so im doing a tko 500 in my 70 duster. im not using a kit, and have a few questions/need for suggestions.

following the sticky over on moparts, ive sourced the pilot bearing, throwout bearing for my stock clutch setup, and turned down mt input bearing retainer. also modifying my lakewood when i get there.
also have a 3 inch aluminum driveshaft with the correct trans yoke, so ill be shortening that when i get my proper length.

for clutch, Spec is getting me one with the proper setup for my 10 spline input and chrysler pressure plate. ive used their stage 2+ for years, and love it.

where im having some difficulty is the cutting portion of it all. i know im going to have to cut the center out of my t-bar crossmember. i have the old style bigblockdart.com subframe connectors in the car (2X3 steel tubing). ive seen guys using aftermarket tranny crossmembers welded to their subframe connectors. ive seen guys leave it alone after cuttin the center out. ive seen all sorts of stuff. i use the car for autocross, open track, and street driving, still with a torsion bar susoension. to say it gets driven hard would be an uderstatement. so chassis rigidity is a concern.

i found american powertrain will sell the crossmember/reinforcement piece seperate from their entire swap, but only with the throwout bearing, pilot bearing, and other stuff i can get soemwhere else cheaper. gonna cost about 500+ for those parts. what keisler sells in theor kits doenst look like it adds regidity back in for the cut crossmember. and theres no guarentee that either of their parts would work, as they both alter the tras case for better fitment.


i also have the 3 inch TTI x-pipe exhaust to clear, so that has a part to play as well.

so what route should i go? should i fab myself soimething, and if som, what? or should i spend the moneyand possibly have to re-engineer it? ive got the ability to cut and weld, as well as do minor fab, but not do tubing bending.

if i go my own, how would you do it given what i have to work with? car is an origonal 4 speed car, but keeping the hump is not necessary. matter of fact, i plan on removing it for a mittle more foot room.

thansk for any help you can give me.

michael

no one?

id love to have some more feedback. ive got a couple of ideas form other forums, but would like a greater consensus before proceeding.

michael

I'm putting a T56 behind my 440. Kinda the same idea as what you're doing. I will also have to hack up the torsion bar crossmember. I plan on doing something like this, bending a thick piece of steel flat bar and welding it in. I have a hard time seeing that being weaker than the factory crossmember, although I do realize a boxed section of steel is very strong. I suppose you could also make a bolt on piece to go underneath the trans in this spot to give it a bit of extra rigidity.