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Captain Chaos · Post by **Captain Chaos** » Wed Mar 29, 17 1:11 pm

That Loop Bumper is cool,nice Car.

karlee1433 · Post by **karlee1433** » Wed Mar 29, 17 6:00 pm

Welcome

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Fri Mar 31, 17 7:46 pm

Welcome my friend, thats nice and different I dont think ive ever seen one before.

Getawaydriver · Post by **Getawaydriver** » Sat Apr 01, 17 7:16 pm

Thank you all for your kind comments, I will try and post some pictures of the car when I can figure out how to do it. Thanks Matt for posting some pictures for me.
My real name is Phillip Hodge, a similar name to Dodge!
Dave81 asked if the car was for sale at dealer a while ago and I think it was. I remember seeing the car on eBay last year. I bought the car 4 weeks ago from my neighbour.
I've since discovered that it's not your ordinary South African Dodge SE, it's been modified. At some point in its life the car has been fitted with a Chrysler 383cu BIG BLOCK!
It retains its 3 speed torqueflite auto box, but my neighbour believes the gearbox has been fitted with a shift-kit valve body and had some rear axle work. This may be good on a quarter mile racing strip or a getaway car but it's no good for taking my wife and kid out for a cruise. The auto box changes with clunk and won't shift into top gear unless I go over 40mph.
I'd like to fit the correct valve body at some point along with a better carburettor.
I went to the practical classics restoration show yesterday and saw a lot of nice Mopar. Some cars were for sale to. I took some photos so I might try and post them on here or send them to the club magazine editor.
Anyway bye for now, got to plan my next heist!

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Sat Apr 01, 17 8:00 pm

From what you're describing it sounds like the kick down linkage needs adjusting, that would account for the harsh late change up. Many people don't understand how important it is to have it set up correctly, it's hardly ever right in my experience, especially if there's been a carb swap.

Dave999 · Post by **Dave999** » Mon Apr 03, 17 4:52 pm

hello

good to see you made it here

smashing car

383 in it? then its had a transmission swap as well

would have had a 904 if it was 318 or a 727 if it was 360 originally, but they're both small block bell housing sized motors and the 383 is not, its a big block so you would have to fit a big block trans as well

if they did that they may well have added a US axle as well.

the original axle will have BORG---><----WARNER logo cast into the bottom of the housing near the yoke and has a bolt on rear cover.

it would have been a 2.77:1 ratio 4 spider gear, cone LSD 7.8 inch ring gear diff

a borg warner M78
probably made in SA at the BorgWarner Later taken over by BTR, factory

many US axles didn't have a bolt on rear cover and the bolts that hold the centre in are round the front. no US axles were Borg warner branded although they had a hand in designing some of the smaller versions.

Australian 727 and 904 are the same as US 727 and 904 apart from slight delay in production changes (Australia and SA imported some parts and took longer to use them up) and occasionally different pipe cable and dipstick routing to cater for RHD.

and yours will have started out in Australia, probably as a KIT of parts

Dave

Getawaydriver · Post by **Getawaydriver** » Mon Apr 03, 17 7:55 pm

Thanks Dave999,
That's some useful information. I'll have look at the running gear to see which gearbox and rear axle is on the car. I hope it does have LSD.
The brakes should be should be sorted out this week, so I'll take the car for a proper drive.

Post by **MattH** » Tue Apr 04, 17 9:12 am

I really hope to see this car in the metal this year, maybe at the Euronats??

Dave999 · Post by **Dave999** » Wed Apr 05, 17 9:09 am

Getawaydriver wrote:Thanks Dave999,
That's some useful information. I'll have look at the running gear to see which gearbox and rear axle is on the car. I hope it does have LSD.
The brakes should be should be sorted out this week, so I'll take the car for a proper drive.

jack up the back with it in neutral

turn one wheel

if the other goes backwards its an open centre

if they both go the same way it has an LSD or sure grip in mopar talk

put 1 wheel down and try to turn the other

if you can

it has a worn out sure grip centre

if you can't try doing a spirited get away...... burnout both wheels spin and it steps out sideways sure grip 1 wheel peel and its worn out or its an open centre.

if its Aussie style I can assist with parts/advice on where to get new bits

the M78 is not well known outside of Australia Indonesia and SA

although in those counties any local car will have had a M series axle

from M50 up to M90

M60 M75 and M78 are the most common

morgans had them M76(M75) for about 3 years in the UK

later IRS variant used by TVR and Lotus carlton but no parts swap

Mick70RR · Post by **Mick70RR** » Wed Apr 05, 17 9:43 am

Getawaydriver wrote: My real name is Phillip Hodge, a similar name to Dodge!

GJUK · Post by **GJUK** » Wed Apr 05, 17 10:53 am

Getawaydriver · Post by **Getawaydriver** » Sun Apr 09, 17 9:50 pm

Took the Dodge SE out for a spin on Saturday after removing the brake proportioning valve. The brakes were better, but still not right. Sometimes I had really good brakes, sometime I didn't. It felt like the front near side brake caliper was partly seized. A few times I'd step on the brake pedal and it felt hard to press with poor braking, but while on stop after braking with my foot still on the pedal, the pedal would suddenly move another inch or two and the brakes would become good again. It felt like one of the pistons in the brake caliper was getting jammed.
I'll have to see if I can get a caliper overhaul kit for both sides or get new brake calipers.

Dave999 · Post by **Dave999** » Mon Apr 10, 17 9:15 am

yours will have

either kelsey hayse pin slider calpers al-la VG VH valiant

or Girlock sliders like a VJ VK

the girlocks are the ones to get if you need replacments get caliper an bracket

either can be rebuilt

both fit on an application specific bracket

the VH bracket can be reconditioned with new pins and bushes

the VJ bracket is just a hunk of metal polish the sliding surfaces.

the clips that hold on the caliper on the VJ bracket are bolted down with a 1/3 rd thickness bolt head

grind a socket down flat to the socket entry to avoid rounding them off
the bolts are not available.

Bendix in Oz do the pads
Bendix dealers in the UK can in theory get the pads

ebay is often better.

find out the pad numbers from bendix site
or download the bendix brake pad app for your phone and scan you actual pad into the phone to get a list pf part numbers.

then search based on that

You will note that on ebay if the seller thinks the pads are for a valiant the price goes up by 33%

if you work on the pad and caliper numbers you will get adverts for holdens and fords and the parts cost less.

Dave

Getawaydriver · Post by **Getawaydriver** » Wed Apr 19, 17 4:54 pm

Thanks for all this information Dave999.
The kids are back in school next week, so I'll have some time to check the car over and compile a list of parts that I need.

rockinpete · Post by **rockinpete** » Thu Apr 20, 17 5:52 pm

Welcome mate, nice motor

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Dodgey brakes!