Who has installed a 518 in a 68-70 B body?

[Kern Dog]

Please forgive the question! I know that I have asked it before but I forgot to make note of the answer!

I once had a Gear Vendors unit in my 70 Charger. The .78 overdrive was better than none but I had driveline vibrations and other problems that made it less than ideal. I like the idea of using a Mopar transmission instead of the GM based 4L60 that is available.
I do not like manual transmissions, so I am staying with an automatic. I have a 440/493 so I will need to use one of those JW bell housings or something like that. The 727 I currently have shifts okay but not great. This 518 swap is not an immediate necessity, just something I am considering. I could piece things together slowly and do the swap during the off time in the Winter.

[ws23rt]

Why are you looking at the 518? is their something about it that has caught your attention in particular?

[cdr]

ME!!!! it aint fun.   Hows that return regulator workin for ya?

[Kern Dog]

Why are you looking at the 518? is their something about it that has caught your attention in particular?

Yes ! the .69 overdrive would make a huge difference in cruise RPM. Mileage increase? Yeah, that would be nice but the OD also allows a deeper axle ratio for better acceleration in 1st thru 3rd as well. The GM based transmissions are offered by Silver Sport but I'm thinking of doing this a little at a time, mainly to spread out the costs over several months. If a 2004R could be beefed and fitted with a Mopar BB bell, I'd like that. The ratios are better than the 518 with 1st gear being something like 2.74 to 1.
I recall that it was CDR that did a 518 install. I thought I read somewhere that they do fit without cutting the body, the trans case has reinforcing ribs that can be cut for clearance. I can make my own trans crossmember. I can have the driveshaft shortened. I can wire a toggle switch for the OD.
For now, I'm just gathering info. Thanks to anyone who cares to chime in. 

[Kern Dog]

Oh yeah, the return regulator install went well. I was impressed to see that I had no leaks either!

[cdr]

Here is some info, I also used the JWBELL set up

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,116725.msg1448658.html#msg1448658

[67Charger440]

I'm in the middle of it right now.  I'll post a few pics in a bit, but the short version is the front half of the top torsion bar crossmember essentially disappears and the forward half if the inner mounting bolt hole for the lower crossmember is gone too.  Some heavy mods to the lower crossmember, and you are in like flint.

[67Charger440]

Some of the earlier pics of just getting it to fit without the tailshaft dipping down and screwing with the driveshaft angles

[Kern Dog]

Thank you. I'm not so concerned with the crossmember. I can cut, weld and grind just fine! I'm just concerned about cutting into the body. Its not as if I have any intentions of selling the car though, I shouldn't be hesitant to break a few eggs here.

[cdr]

Thank you. I'm not so concerned with the crossmember. I can cut, weld and grind just fine! I'm just concerned about cutting into the body. Its not as if I have any intentions of selling the car though, I shouldn't be hesitant to break a few eggs here.

did you look at my link ?

[Kern Dog]

The link I saw looked like a response CDR had to another topic. Maybe I was somehow REdirected through a glitch? I'll try again, thanks!

[Kern Dog]

Yeah, that link went to a response to a question about the transmission mount. I could see though in the pictures of the mods done to the torsion bar crossmember.

[cdr]

jwbell bolts to front pump bolts

converted my stock shifter to cable

[cdr]

trans before & after grinding for clearance

[cdr]

after cutting stock bell housing & installed JWbell

[cdr]

cut tbar x member & trial fitting

[cdr]

making xmember

[cdr]

trans mount

[cdr]

I had to dent the floor pan in a few places, also I dropped the kframe .5 in, this car has no driveshaft vibration.

[cdr]

it works

[Kern Dog]

Interesting, CDR. The shifter situation is another obstacle I was unsure about. Thank you for the pictures, they are helpful.
Does the trans shift the way that you like? I prefer firm shifts that increase in firmness with more throttle. Is is fair to say that the 518 can be built with the same shift qualities as a 727?

[Mike DC]

                           
A few comments.  I have not done this swap but I have considered it for a while:


--  There is a wide range of feedback about how much cutting & fabbing is necessary.  

--  The overdrive version's trans fluid pan hangs down about 1" lower than the old 3spd versions.  (You can't just swap an older pan onto an A518.  There are internal parts demanding the lower-hanging one.)

--    IIRC somebody is making a lower gearset for the 727s.  Something like 2.75 in 1st and 1.55 in 2nd.  Stick those gears in an A518 and it would be similar to the GM tranny ratios.

--  The A518's overdrive gear is reportedly not as strong as the 3 gears in the older 727-based portion of the tranny.

--  The lockup converter involved some hardware changes from the older trannys, as well as different converters.  Decide whether you want a lockup or not before you start buying stuff.

[cdr]

Interesting, CDR. The shifter situation is another obstacle I was unsure about. Thank you for the pictures, they are helpful.
Does the trans shift the way that you like? I prefer firm shifts that increase in firmness with more throttle. Is is fair to say that the 518 can be built with the same shift qualities as a 727?

yes they can be made to shift the way you want ,they are basically a727 with an od  ,mine is all manual, I don't like it kicking down at highway speed cause my car likes to blow the tires off.