6 spd ROD
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis In
6 spd ROD
I have a 65 that I'm just in the finishing stages of a complete frame off restoration. Since i don't have the origional engine I'm going with a 385 FB. I'm also using a ROD 6 spd and a hydraulic clutch set up. Had the engine and tranny in long enough to fab a rear mount and get an idea of where the shifter needed to be relocated to. I pulled the engine tonight and starting on a new shifter bracket mount.
From what I can tell looks like I can move the shifter foreward about 1.5" in and down aprox .5 ". This will allow installation without cutting frame or trans tunnel. In this location the shifter is not as low as I would like. The factory boot will need to stretch beyond what it's comfortable with.
Has anyone been able to put one of these ROD 6's in and have the shifter sit low enough where the factory boot can be used without excessive deformation[from shifter sitting so high]?
I started reading this forum aprox 6 months ago and have to say I have gotten a lot of great advice.
From what I can tell looks like I can move the shifter foreward about 1.5" in and down aprox .5 ". This will allow installation without cutting frame or trans tunnel. In this location the shifter is not as low as I would like. The factory boot will need to stretch beyond what it's comfortable with.
Has anyone been able to put one of these ROD 6's in and have the shifter sit low enough where the factory boot can be used without excessive deformation[from shifter sitting so high]?
I started reading this forum aprox 6 months ago and have to say I have gotten a lot of great advice.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,848
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta, Ga, Fulton
Re: 6 spd ROD (engvet)
There are guys in here who have done 6 Speed installs. I don't know about the shifter location. I did a 5 Speed and got the results you seem to desire with the 6 Speeder. Don't know what effort it might take however to get there.
[Modified by TheOman, 9:13 AM 8/15/2002]
[Modified by TheOman, 9:13 AM 8/15/2002]
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,820
Likes: 283
From: Puyallup WA
Re: 6 spd ROD (engvet)
My '67 has a ROD 6-speed in it right now. I talked a little about the pro's and con's in a thread called "TRANSMISSION SWAP".
You are on the right track with what you are doing. I dumped the aluminum bracket that comes with the linkage/trans and fabricated one that attaches to the two studs on the rear of the case. I was able to move the linkage forward, down, and towards the center of the console hole enough to get it to come out perfectly.
I welded a stud to the linkage case(extra stability) and modified the tailhousing in order for it to fit. I then had to re-bend the linkage rods and re-thread them. The trans case had to be ground in order to gain clearance for the re-bent rods. I also cut the shifter down because it was too long.
All in all it was about a 3-4week project(nights and weekends). The end result is a factory looking installation but in retrospect I shouldn't have used the Richmond 6-speed because of the reasons outlined in my other post. I would have been better off with the 5-speed or with another brand of 6-speed.
Oh well, live and learn. By the way, there is a picture of the finished console/linkage in one of my earlier posts in case you are interested.
Steve
You are on the right track with what you are doing. I dumped the aluminum bracket that comes with the linkage/trans and fabricated one that attaches to the two studs on the rear of the case. I was able to move the linkage forward, down, and towards the center of the console hole enough to get it to come out perfectly.
I welded a stud to the linkage case(extra stability) and modified the tailhousing in order for it to fit. I then had to re-bend the linkage rods and re-thread them. The trans case had to be ground in order to gain clearance for the re-bent rods. I also cut the shifter down because it was too long.
All in all it was about a 3-4week project(nights and weekends). The end result is a factory looking installation but in retrospect I shouldn't have used the Richmond 6-speed because of the reasons outlined in my other post. I would have been better off with the 5-speed or with another brand of 6-speed.
Oh well, live and learn. By the way, there is a picture of the finished console/linkage in one of my earlier posts in case you are interested.
Steve
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,225
Likes: 44
From: Penticton B.C. Canada
Re: 6 spd ROD (542C2)
I am intrigued by what I read recently on this forum about a new offering from a company in the U.S. that makes a new overdrive kit for the Muncie. Electric switch on the dash, Good warranty, Keep your clutch linkage and shifter, [hyd clutches are slow].
