Did you know that Mopar Connection Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Kevin Shaw and Technical Editor Mike Wilkins wrote The Mopar B-body Restoration Guide for CarTech books? Yup, we did and now Mopar Connection has officially paired up with CarTech to provide you all of the necessary reading material and tutorial information to help you along the way to restore, modify and rebuild your Mopar!
Recently we launched The Mopar Connection Bookshelf, as part of this online magazine and website. Simply look up at the navigation bar above this article and you’ll see “BOOKS” as an option. Click that link and BAM! you’re at the Bookshelf! Here you will find all of the latest full-length books available for purchase (including our B-body Restoration Guide).
Here’s the official press release below:
The Mopar Connection Bookshelf is supported by CarTech, Inc. CarTech is one of the leading publishers of how-to automotive titles for the hardcore enthusiast. CarTech’s publishing efforts include traditional performance “S-A Design” titles along with race histories, biographies of industry icons; in addition to a number series that further assist readers with their projects:
- Restoration Series for total restorations
- Workbench Series for rebuilders,
- Projects Series for in-depth coverage of major tasks
- Pro Series for subjects requiring a more in-depth, technical review
CarTech is a company run by enthusiasts…for enthusiasts. No matter what the trends, from pro street to pro touring, from tire shredding big blocks to high revving electronically controlled turbo mills, CarTech will bring it to you.
Do, or will you have in close future stories, cover transplanting a 5.7 with a 5 speed Auto. out of a 05 Charger R/T into 70-74 Challenger. Need info on electrical and mechanical options. I have everything including 12” stub exhausts. If you are not, could you direct me somewhere? The car is on Rotiss. now.
The modern transmission swap is almost always a deal breaker. Not only does it require hacking the entirety of the trans tunnel out but it also means having to use a heavily modified factory ECU & TCM harness, which is both costly and a pain in the butt. There are several stand-alone harnesses that work for the engine, allowing you to use a 3-speed LA small block TorqueFlite or a 5 or 6-speed Tremec swap. If you MUST go automatic, go with the TorqueFlite with a GearVendor overdrive or a Silver Sport Transmissions A41 small block kit.
Your response to Ron indicates this subject would make a great article. I do not recall any Mopar magazine having done such an article. All I have been able to pick up is a little here and there. For example, if one wants to keep using the RE tranny instead of an RH in their swap. Heck, it took me hours of research to confirm I could not put a NAG or an RFE in my vehicle (looking for something with better gears in it and more fuel efficient than a 727/A518) unless floor pan mods were done–and then what about the wiring?
Hopefully whoever writes the article will not have to do a lot of research. Sure a book on what wires to cut and connectors to use would be a great help; but even a single article indicating what would work, how, and why not would be a big help–especially with all the WRONG information found on chat boards. I am sure all the chat boards would be referencing/linking it.
Hooking up the tranny, for the street, and the dash board is the last big hurdle for updating any older Mopar getting an engine and tranny swap. Any true Mopar Man will agree: We drive a Mopar so it has to use Mopar power.
Wow. You’ve only given me MORE reason to discourage people to use the RFE and RLE transmissions (which I almost ALWAYS do). Doing so (as you uncovered) not only requires extensive hacking of the factory floors but almost wholesale weakening of the car’s unibody substructure. (This of course, leaves out the massive issues of trying to transplant the TCU harness and attempting to support such a system – with the engine harness – all on a antiquated-from-day-one, 50-year-old wiring harness.)
The best solutions are either a 727, a 727 with a Gear Vendor, a Silver Sport A41 4-speed overdrive, or a 5-speed Tremec swap. I’ve also heard of too many troubles using a A518 as well.