Hi all,

As the title says I'm new to MOPARs, but have been turning wrenches on musclecar Fords for decades - current stable includes a '69 GT350 4sp with a 392W (stroker 351) and '65 Mustang coupe that I swapped in an EFI 5.0.

The new MOPAR is a beautiful '65 Coronet wagon (base model) slant 6, absolutely rust free southern Cal car, with great paint. I crossed paths with it at a car show, and it started talking to me - and it was for sale so I bought it. I had been looking for a wagon for over a year, no particular brand, just waiting for the solid, priced right car, to show itself.

Plans call for a V-8 swap, though I know this may also involve a "K" member swap (?), and a front disc brake swap. Wont be planning a big block swap, but after my success swapping the 5.0 EFI into my '65 Mustang, I'm thinking of swapping a late madel EFI 5.7 HEMI in this thing.

Thoughts?

Looking forward to the forum. I'm an "active" car guy, like the drag strip, long distance driving, cruising, whatever. Done the Woodward Dream Cruise in '01 (trailered my 69 Shelby up), Monterey Historics, Route 66 Rendezvous, SEMA, Lots of Goodguys events, etc.

Cheers,

Bryan

 

hi bryan, welcome to the forum, you have a nice collection of rides. Congrats on joining the mopar ranks. glad to have you aboard. on the v-8 swap, I dont know about the 5.7 motors, but if you go to a small block carbuerated setup. the trans mount location is the same on the older b-bodies, but the k-frame, you can use a k-frame and whole front susp. from a 67-70 b=body small block donor,on your 65, and it actually sets the motor back an inch for better weight transfer. and you still dont have issue w/ the dist,/ and cap hitting the firewall. b-bodies are road runner , super bee, coronet, satelite, charger, belevedere,you can use a 4 door front sus. too theyre the same as a 2 door. On disc brakes, they make kits for the con. starting at 7 bills, then go up from there. if you want to old school it, then a disc setup from a 71-75 b-body will work, charger, it loweres the ride height about an imnch, but its not a big deal. hope that this helps. there is a web site. 63-65 b-bodies for parts and advice, hope this helps.gain glad to have you.Doug

 

welcome to the forum

 

Thanks for the words. I'll probably end up putting a carb powered small block as it's the easiest to do. For right now, I'll just drive it for a while.

Any idea what rearend it might have?

 

Could be a 7 1/4 or 8 1/4 rear axle. If you are thinking about a 5.7L, then why not a 6.1L?

Welcome to the forum!

 

welcome aboard Bryan, you've come to the right place, everyone on here is awesome and there is deffinitley someone here who can help you out

 

your rear might be a 7 1/4
post up a pic and we could tell you

 

I'll crawl under and take a few photos of the rearend.

As for "...If you are thinking about a 5.7L, then why not a 6.1L" no reason other than $$$

 

"So , let me get this straight…..your Honda has 1.6 liters, whereas my bottle of diet Coke has 2?"


That's hilarious, love it. welcome to the show man.

 

Welcome ......

 

haha

 

 

That my friend looks like an 8 3/4 rear.

 

Wow - no kidding?! That would be great!

Since I'm not completely savy MOPAR (yet!), I wondered if it might be a 8 3/4 as it is a "banjo" style rear like a Ford 8 and 9 inch. But sisnce I've never seen a 7 1/4, or 8 1/4 I thought maybe they were banjos too.

Great news if true!

 

take a pic of the other side of the rear end
then we can definetly tell you if it is an 8 3/4

 

Don't know if this has been posted here or not...But it's a good chart anyway.

 

it looks like an 8 3/4. but the early units had a different style of axle flange, the pre-67 units had a nut on the end of the axle you tightened down , the 67- and up had a 5 lug flange that bolted onto the banjo tube. the nut type had a habit of snapping undr extreme pressure loads. but an 8 3/4 from a 67-70 b-body will work in your car, itll bolt right in.

 

Good Morning and welcome to the Mopar forum. Your going to be glad you found us.

 

welcome Bryan, I am a new to the forum also. Don

 

Here are some photos:

 

Sweet look wagon...

 

nice ride, nut in my opinion leave it a /6. everybody wants to do a v8 swap and most people have. just fix up the 6 real good. leave it how its supposed to be.

 

looks good man

 

thanks for the pics, sweet ride man.

 

very nice ride man, I love the old mope wagons.

 

that wagon is sweet, is that an 8 track inside the door, that is a car made for driving and I would keep the 6 in it and drive the wheels off it

 

That is so sweet...

 

Did you figure anything out with regards to the rear end ? If you can locate the casting numbers on the rear. If it is a "741" ( the small pinion 1 3/8" ) 8 3/4 the casting will have a large X cast in the left side.

If the rear is the "742" this is the large pinion rear ( 1 3/4" ) it may have a large 2 cast on the left side.

If the rear is the "489" this is the tapered pinion ( 1 7/8" ) it will have a large 9 stamped in it. Through 1965 the ratio was stamped in the id boss of the rear end followed by an S for sure grip. After 65 the ratio was stamped in a tag that was located under the carrier mounting nuts. Sometimes there was a Sure Grip lube tag applied or as crazy as this is the filler nut/plug was painted orange.
Let us know what ya find man.

 

I did the late model Hemi swap. EASY. and cheap.

Of course mine went a little beyond the normal "stock" swap. with the nitrous I am about 800 hp. I swapped to a dual carb set-up and am using an MSD ignition. Go to Crazy4Carz.Com under forums for a complete history on the build. Or drop me a note for more questions.

 

Very nice wagon!

As far as the rear end goes, it is an 8 3/4, just depends now on which 8 3/4 it is. They are all strong and desirable.