'66 Dodge D-Dart at Mecum auction

[ddartdude]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Not sure if anyone is still following this thread. But I think I've got some final pieces for the D-Dart.
The car was shipped with the "Inland" shifter. Because it had a positive lock-out reverse mechanism. Safety issue. The "Hurst" shifter was supposed to placed in the trunk, and installed by the dealer. I am still searching for the "Hurst" part #. The shifter was boxed in a white "Hurst" box with linkage.
Not sure about the Dick Landy prep on the car. He spent 1966 out campaigning his 66' Funny Car Dart all over the country.
Finally, the original 273/235HP Commando intake manifolds had bore holes of 1 7/16" primary and 1 9/16" secondary, for the Carter #4119
500 CFM carburetor.
The 273/275HP D-Dart manifold had the center shut-out area removed,
to allow for free-breathing (hence; modified intake manifold). A carb-adapter plate was required, because the carb-flange on the Holley
700 CFM carburetor did not line up with the stock intake, and added clearance was required for the butterfly linkage. The modified intake still had the stock cast iron intake part #. The manifolds were modified at the
factory (custom prepped), before installation.
If you went to your local Dodge dealer and ordered a D-Dart conversion kit. You didn't get a modified intake, what you got was a .938 thick
carb-spacer/adapter-flange, with 1 11/16" primary and intake openings for the Holley carb.
Sounds like only (50) 4-barrel cast iron manifolds were custom prepped
by the factory. You could not order one over the parts counter.
Paul
A simple bolt-on unit.

Paul,
I never heard of the Hurst shifter being in the trunk. Just the headers and I believe a specially built y-pipe. I'll check with the original owner of my first car and another D/Dart owner that I know.

As far as the intake goes. It was the one used on the w/C.A.P engines. The part number is 2536771. It has 4 --- 1 11/16" holes in it that match the holes in the 1/2" thick aluminum spacer/adapter. The center was not machined out. I'll have to look and see if I have a picture of my engine when I was taking it apart.

The heads on the D/Dart, P/N 2658920, were also from the w/C.A.P. engine option. These had 1.87" intake and 1.50" exhaust valves. The stock heads had 1.78 and 1.50 valves.

Where you able to scan the Performance Review (?) article for me? D/Dart vs. Mustang.

Thanks for the info on the D/Darts. I've been following the other LO23 thread that you've been participating in. Very informative --- to say the least.

Alan

[bill dedman]

Alan,

What was the " w/C.A.P. engine option."????

[ddartdude]

Originally Posted by bill dedman

Alan,

What was the " w/C.A.P. engine option."????

It stands for "with clean air package". I think it was for California.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Alan,
Good hunting there. Headers in trunk, just like the 67 R/O Plymouth and
67 W/O Dodge race packages. Always had a question about those
Doug Headers with the smaller collector sizes. NHRA limited collector sizes, they could not exceed the size of the largest diameter of the exhaust system (I think 2 3/4" was the opening in that large "Y" pipe) or a tad smaller. For stock classes, Super Stock could have openings up to
3 1/2".
The cast iron intakes with the 1 11/16" openings for primary and secondary were found on marine applications, as they all pretty much utilized Holley carburetors. Dig up Chrysler Marine info, you'll find a bunch of stuff. They were really leaps and bounds ahead of the small-block drag race guys at Chrysler. In 68', many of the 318 marine engines had the larger-bore cast iron intakes on the engines, and better camshafts, thanks to Camcraft, out of Easton, Maryland.
Paul, (Bigger valve size, that one I have got to look into. As for the
shifter, I think it was a 1966 safety issue. Requiring a positive lock-out on the reverse gear and/or indicator on all cars, Protecting the factory from liability claims.)

[Paul Ceasrine]

Alan,
The D-Dart mysteries makes your head spin.
Kind of like a 16 year-old virgin on a carousel, at a prison rodeo.
The D-Dart carb spacer part #2863052 (.938 thickness).
The intake (free-flowing/modified intake) may have been an earlier version, similar to, Vanke's intake modifications on the 67' R/O and W/O Hemi Super/Stock manifolds.
One things for sure, all small-block 273 Mopar guys were cutting out the center shut-out areas on the intakes, for increased air-flow at top-end, back then. As well as putting on a 15/16"-thick heat-risers between the carb. and intake, to prevent vapor lock.
Paul (I'm not sure, but the Hurst # may start with a DP-.... ???

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Alan,
The D-Dart mysteries makes your head spin.
Kind of like a 16 year-old virgin on a carousel, at a prison rodeo.
The D-Dart carb spacer part #2863052 (.938 thickness).
The intake (free-flowing/modified intake) may have been an earlier version, similar to, Vanke's intake modifications on the 67' R/O and W/O Hemi Super/Stock manifolds.
One things for sure, all small-block 273 Mopar guys were cutting out the center shut-out areas on the intakes, for increased air-flow at top-end, back then. As well as putting on a 15/16"-thick heat-risers between the carb. and intake, to prevent vapor lock.
Paul (I'm not sure, but the Hurst # may start with a DP-.... ???

Wonderful research, thanks for the in-depth info, keep it coming!

Thanks,

JimR

[ddartdude]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Alan,
The D-Dart mysteries makes your head spin.
Kind of like a 16 year-old virgin on a carousel, at a prison rodeo.
The D-Dart carb spacer part #2863052 (.938 thickness).
The intake (free-flowing/modified intake) may have been an earlier version, similar to, Vanke's intake modifications on the 67' R/O and W/O Hemi Super/Stock manifolds.
One things for sure, all small-block 273 Mopar guys were cutting out the center shut-out areas on the intakes, for increased air-flow at top-end, back then. As well as putting on a 15/16"-thick heat-risers between the carb. and intake, to prevent vapor lock.
Paul (I'm not sure, but the Hurst # may start with a DP-.... ???

Paul,
You come up with some great quote.........................Lov'em

The spacer that came on the D/Darts was a 1/2" aluminum plate. It was an in-house, crudely machined part. Not sure what the over-the-counter part (2863052 - carb flange) dimensions are. But, the price was $18.95.

I popped open the throttle plates on "The Pollitician" a little while ago. It has the 4 holes in the intake. I'm sure if it ment picking up a few ponies, Ted Spehar or Al Adam would have cut out the center.

Sent out a couple of emails looking for info on the Hurst shifter. In the SS&DI article on "The Pollitician", there's a shot of the interior with a thin, round handled Hurst shifter. It might be the one that your talking about. It's also seen on the D/Dart campaigned by Coronet Dodge.
Alan

[Paul Ceasrine]

Alan,
On the Hurst shifter. Still tracking info. Stuck on part #3916790, But that comes up for a 66'-69' B-Body. I wonder if that was also used for the
D-Dart. It came through with a long-handle shifter (16", I think). Now the
65' Darts (273/235HP Commando's) came through with the Hurst shifter
as standard equipment. Wondering, if they utilized that shifter with the
D-Dart?? As I said earlier, the Inland shifter (for 66', 67' and early 68')
Mopars had to be installed in the cars for safety reasons (positive
reverse lock-out mechanism). After they got to the dealers, than the options were installed (ie; Doug Headers).
As for the intake, I'm wondering if there were (2) different versions. The
66' 273 marine engines and early "LA" 318 marine engines had a modified intake with the center shut-out area removed. I know that for a fact, because at my fathers engine shop we had several 273/318 marine engines come in with factory installed Holley carbs on the intake, not sure of cfm size, maybe 600's or 650's. The adapters were aluminum, and had 4-tapered holes (funnel-type), mounted on the open-throat intake.
paul

[dart4forte]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Alan,
Good hunting there. Headers in trunk, just like the 67 R/O Plymouth and
67 W/O Dodge race packages. Always had a question about those
Doug Headers with the smaller collector sizes. NHRA limited collector sizes, they could not exceed the size of the largest diameter of the exhaust system (I think 2 3/4" was the opening in that large "Y" pipe) or a tad smaller. For stock classes, Super Stock could have openings up to
3 1/2".
The cast iron intakes with the 1 11/16" openings for primary and secondary were found on marine applications, as they all pretty much utilized Holley carburetors. Dig up Chrysler Marine info, you'll find a bunch of stuff. They were really leaps and bounds ahead of the small-block drag race guys at Chrysler. In 68', many of the 318 marine engines had the larger-bore cast iron intakes on the engines, and better camshafts, thanks to Camcraft, out of Easton, Maryland.
Paul, (Bigger valve size, that one I have got to look into. As for the
shifter, I think it was a 1966 safety issue. Requiring a positive lock-out on the reverse gear and/or indicator on all cars, Protecting the factory from liability claims.)

Paul,

Buddy of mine has one of those marine intakes with the 1 11/16" bores at the last swap meet we wereselling at. I almost fell over myself when I saw the intake unloaded and that he was selling it. First thing that caught my eye was those large bores and I thought I had scored. Disappointed when I checked the part number.

[bill dedman]

Originally Posted by ddartdude

It stands for "with clean air package". I think it was for California.

Thanks, Alan.