 1964 Plymouth is the same switch as a mid to late 1970’s Dodge pickup.”—  Bob K.
  “With the newer NAPA replacement switch the parking lights may stay on with the headlights. The 1965 Barracuda was the first American car to to do that and I’ve been told that feature was built into the headlight switch. I always do that to my older Mopars anyway by rewiring the parking light wire into the taillight wire. Try NAPA part # HL6571.” —  Dan M.
• I always made my own drive shaft loop. I used 8 inch steel well pipe 1/4 thick which is easy to get in short lengths from the Well drillers, as they always cut the part off to almost ground level. I sliced that to 2 1/2 inches and beat it to fit the tunnel perfectly (usually a 2 to 5 minute job. I drilled holes to fit on the extended seat belt bolts that come through the tunnel in almost exactly the right spot and bolted it in. Never had an issue in 38 years going through tech. Works perfectly. -- Don D.
• Torque converters: Every engine has a power band, a sweet spot or an area it runs best in. When we design or build a car we want our engine to always be in that sweet spot. If we are below the sweet spot or power band the engine will bog or labour when we pull away. We do not want that because the engine is not efficient there nor is it fun to drive. Say we have a stock engine, a 318 for instance. Let us say just for the sake of argument its power band is 1200 to 4200 RPM . Anywhere in the band it runs well. Below it labors and above is not good at all. This engine would need a converter stall of AT LEAST 1200RPM and would need gearing so it could hit 120 mph at 4200rpm if we expect it to be a normal driving car. If we gave it a bit more stall speed it would pull away a bit quicker but it can live with 1200 stall. If we take say my 426 wedge with its 525 hyd cam and 1100 RPM idle in neutral. We know it will have no power at 1200 rpm. It almost needs 1100 RPM just to idle. If we put in in front of the 1200 converter above and put it in gear it would probably not be able to sustain an idle and would quit. If we try to drive it it will have to go from the 1200 burping and kicking all the way till it reaches the bottom of its power band somewhere around 3000 RPM. The top of its power band is right around 6150 RPM so we gear for 6150 at 120 mph. Just to be able to drive this vehicle we will need a stall of 3000 RPM so when the car is stopped at a stop light it can reach up into its power band before it has to pull the car away. Once it is rolling it is much easier to move then the converter will lose its stall and become relatively locked up. The speed at which this happens is coupling speed. We will be able to let it idle along at 1100 rpm and it will drive the car and allow this engine with its big cam to idle. Since we know that we might meet a Camaro or Mustang along the way we are not happy with just being able to drive it. We know that even though the engine’s power band starts at 3000 it has say only 220 hp there. By 3800 it has 335 hp so we pop in a 3800 stall converter, (from Frank Lupos Dynamc Converters of course), this gives a a car that will sit at the stop light raggedly idling away at almost 1000 rpm (converter pulls it down a bit) and when the light changes we pull away nicely with no trouble. HOWEVER! If we pull up to the light a Joe Mustang is sitting beside jacked up on his converter with that smart arse sneer on his face we can push the brake pedal a bit harder and lean into the throttle . If we hold the brake hard enough we can push the engne to almost the full 3800 RPM and still be at the stop light. We now have available on the release of the brake the same hp as his sick little pony has on its very best day at its top RPM. Come with me now as we finish the story. The car is protesting under the strain. The light goes green and we lift the brake. The front end rises as the car leaps forward. My wife is screaming from the passenger seat shouting “I DON’T KNOW WHY YOU HAVE TO DO THAT! IT HURTS MY NECK!” I pretend not to notice. My neck is just fine! The tach hits 6100 and I push the pushbutton marked 2nd. The shift is firm and hard.(I feel sorry as I see my wife’s head snap back and forth. (“Hang in there baby!” I think. “This won’t be much longer!”) I glance in the mirror to make sure the back window didn’t fall out on the shift. Speed builds at an incredible rate and you can now hear the wind going by the car. Once again the tach reaches for the 6100 mark and I push D (for drag). The shift is a bit different but definite. I check the mirror. No Mustang or anything else in sight. By now my wife is pounding my arm hollering “The’re gonna put you in prison one day!” Satisfied all is well I lift. The car drops back down on its suspension and eventually returns to normal speed. I idle along about 30 mph. Just another old grey-haired man out for a Sunday drive in his old car. I become in an instant the poster boy for innocence. I turn to Linda and answer her first question softly with an evil grin “Because I can!” She shakes her head and wipes her brow. That my son is the stall converter story. When you settle down phone Frank and order one. Whatever he says you should have. Sometimes if you tell him Don sent you it saves you money so I have been told. -- Don D.
• 318 Polyspherical Mopar Engine Fuel Pump Heat Shield Tempalte
• Cleaning yellowed plastic, a computer-focused article with applications to cleaning the yellowed white plastic lenses used in our Mopars.
• Autolite 2974 is a great spark plug for use in Mopar Big Blocks, even more so engines with headers. -- Don D. (You may have to cut down the boots on the plug wires. The other plug suggested by Don is an Autolite 85. You may need to adjust the heat range by a step up or down depending on your cam and compression. Paul L.)
• Driveshaft Related Technical Tips from Tom Wood’s Custom Drive Shafts, for instance rear pinion angle -- “The Mopar rear pinion angle should be parallel to the transmission ouput and then pointing down a degree or two from there to avoid vibration issues. I always have to mess with that via leaf spring shims to get vibrations to go away. (Tom's sells angled leaf spring shims made from high-quality machined steel shims in a wide variety of angles.)”  — Wakeman
• Driveshaft Angle and Phasing instructional video. Thanks to Herb M. for the link.
• There is a really great alternator I use for any old Mopar. Just go to your local parts store and order a replacement alternator for a 1985 Chrysler Fifth Avenue, with the “high amperage option.” This is a dual field, 78 amp alternator that will bolt right up to your car’s current brackets, and only costs about $45.00 all day long. This amperage is too high for our stock old cars, but there is an easy fix for this, too: Simply run a good-sized second charge wire from the alternator directly to the big stud on the starter relay, and use a fusible link. Only downside is your amp gauge won’t read properly anymore. Buy a cheap voltmeter, which only needs be connected to ANY wire under the dash that is powered up with the ignition switch. I prefer a voltmeter to an amp gauge, anyway. — Sean B.
• General overview article about engine cams and cam selection [.pdf file]
• Cam Technical Information from Lunati.
• How a Mopar Push Button Reverse Switch Works
• 1962 Dodge Polara 500 Cowl Repair
• Mopar Cowl Repair on a 1964 Dodge 440.
• An overview article comparing the Mopar LA and Magnum engines.
• How to rebuild a Hurst Shifter from a Pontiac discussion, but generic enough to apply to Mopar versions.
• The Bendix brake hardware kit for a 1964 Dodge B Body was part number H7038 with Made in USA followed by BR198
• Stant G85 was the number for a locking gas tank for a 1965 Plymouth Barracuda.
• Parts Master brand Pressure Power Steering Hose for a 1963 Dodge 383 B Body was part number EP329 70329.
• The Spring Tech 101 booklet from Eaton Detroit Spring provides basic spring information: Spring Rate and Load, the correct way to measure leaf springs, the differences between Mono-leaf and Multi-leaf springs and more. The booklet is part of the “Resource Page” listed on Spring Tech University.
• To remove the drip edge molding above the door use an old-fashioned bottle opener: the rounded end with tab to gently work along the entire trim a little at a time to “gently” (did I say gently?) pry the trim off without any dents/dings/or bends. —Gary Pavlovich [Thanks Gary. Note: The drip edge can be carefully pried off as it just “snaps” in place.]
• Installing Cruise Control on a 1963 Plymouth Sport Fury
• I had a carburetor throttle spring break on one of my 1964 Sport Furys just as I started it. It just never occurred to me that one could break or what would happen if it did. Of course the engine then went to max revs and I immediately shut it off. Could have happened at a school cross walk just as easily. Now I put NEW springs (one primary and one weak safety) spring on the throttle. It is a habit for me now to routinely grab those springs and give them a twist. Good thing too, with my wife’s 1937 hot rod Plymouth coupe I did that little test and the spring broke off in my hand. I already had the weak secondary spring on it, so it would not have taken her to max rev in 2 seconds, but still had some “line of fire” potential.— Butch E.
• Mopar Radiator Identification Guide by part number, 1962-1974
• Chrysler Cooling Systems.
  Part 1: thermostats and optimal heat range;
  Part 2: the surprisingly wide range of radiator caps on Mopars;
  Part 3: Radiators: classic, modern, and custom;
  Part 4: Choosing coolant: classic, modern, and water-free
• Steering Wheel Restoration on a 1964 Plymouth
• Mopar Heads: Big and Small Block by Bruce Toth (Part 1)
• 1962 to 1965 Mopar Rust: Areas to Check
• How to work on Chrysler’s electronic ignition system
• Video: How a Differential Gear (SureGrip, or GM term: Posi) works
• What are 2951250 Mopar heads? They are listed in many Web sites as having 2.08 intake and 1.74 exhaust, the same valves as the 1968-70 906 heads. Stan K. answers: “A 250 head is a 906 head without core plugs on the ends, or an open chamber 915 in essence. These were used only as a 1-2 month transition deal, then the 906 heads came on the scene.”
• General Brake Tech Tips from Zeckhausen Racing
• How to adjust Chrysler Total Contact Brakes   Total-Contact Brake Service Tips Master Technician Manual
• How to Adjust Bendix brakes
• How to remove an early 1960’s Chrysler or Mopar interior door window crank handle.
• The Mopar Banjo style 8 and 3/4 rear end was introduced into the A body Mopars in 1965 and continued as an option in this platform until 1972.
• An Overview of Chrysler / Prestolite distributors
• Welding Cast Iron
• Mopar ignition switch operation: turn ignition key to run and the electric power goes to one side of the ballast resistor (blue wire typically).
  Turn the switch to start and power to the blue wire is terminated and the wire on the other side of the ballast (brown wire typically) gets power, thus skipping the ballast resistor to give a more intense spark when the starter is engaged.
  Power needs to get to the coil in both run and start key positions. If there is no power in the start position, check for corrosion in the bulkhead connector. Then test the switch.
• Gasoline fuel too hot? “The best way to see if you do indeed have a fuel boiling problem is to drive the car until it is completely warmed up, park it and wait a few minutes; then open the hood, remove the air cleaner and look down the carb throat. Do not start the engine or move the throttle. If you see raw fuel in the venturi or on the throttle plates, or fuel dripping from the boosters, then you have fuel boiling out of the bowls and flooding the engine during hot soak. Plug condition (color) is not indicative of hot-soak flooding or not.-- Also, The intake manifold crossover is the passage cast into the manifold, under the carb, that provides heat on cold start-up...but also really heats up the carb base when at operating temp. Some carbs do not like the extra heat, especially on hot soak. The fuel is heated in the bowls, and boils over into the venturies and down into the intake runners, causing flooding on hot start-up.”
• Mopar Distributor Removal and Installation How To [off site]
• How to troubleshoot an alternator
• How to Rebuild a Carburetor
• How a Carburetor Works (1937 video)
• Going Beyond the Basic Tuneup Troubleshooting
• Troubleshooting and testing ball joints
• How to check electrical circuits
• How to service wheel bearings
• How to do a complete brake job
• Exhaust Heat Valve Tech
• A MacGyver style solution to pulling an axle out of a Mopar tapered axle rear end -- a homemade puller tool, (the bottom 3 pictures)
• Heat, tune up, ping and contemporary gasoline: First check to see if the engine is not running too lean. Lean will cause excessive exhaust heat. Next timing, several people retard timing to compensate for engine knock from today’s gasoline. Retarded timing will cause excessive exhaust heat. Next, what spark plugs are you running? With today’s gas, the plugs that were recommended in the 1960’s are just too hot today, causing high exhaust temperatures. Going by Champion plugs, recommended was RJ14Y’s I use RJ10Y’s, exhaust temperstures are a lot lower and my Mopar doesn’t experience gas boil off or vapor lock as much as it did with the hotter plugs. Trying an even colder plug should be addressed for run ability or performance purposes if your engine can handle them. Also the colder plugs will help a lot reducing engine knock allowing you to advance your timing! -- Herb
• One approach to test a fan clutch: “Start with the car off. Jiggle the fan forward and back. If there is any play at the clutch shaft, its bad. Give the fan a spin. It should move freely, but stop almost instantly, as if the clutch were filled with mashed potatoes. Start the engine. The fan should turn pretty briskly; almost as fast as the crank. Now use a rolled up newspaper to gently try and stop the fan. You should be able to when its cool. Throw away the ruined newspaper. Rev the engine, you should notice that the fan increases speed, but not proportionally to the crank speed. The clutch is full of viscous fluid, so the air friction on the fan starts overcoming the friction of the fluid in the clutch and it stops accelerating with the engine. The fan won't roar. Then let it get hot. You might have to drive it around some stop and go streets to get it to lock up the clutch. Now when you accelerate, you should hear the fan roaring a little louder. If you stop the car, shut off the engine, and try to spin the fan, it shouldn't move.“ curtis73
• Engine Compression Ratio (CR) Calculator
• For my 1962 Dart I found the instrument panel voltage regulator impossible to track down near me. While I wound up using a newer style (just ran a ground wire), I found out the ones for a 1965 Mustang will fit just fine. I also could not find a listing for the horn relay, either. On a whim, checked the one for a 1965 Mustang. It is a drop-in. Go figure. -- Ray H.
• Jay asked: Q. "With the number one piston at its highest point, and a brand new after market Harmonic Balancer at its zero mark along with the stock timing cover’s TDC mark, where should the rotor in the stock distributor be pointing to, in order to get the best possible start?" A. "If you have removed the oil pump drive shaft, make sure the slot is lined up parallel with the crankshaft on B/RB engines or aiming at the left front intake manifold bolt on A/LA engines .I use a large screwdriver and a piece of gas welding rod (heavy wire, etc.) to lift and turn the drive gear while unmeshing it from the cam gear. My initial timing routine: set the damper at the advance you desire--with the ignition key in run position and the coil wire close to a ground--rotate the distributor opposite normal rotation and note the spark timing. Turn it back and forth rapidly and you can judge where it should be set. This will get you very close." -- Mike L.
• Mopar Torsion Bar Front Suspension Rebuild Tips and Tricks: Part One
• Mopar Torsion Bar Front Suspension Rebuild Tips and Tricks: Part Two
• Mopar Strut Rod Bushing Repair / Rebuild
• How to interpret Vacuum Readings to tune your engine
• Dipstick Tube Remover Tool, DIY Tip
• The early Poly engines from 1956 to 1962 use the “dish-style” 1 5/8 inch brass freeze (core) plug, #565-023 Dorman, and the later 1962 to 1966 Poly 318 engines use the “cup style” 1 5/8 inch brass freeze plug, #565-068 shallow cup or #565-030 deep cup Dorman freeze (core) plug. Notice that 1962 is a split year where the casting date will determine dish or cup style freeze plug. -- Gary P.
• More on freeze (core) plugs: Best to flush the old motor’s block, as Bob F. reports: "When the freeze plugs were replaced on my 273, the mechanic did not flush the system so the sediment and rust that had accumulated on the freeze plugs got suspended. They made their way to the radiator and plugged it on a trip, frying my engine."
  Many people use brass plug version to avoid future rust issues and use something like Permatex® Form-A-Gasket® No. 1 or Permatex® Ultra Copper High Temp RTV. Clean up the block's plug hole with very fine sandpaper (220) and wipe it down with carb or brake cleaner. Use a socket that fits inside the plug to hammer the plug evenly in. (Best not to tap on the edge of the plug.) Whenreplacing one rusted freeze plug take a look at the rest of the freeze plugs. Once one of these plugs leaks, the rest of the freeze plugs in the engine tend to join in the band, especially those at the back of the engine near the firewall. Yikes.
• The Poly engine rocker shafts are removed as follows: 1. Back off all the intake/exhaust adjusters to move the pushrods off the ball and cup positions. You will have to rotate the engine slightly to allow the two to three lifter/pushrods that are on the high point/lobe of the cam to move off the point to the base circle allowing clearance for the pushrod to slide off the ball and cup position. 2. With all the pushrods disengaged, remove the five center head bolts that secure the shaft in the head pedestals; the shaft has a slight groove that locks with these five pedestal head bolts which is why the head bolts must be removed. 3. There is one “pin” on each head that is pressed into the second pedestal on head that redundantly locks the shaft in place from rotating or sliding. Remove this pin on each head carefully so as not to destroy it as there are no replacements that I know of I do have a few spare pins that I have saved over the years but these are in short supply so be careful! 4. Success right? Now slide the shaft out of the heads and pick up the rockers as they drop from the shaft. I do have High Performance Poly Rocker Assemblies if yours are worn; the HP units have hard chromed shafts/fully bushed rockers/improved jam-nut adjusters to retain valve lash adjustment or maintain Hydraulic Cam pre-loads when using the HP Hyd. Poly Camshafts. -- Gary Pavlovich [Note: contact Gary through the 1962 to 1965 Mopar Swap Meet.]
• Advance or retard ignition timing? If not sure, remove the distributor cap and see the direction the rotor turns when the starter turns the engine. Move the distributor the same direction as the rotor is turning to retarding spark; turn the distributor the opposite of the rotor rotation to advance spark. So, adjust the initial timing by either retarding it (clockwise) or advancing it (counter-clockwise) on Mopars. [Thanks Dodger.] “I don’t use a timing light until I think it’s right usually. I use a vacuum gauge and a tach and listen to the engine as I minutely adjust the distributor. After getting the carb idle set right. When I get the highest idle and most vacuum I reset the idle and check the timing to see where it wound up. The factory specs are for pure stock low mile engines so they don’t often work well for us. My car [Poly 318] runs about 16 degrees advance now and loves it. Starts good and no ping. If a car pings on acceleration after you have it 'timed' then turn it back just a bit at a time until the pinging issue is cured. [Thanks Rich K.]
• The Carburetor Shop’s Carburetor Service and Troubleshooting Tips, including: Accelerator pumps | Bog | Chokes | Floats, brass | Floats, cork | Fuel Leak by throttle shaft | Fuel economy | Hard starting, cold | Hard starting, hot Hesitation | Stumble | Throttle body gaskets | Tripower tuning
• Mopar Instrument Panel silver paint: the 1964 original color still being made by the original manufacturer: SEM Color Coat number 15083 Silver in 12 ounce. rattle cans, found at most professional automotive paint stores. [Doug in Seattle]
• Introduction to Rebuilding Mopar Engines - Engine Rebuild Basics Part 1
• Do It Yourself Mopar Dash Restoration
• How to repair dash pad cracks. Another do it yourself example repairing a dash pad (thermo-forming).
• Do It Yourself steering wheel and dash pad restoration tips: Take marine epoxy and fill the dash pad cracks, sand it down, then heat, stretch and glue new material over dash pads; sometimes you can fill the cracks on your dashpad and paint without different material. Also, you can do the same with your steering wheel, marine epoxy, sand and paint. You can find local paint houses that will put good matchable single stage paint in a rattlecan for less than 20 bucks a can: bring in your ashtray for a paint match. -- Russell
• Floating Power Motor Mount Rebuilding
• Mopar Power Steering Pumps Chrysler/Federal and Saginaw
• Overboosted power steering feel? Reducing pressure in the Mopar power steering by varying the thickness of the shim washer. Download PUMP IT DOWN, the “How To” article: PUMP IT DOWN an article by Richard Ehrenberg originally from the old Mopar Action October 2010 issue.
• Mopar 8 3/4 differential draining: Pulling the differential is the usual method which allows you to clean out the debris that have settled in the bottom of the housing. Secondly, you can use many of the plastic hose/pump mechanisms and feed the line into the differential through the square plug filler hole and 'try' to extricate the old 90 weight gear oil, but you will not be effective at removing all of it and none of the debris. Lastly, I would recommend removing the third member to properly service the differential and if you desire, drill and tap a drain plug at the bottom of the housing for future gear oil exchange.-- [Gary P.] Also, if you drill the bottom of the housing before pulling the 3rd member then not only will the fluid be contained well but a lot of the junk in the housing will follow along. I use a 3/8 pipe plug after and when I thoroughly clean the housing out, I sometimes put down a coat of rustoleum for good measure. -- [Joey]
• Mopar master cylinder: I converted a 1966 Belvedere to non-power disc brakes. What was recommended was a 1 inch bore master cylinder that seemed to be hard to come by. I used a non power Volare master cylinder from NAPA with a 1 1/32 inch bore and it worked out great. You will find that the bores vary from about 15/16" to 1 1/8" and the larger the bore the less travel your brake pedal will have but the more leg pressure it will require to stop the car. The larger bores like the 1 1/8" are usually found in power brake applications. Plus some of the power brake master cylinder do not have the ridge inside the piston to hold the rod in place so tell the parts supplier it is for non power brakes. I would buy a brand new master cylinder not a rebuilt. -[Dan M.]
• How to use Plastigauge in the measurement of clearance in plain automotive bearings.
• Mopar door panels: “I made my own back panels....I bought a 4'x 8' sheet of Masonite board. Copied the old panels onto the board, cut them out and cut the appropiate holes where needed and the coated (painted) waterproofing on both sides. Put all the clips on them, made sure they fit and then had them covered. Fit like a glove and no one could tell the difference.” [DJ]   “I used a product called cowl board to make my car’s door panels.” [Paul L.]
• Mopar Rod and Main Bearing Guide - Basic Bearings 101
• How Plastigauge works with engine bearings
• 1963 Polara 500 unrestored engine reference photos
• As far as research has shown, A/C non-A/C heater cores are not the same in 1962-1965 B body cars. For example, part number 2277023 is for Dodge 1962-1964 w/o integral A/C, except the Custom 880, 1965 Dodge Coronet w/o inegral A/C, Plymouth 1962-64 and 1965 Belvedere w/o integral a/c but 2277193 is the part number for a 1965 B-Body A/C Heater Core. [Thanks Eric and Don] If you have the old heater core you can get it rebuilt. There is a heater rebuilder in New York that is listed on this sites’s Vendor’s page. Or a talented old-timey radiator shop near where you live may be able to rebuild the old one, or even fab a custom heater core that will work.
• Upgrading a dash radio speaker: A circumstance to be aware of before you get to much invested in speakers is the radio to speaker clearance. The replacement speaker has a substantially larger magnet hanging on the back of it than the factory speaker, thus rendering less clearance. Be sure to get speakers with a dust shield on them or make sure they have some sort of protective thin cloth cover over them. You would be surprised what all can get in there through the slots of your speaker grill. — Herb
• Part number for the Mopar big block 4 bolt valve cover gaskets: FEL-PRO Gaskets Number FPG VS11703R
• Mopar Axle Housing Widths
• Information about the Mopar 318 style polyspherical engine valve cover hold down bolts and washers: the washers come in the package with the valve cover gaskets. They are a rubber/fiber composition. 5/16X18 (NC) and 2 inch long hex head. You can also use a flat washer to spread out the pressure on the rubber gasket. -- Rich K.
• Removal of 1964 Dodge 880 dash pad: Used a butter knife. I didn't get to take pics of underneath the dash inside glovebox it was too tight a fit, it was just bolts and nuts, took pic of the underside of the dash for future reference. The light on the dash also is removed during process. — Jacob
• Carb linkage: use carburetor cleaner spray to get everything clean. Take apart each section of the linkage one by one, from the carburetor to the pedal, to be sure each moves freely without any binding. Next check the carburetor: no binding, moves freely. Take a look at the return spring on the linkage to see if does not bind. The linkage should return to normal with the original spring; if not something needs attention. (As a safety tip, consider adding another smaller spring that is about the same size as the original, but not as wide, so it will fit inside the original spring. If the original snaps the new one is a backup that prevents the accelerator from going to FULL.) Once all the linkage and carburetor parts move freely and okay you can spray silicone to see how that works. Grease will over time attract dirt and cause sticking. Using Remington Dri-Lube, or a similar product is suggested on linkage by some hot rod mechanics.
• How to wire relays to use higher output bulbs (if desired) without the risk of overloading your existing headlight wiring.
• Header Modeling Kit: Building Custom Headers
• Roadside Troubleshooting Your Mopar
• Pressed in tapered axle removal: Take a box end wrench large enough to go over the axle. Remove the castle nut, slide the wrench over the axle and reinstall the nut. Then give it good rap or two with a fist maul. Should pop right out. -- Paul L. -- Another idea: I got a nut that would fit the threads on the axle end and welded it to a nut that fit the threaded end of a slide hammer. -- MO
• Car will not start and thinking bad timing chain? Have someone crank the motor over while you hold your hand over the carb. If it puffs out air at you instead of sucking in, your timing chain has jumped. If it sounds like it is going to start but quits as soon as you let off the key, think bad ballast resistor. - Doug J.
• Tri-powers and Six-packs - Carburetors multi-carb setup
• Addition of tri-power carburetors to a V-8 engine
• Tri-power Carburetor Tuning Tips
• Use 1965 and later brake drums on a Mopar tapered axle! Mopar tapered axle rear brake conversion how to, which notes removing the wheel studs and drum from the hub can be easily done without the 'swedge' cutter just by cutting them off flush with the drum, drilling a 1/8-3/16 inch hole in the center of the stud and then simply pressing the studs out. The hole allows the stud to compress when being pressed out without damaging the hub.
• Installing wheel studs: Get some washers or an oversize nut or two (3/4 inch thread perhaps, maybe an old castellated nut from a front stub axle) and a normal 1/2 inch UNF nut, possibly a wheel nut but turned backwards so you have flat surface against flat surface between the nuts and or washers.
  Put the stud in place, tap it in most of the way, fit up packing washers or nuts, screw on the nut and begin tightening. The purpose of this is to put tension on the stud as you hammer the back so it is inspired to go fully home.
  You will find it beneficial when doing this to turn the bearing retaining flange so the flat is towards the side where you're swinging your hammer, or maybe a drift would help. Tighten the nut, give it a whack, tighten some more and so on until you're satisfied it is fully pushed in. -- Ray B. Dodger adds: I have done it multiple times the way Ray recommended, my only change to the scenario is I use multiple washers, and I always make sure the two closest to the flange are a size bigger so as the knurling does not hit the washer when tightening down.
• A how-to on installing a sewn type headliner with bows
• I put the rear bumper from a 1964 Dodge Polara onto a 1965 Dodge Coronet: it is exactly the same except you will have two blank holes. I just filled the two blank holes with chrome bumper bolts.-- Neal Z.
• Welding Tips — Down and Dirty tips for Welders
• How To Install Camshaft Bearings
• Front Vent Window Latch Removal on a 1963 Dodge (and other 1962-1965 Mopars)
• Relays: Why and How to Upgrade Your Headlamp Circuit
• If the engine idle will not drop down and there is bogging and the engine is generally not running as well as it should: if you have an Accel coil mounted horizontally, switch the position to mount that coil verically.-- George S.
• Windshield removal: First get one or two nylon window service sticks, like shown.
  
  I actually got a couple free used ones from a glass shop just by asking if they had any for sale. Then, naturally, for a pre-1968 A body remove the old lock strip, for a 1968 and later, remove the trim and "unlock" the integral locking strip. You can use the nylon sticks and maybe a little soapy water for this. Then use the nylon sticks to zip all around the weatherstrip both inside and out, to free up the glass from sticking to the rubber. This is critical, especially if there is any sealant down in there. Now, put on a pair of rubber sole shoes (I use old running shoes), and a pair of safety glasses, and climb into the middle of the seat, easy enough for the front, tougher contortion for the rear. Begin pressing with feet at the upper outer corners of the glass, just enough to move the glass a bit, and gradually work your way into the center. Then go back to the corners and work your way down the sides. Start over doing the same thing but pushing a little harder as the glass moves more freely. I generally take about 3 to 4 trips around the glass with my feet, and it is ready to pop right out. I am sure a pro shop has quicker techniques but this does work every time. It is not necessary to push at the bottom. When the top and down the sides are loose enough, push on out to freedom. Climb out of the car and pull the top of the glass on out, it will pivot at the bottom so that the bottom edge is also freed from the rubber as you go. Then hopefully with a helper you can lift the glass completely free. And yes, it does go back in with a reverse of the technique, using soapy water. Much easier to put back in because it is not sticking to the rubber. Put in the bottom edge first and work up the sides and across the top to the middle, using the nylon sticks to work the rubber over the edge of the glass. Helps to have someone else on the other side of the car, otherwise you'll need to climb up on the hood (naturally protecting the paint) to get it to pop on in there at the top edge. When it seats it will pop right down into place. I am sure that a pro would know some better way. But I have gotten to the point where I can do this every time without breakage and have done quite a few using my technique and little nylon sticks.-- Bill P.
• Engine oil: Many of the zinc-enhanced oils on the shelf report on the labe how much Zinc/ZDDP % is in each quart. This percentage is vital. You will need the correct levels to prevent your cam from going flat and you need to make doubly sure if you are aggressive/racing and turn 6000rpm plus with your pushrod motor. The magic ingredients: 1) ZDDP and 2) the oil has a SL rating. The Rule of Thumb is no less than 1200 PPM of Zinc and at least 75% (900 PPM) as much of Phosphorous as Zinc in a typical 4 quart + 1 quart for the filter of engine oil. Racing use will require a higher % and remember you need to match the % to your total oil capacity when using deep pans. Gary P.
• Tech Install: Mopar 8.75 Inch Third Member and Axle Swap
• I wanted to use the original 14 inch spinner hubcaps on my 1963 Dodge Polara 500. But I wanted bigger tires in the back and therefore needed 15 inch wheels. I got two 15 inch stainless trim rings from the boneyard and tack welded the 14 inch hubcaps to them. They pop on and off like a hubcap and you will never notice the difference looking at them. View the back 15 inch with trim ring |  View teh front 14 inch without the trim ring.—Jim A.
• Door locks for a 1965 B Body have a unique shape: 1965 only locks. Take what you have to a key shop, they can make keys. Trunk lock is available at aftermarket. If you take the door locks you have and ignition switch and/or key you can have a locksmith rework new keys, which should be around $15 a lock and they will all match. -- Ollie and Russell
• Steering columms: There are two slotted oblong spacers about 1/8 inch thick that go between the dash and the brackets as spacers for the column....the long bolts under the dash lower the wheel to people by adding spacers. Often these are missing or incorrectly reinstalled. A lot of time they fall on the floor and people think they go between the bolt and the bracket. If they are missing just use two or three flat washers on each side of the column to drop it to a comfortable location. (Also look at you seat pedestals they are adjustable up down forward and back.) -- Herb
• 1965 Plymouth Barracuda Dual Exhaust Installation
• What is a 3/4 cam? "Ed Winfield took the intake lobe from his full race cam and the exhaust lobe from his semi cam and called it a 3/4 Race cam...3/4 Race has become a generic term for a high performance street cam, i.e., something less than a race cam."
• Intake manifold: I advise blocking your OEM cast iron intake manifold heat-crossover port to preserve the longevity/integrity of the intake manifold and any “performance” increase or contrastingly “cold-weather” starting/short-run driveability and economy is a non-issue in the context of our vintage vehicles. For our vintage Mopars and their limited usage it does not amount to any appreciable/ discernable performance (seat-of-the-pants in a daily driver or mildly built engine) when the heat crossover is blocked. The REAL issue (yes, I am shouting) is that you will, over time, have a greater chance of cracking your intake manifold plenum in a cast iron manifold. -- Gary Pavlovich
• One-year only 1962 Plymouth Sport Fury had different script possibilities: 1. Sport Fury with GOLDEN COMMANDO (361 engine); 2. Sport Fury without GOLDEN COMMANDO (other than 361 engine); 3. Script for the trunk lid (different bevel to match the trunk vs the fender) 4. Script for the lower front fender (different bevel to match the fender vs the trunk lid). -- Mel Major
• Take a Q-tip and coat the inside of the spark plug boot with a dab of dielectric grease. Makes them much easier to remove the plug wire the next time. -- MO
• Mopar station wagon gas cap restoration tip: You can “rebuild” the tough to find 1962 to 1965 Mopar station wagon gas caps using a new cap for a sedan. In my case I bought a new sedan cap at AutoZone, drilled out the rivet and used the copper spring and rubber washers to “rebuild” my cap. I used CST 6046 brand but Stant 10646, 11646 carded should be the same. I also bought a chrome handle NORS Stant G-27 off eBay for a spare. Even it will need a rebuild since the cork gasket is petrified. -- Ricky H.
• Replacing Windshield Wiper Linkage Bushings on a 1965 Plymouth Fury / Sport Fury
• An Essay on Sealing a 440 Mopar Intake Manifold
• How suspension works (“As The Wheels Turn”, a 1950 Chevrolet film); suspension basics explained well
• How does the differential work? 1937 Chevrolet film; basics explained
• Restoration Build Tips: Fabrication and Magazine Restoration Articles from Jeff Lilly Restorations
• Finding Top Dead Center with a piston stop tool
• Exhaust manifold casting numbers: if you have a left side part (when viewed from the driver"s seat) the part number will end in an odd number. A right side part will be an even number. (All left or right parts are odd or even numbered, i.e., 002 003 springs. -- (Stan F.)
• About an axle procedure for repacking bearings: after carefully removing axles (float axle above seal to avoid seal damage) wash thoroughly in good solvent and blow dry. If leakage past inner grease seals is apparent, they need replacement. Outer seals are dust seals and should not be loose (indicating worn rubber-necessitating removal of entire bearing). To pack bearings I put a gob of grease on my first and second fingers and push the lube into the space between the cup and cone, until no more will fit, as I rotate the shaft (standing on the wheel studs). This method has served me well for 50 years! Mike LeFevre -- P.S. Remember; the tapered bearings are superior for side loading (cornering) to the ball bearing type (green bearings).
• how to remove rust by Electrolysis (washing soda) Thanks to Jon for the link.
• Media blasting: this you MUST know! It all started when I decided to have the trunk, hood, and fenders of my 1962 Plymouth walnut blasted. I was told that sand or other media similar would warp the surface due to heat and using walnut has an almost negative effect on metal 'change.' Do not believe that, it is all about pressure, NOT heat. I spent a couple of months prepping the Mopar's body, and finally got a chance to get the car painted. Now, the guy comes out to look at the car; he said it would cost me $750 to shoot it, not including materials....awesome....so, I also mentioned that he should come and look at it when the car is almost ready. Well, he comes back.....and....runs his hand on the hood and yup.....she's got some good stretches in it....YIKES!! I went on line to try to get some ideas on how to shrink the metal.....virtually zip...so...Another hood? What will the cost be?....Where? BUT...I ended up shrinking the metal somewhat with a heat gun....yup, got it to the point that the dips/gaps are now about .040 down.....did some more doctorin' up now......I ended up having to lay some mud onto the hood.......and on and on..... So,the lesson is, when you do any resto work do NOT blast hoods, roofs, trunks....etc. Chemically strip ONLY! The panel straightening on the Plymouth was very painstaking and took well over 30 hours to correct the hood and trunk; I wish that on NO ONE! Guys need to know to NEVER blast large surfaces....fenders OK, but never hoods, roofs etc.... — Phil
• Reparing a Mopar Emblem

Transmissions

• Mopar Transmission Cables. [Thanks to Bill Watson!]
• The gearshift control cable seal for a 1965 Torqueflite has a part number of 1316 813 for all models. It notes 11/16 OD. I found the replacement "O" ring seal at my local NAPA auto parts; NAPA part number 727-2112. -- Thanks moparbikeguy!
• Is the transmission seal for the kickdown shaft leaking on a 1965 727 TorqueFlite tranny? Seal PN 02466548 (Canadian, same as U.S.?) is a newer trucks’ shifter linkage seal that works. Take off the kickdown arm and dig out the old seal with a pointed tool. The groove on the new seal’s goes in facing UP.
• Converting to a new style 727 story.
• How to rebuild a Pushbutton Torqueflite transmission by Tony Brummett [off site link]
• Engine Support for Transmission Removal Story
• 1964 Automatic Transmission cables SERVICE BULLETIN  Thanks to Mike for the info!
• 1964 Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth Automatic Transmissions, Push-Button and Console Torqueflite Design Changes as well as push-button transmission cable adjustment tips.
• If you put a 1965 TorqueFlight into a 1962 to 1965 pushbutton car you do not need change out the 1965 manual lever (also known as the "roster comb") on the valve body. After you put the 1965 transmission into the 1962 to 1965 Mopar, the 1962 to 1964 Factory Service Manual proceedure for adjusting the shift selector cable with buttons is no longer correct. Instead, start the adjustment with the Low button depressed and held (Park off). (Holding the reverse button is what the '62 to '64 Factory Service Manual ststes about the "button" adjustment proceedure.) Check the adjustment by seeing if the neutral starting switch "makes" in both park and neutral. The manual lever was changed across the board in 1965 because Chrysler eliminated pushbuttons and the 1965 shift selector mechansim required more travel on the manual lever to accomodate the Park function, exactly like the 1964 console equipped cars. In fact, the manual lever is the same one that was used in 1964 on console shift equipped Mopars. Thanks to Wally Breer for this info!
• Tom Over writes: "I was in need of the in-line transmission filter that mounts along the side of the oil pan in front of the starter on a 1962 Dodge Polara 500. There is no internal transmission filter in this 727 Torqueflite, just a screen. The 1963's also had an external filter.


Gary H. informed me that the Fram transmission number was P1651PL, that crossed to Chrysler 2400124 and J3168060 and GM 715102 and 5579826. He wrote that he heard that all of these were out of production, but it may prove possible to find one sitting on a parts store's shelf.

He also reported that a Wix filter 58964 (a magnetic in line transmission filter) can be used as a substitute.

Well, I tracked each of those part numbers, but couldn't get my hands on any of them. So I decided since I'm going to be using this car as a daily driver and not a show car, that practicality is what counts. I went to my friendly NAPA store and looked at the parts catalogue under aftermarket filters.

I came up with part number 4755 miscellaneous filter base and part number 1320 oil filter. I then bought two Edelmann number 122520 brass elbow fittings to fit the inlet and outlet ports on the filter base, a couple lengths of 5/16 inch flexible brake line, a couple 5/16 inch brass unions and three 5/16 inch bolts, washers and nuts to mount the base.

I mounted the filter on the passenger side inner fender well, as far front as it would fit. I cut the cooler line on the passenger side coming out of the radiator, made a new section of cooler line turning 90 degrees and up to the inlet port of the base. Then another new section of line coming out the outlet port and back down to the existing original line that was cut. I double flared both ends and joined them with a union.

The transmission filter works like a champ! Maybe someone else will benefit from my solution."
• Ricky writes: There is a Magnefine filter of the same design as the WIX filter 58964. Link Plus the Magnefine comes in different line sizes where the WIX only 5/16, They even have a metal version that may fit the AN fitting lines.
• “To identify Mopar TorqueFlite 727 transmissions: There is a way to identify most 727 units. Beginning July 29, 1961 Chrysler began to use the 10,000 Day Calender. You will find a series of numbers along the left side rail, just in front of the neutral safety switch. Look along the rail just above the pan gasket and you should find 3 groups of characters stamped into the case.
  Sample: AA1234567 1234 1234
  The second set of four numbers will give you the build date of the 727. If you think your 727’s are from 1963 or 1964, we can find the exact date they were built. On 1/1/1963 the number would be 0552 thru 0886. On 1/1/1964 the number would be 0887 thru 1252. We can take your code number and add or subtract from these codes to get your build date.” -- Nick T. TorqueFlite transmission identification numbers chart
• 1966 was the last year for the 19 spline shaft in a TorqueFlite transmission. In 1967 they switched to a 24 spline shaft; if you have a cable shift housing with a 24 spline shaft in it, some one has changed the shaft/pump out to the later style. This was a popular thing to do to have more choices in torque convertor selection. -- Dodger
• The nine different Mopar ToqueFlite transmissions used during the 1960’s: 1) slant-6 904 cable shift ball-and-trunion (1960-1965); 2) slant-6 904 rod shift slip-yoke (1966-up); 3) small-block 904 cable shift ball-and-trunion (1964-1965); 4) small-block 904 rod shift slip-yoke (1966-up); 5) small-block 727 cable shift ball-and-trunion (early-1964 B-body 318s); 6) small-block 727 cable shift slip-yoke (1965 only B-body 318s); 7) big block 727 cable shift ball-and-trunion (early-1964); 8) big-block 727 cable shift slip-yoke (1965 only); 9) big-block 727 rod shift slip-yoke (1966-up) Source There is also A-100 transmission that used with a short tail shaft.
• Does your Mopar’s transmission cable leak? A repair to try: “Take a piece of long shrink tube from the interior end slide it down, heat it up and done. Use the kind of shrink tube that will shrink the most, as some do not. Been there done that: still dry after 4 years. Could not be easier; and I have even used this method to mate different cables as happens when doing custom engine swaps.” —  Doug
• In 1965, the Mopar TorqueFlite 727 transmissions used a slip yoke driveshaft connection while the TorqueFlite 904 transmissions used a Ball and Trunion style driveshaft connection. Thanks Herb!
• To adjust the TorquFlite transmission kickdown, press the gas pedal to the floor and adjust the kickdown rod so that it pushes the lever on the transmission back toward the rear of the car. You want the transmission lever to stop going back just before it reaches the fully-back position. When the linkage is at that throttle position, confirm the carburetor’s butterfly throttle valves are fully open. The 1962 Factory Service Manual reads “It is desirable to limit the maximum vehicle speed at which kickdown may be made (approximately 60 MPH from drive or second to breakaway)....”
• The LowDown On Stock Torqueflite Kick-Down Linkage
• Basic Automatic Transmission Tips Fluid Change
• TorqueFlite Automatic Transmission fluid amount: If you drain the old fluid from the pan as well as from the torque converter, then you add 5 new quarts, let the engine idle in neutral and add approximately 1 more quart. Let the engine idle for 2 minutes then, with the parking brake on, press each push button briefly and end in the N position. Shut off the engine and add fluid as needed to get to the FULL mark. With a warm engine and the motor shut off the fluid level should show between the FULL marking and 5/8" above the full mark.
• The TorqueFlite transmission filler tube O-ring is 9/16" x 3/4" which is industrial Part number 113-- Enzo. The O-ring also measures at 3/4" OD, .100" cross section, per Mile L.
• The TorqueFlite transmission throttle pressure shaft (kickdown) seal, O.E.M. 1732183, 2205300 and 2466548 maps to NAPA 1-3308
• Installing a torque converter in a TorqueFlite transmission: "when installing the torque converter you must get it in the right position so it will set in and hear a clunk, clunk. If no double clunk is heard, remove the torque converter and try another position. The torque converter will go on and appear correct even though no double clunk noise but if it is not installed right it will bind and sieze when it gets moved." Thanks to Ruth for the tip.
• The pilot bearing conversion is for putting a 833 four speed behind an engine that the crank is not drilled for a pilot bearing. It is a pilot bearing in a bushing that fits inside of the torque converter snout register. They can be either the sintered bronze pilot bearing or a needle bearing pilot. That moves the pilot bearing location closer to the clutch splines on the tranny input shaft and requires cutting off a little of the end of the input shaft. Works great--BUT...Pre-fit the new pilot bearing onto the input shaft. It must slide onto the input shaft all the way up to where the clutch splines start. Many inputs are slightly larger just ahead of those splines and will not allow the bearing to go all the way to the clutch splines. That area must be dressed down on the input shaft.... I learned long ago not to install the tranny to belhouse bolts and pull the tranny into place! -- MO  |  About cranks and pilot bushings, I learned the hard way that some cranks are drilled but not reamed for a bushing. NAPA sells a bushing that is undersize for a drilled and not reamed pilot hole. Tha bushing is 615-1099 at NAPA.--Stan
• The NAPA number is 15620 for a rear oil seal for the tail shaft housing on a TorqueFlite 727 PushButton 1962-1964, (maybe 1965). (Rich)
• 1962 to 1965 Mopar Transmission Torque Converter Upgrade Swap in a few parts from a 1967-and-up TorqueFlite 727 to retain the pushbutton style TorqueFlite but use a later style torque converter.
• How a transmission works. (“Spinning Levers”) 1936 Chevrolet Auto Mechanics film; manual transmission and synchromesh basics explained
• Many parts catalogs list a transmission mount like Anchor 2272 (right) as fitting some 1962 to 1965 A and B body Mopars, But the correct transmission mount looks like the mount on the left, manufactured by Imperial Services.
  
  The Anchor-style transmission mount is too narrow for the metal flange, and has three bolts instead of four. Thanks to Ric H. for the picture and information. Joe Suchy and other vendors stock Imperial Services parts.
• The 1962-1965 transmission cables are all very similar with a few exceptions. On the top end, pushbutton shift cables have a 1/8" hole in the eyelet. Console cables have a 3/16" hole, and column shift cables generally have a rubber bushing with a steel sleeve with a 3/16" ID. Pushbutton park lock cables have a long (3"+) eyelet with a 3/16" hole. Console cables have a 3/16" hole in a short eyelet, and column shift cables have the same rubber bushing arrangement as the shift cable described above.
  On the bottom end, pushbutton shift cables have a very thin (less than 1/16") groove on the bayonet ("pointy part"), while the console and column cables have a 1/4" wide groove. All cables have the same 11/16-24 threaded adjusting end with the same threaded adjusting wheel, which was also used on some earlier cars. All park lock cables have the same adjusting ferrule and short bayonet with the same thin groove as the pushbutton shift cable.
  The shift cable takes a 3/32" thick 11/16" o-ring, while the park lock cable takes a 1/16" thick 7/16" o-ring.
  A couple of things to watch out for - the shift adapter (the part that receives the bayonet) is specific to the cable and it is used with. The pushbutton adapter simply captures the bayonet, while the console and column adapter has an internal spring mechanism that allows the cable to overtravel into the park position. The manual valve detent lever (rooster comb) is also specific to the adapter; pushbutton levers have a 1/4" hole for the adapter while the console and column levers have a 3/16" hole for the adapter. The pushbutton adapter fastens to the manual valve detent lever with a nut, while the console and column adapter fastens to the lever with an external snap ring. I've used the console/column pieces (as a set) on a pushbutton car but don't recommend it. Pushbutton pieces cannot be used on a console or column car as there is no provision for park.
  Be sure to follow the recommended procedure for removing the park lock cable. Do not remove the 5 bolts in the park lock cover before removing the cable. Doing so can damage a spring inside and you're into more repairs than you needed to make.
  If your car has original cables, the less handling the better. The greatest failure for these cables is leaking at the adjuster - any movement of the 60 year old plastic at the ferrule can cause a leak. If yours doesn't leak, avoid it.
  Last thing is to get a service manual specifically for your car. -- Steve Charette