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From: Daven Anderson
Email: l96lfury@springmail.com
Remote Name: 199.174.229.15
Date: September 18, 2002
I'm not a know-it-all (sorry,Alumcan) BUT let's get some basics./ MOTOR MOUNTS: Best way to go is to reuse the existing mounts and rework the top braket holes to bolt to the 440. The stock bracket hole locations are pretty close to where they need to be. TRANS MOUNT: The trans. crossmember needs to be modified (can be done several ways,but all involve cutting and welding) REAR AXLE: The NY'er rear axle is a good swap choice. Use as is. Hook up the parking brake lever cable to the cable from the DeSoto's foot brake. DRIVESHAFT: NOT the orig. DeSoto shaft,for sure! The NY'er driveshaft may work. There is only 2" difference in the wheel base (De Firesweep= 122" '66 NY= 124") BUT added with the difference in engine/trans. mounting location between the two cars it may NOT work. I can't say for sure,but try the NY'er driveshaft first. (I personally think it's a good idea to get a new driveshaft with all swaps,as 30-40 year old shafts are usually out of optimum balance anyway!) SHIFTING: I think you should use a floorshifter if you use the '66 transmission. You CAN swap in a 3-speed dash pushbutton assembly, put a weak shifter spring in the valve body, and go through the trial-and-error setup stage until it goes through the RND321 arc; BUT really if you want the pushbuttons you should locate a '62-64 pushbutton 727 ('65 also possible if you swap in the '62-64 valve body). Add that to also finding the '57 dash pushbuttons to shift it with,and the fact that you want a driver; I'd say use a floorshift.
