The guys at Musclecar Restorations...
The guys at Musclecar Restorations painted the intake and the valley pan before starting the job to give these time to dry while the stock four-barrel was removed.
One of the more successful sales pitches made during the musclecar era was for induction systems. Want to draw attention to the engine? Just add an extra carb...or two. All of the Big Three manufacturers built cars with three two-barrels. Indeed, Chrysler was actually the last to jump on this bandwagon with the M-code B-Bodies that came out in the middle of the '69 model year. For all-out power in the world of Mopar, the 426 Hemi with its pair of AFBs was still considered the "big dog," but Dodge's Six Pak and Plymouth's 440-6BBL quickly became a favorite among the street set.
Kent Olsen, who lives in Chaska, Wisconsin, had a simple Carter AVS on his gorgeous, restored '70 Challenger R/T (see Mopar Muscle, Jan. '01, p. 46). Kent says he "wanted to move up the food chain" in regards to engine induction. For stock-appearing 440s like this one, that means Six Pack. So it went into the capable hands of Musclecar Restorations, which originally handled the car's buildup, for a change from a single to a multi-carbed setup. Basically, this swap can be handled in a day, but setting aside a full weekend gives ample time to make adjustments as needed.
The parts for this swap are available for those of us who prefer to scour the swap meets, but remember that used carbs need to be rebuilt. Another option is to contact Year One like Kent did. The intake, installation kit, and replacement Holleys all came from Year One, and the fuel lines to the carbs are from Fine Lines.
Keep in mind that if your car is equipped with an automatic transmission, the kickdown linkage is needed for this swap. The '69-'70 versions used a modified version of the normal three-piece kickdown. A one-piece version debuted on the '70 340 AAR-T/A cars and is also found on the Six Pack carb automatic models in 1971. If restoration appearance is not an issue, your standard four-barrel linkage can be lengthened and modified to fit this changeover, as it would be in any significant carb/intake or spacer change. That said, let's have a Six Pack!
This is a Kent Olsen AVS-equipped...
This is a Kent Olsen AVS-equipped 440 about ready to get 'packed.
Before you begin, drain the...
Before you begin, drain the antifreeze and water from the engine. Remove the throttle linkage and the bolts in the intake, then remove the intake. Place a lint-free rag in the lifter valley to catch the remains of the old gasket and dirt when you scrape it off.
Once the gasket surfaces and...
Once the gasket surfaces and the lifter valley are clean, install the new valley pan.
Set the intake with the carbs...
Set the intake with the carbs and linkage already assembled on the engine. Installing and setting up the linkage and fuel lines is fairly straightforward. Remove the formed fuel-pump-to-carb steel line for the AVS so it is not in the way.
Route your vacuum lines from...
Route your vacuum lines from the carbs to the distributor. Then, mount the coil and run those wires as well. Since the coil now mounts closer to the back of the engine, you may want to shorten the wires.
Reinstall the fuel-pump-to-carb...
Reinstall the fuel-pump-to-carb fuel feed line, and hook up the throttle linkage. Since this is a four-speed car, the trans kickdown linkage does not apply. If you're using an automatic, replace or modify the kickdown linkage because of the higher intake and different carburetor position. The source for this, other than pre-owned pieces, is Newcomb's Hemispherical Products, (909) 929-9767. With the new Six Pack induction and air cleaner installed, it's time to go rat huntin'!