Getting ready for the engine swap and my big fear is the darn shifter linkage. It's a Hurst with the plates in between the shifter. Three bolts hold it to the tranny and one of them cannot be removed without taking the shifter itself out of the mechanism. I haven't been under there for a few months but I'm sure this was the case. I'm pretty nervous about disassembling the shifter, not sure it'll be the same later on what with all the plates bouncing off the floor and all. Is there a way to get it off without disassembling the darn thing first? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks. :)


[Modified by MasterDave, 7:02 AM 11/4/2002]

 

Dave, Your tranny must be the original '63 - '64 since the shifter bolts to the tranny. I pulled the 4sp out of my '63 with the Hurst, and I don't remember pulling off the shifter first. I just remember taking off the console, boot, etc... from the interior, putting up in 1st gear to allow clearance to slide the tranny back, and dropping the whole mess out the bottom without removing the shifter. It's been a few years, but I seem to remember taking the bellhousing loose and dropping it with the mess also.

Others may be able to help, but that's how I remember it. Brian

 

Thanks Brian, when I had the trans rebuilt the mechanic said it was a later Muncy due to the input shaft being 1" dia instead of the 3/4" of the earlier models. I THOUGHT he said it was a 69 or sumthin' Muncy. Dunno, it's been a couple years ago. I also didn't know that the shifters didn't all bolt to the tranny :crazy: If the trans will go back far enough to drop out that would be very cool, anyone know for sure? Thanks again Brian.....I do know when I bought the car, that the engine was out and the trans/bellhousing assy was still in the car. Not a bad idea if you could figure out how to align the clutch and trans back up on re-installation.

 

Dave, I may have had a "Brain Fart" :confused: :confused: I must have been thinking about the Powerglide Autos in mid-years where the '63 and '64 shifter bolts to the tranny. PGs in '65 to '67 bolt to the car, not the tranny. I was talking about autos, not manuals. What a dumb behind!!!!!

I'm sure others will back me up on this, but I'm fairly certain you can pull out and reinstall a 4sp tranny without pulling the engine. Unless I'm drunk (which could be left over from Saturday night, damn!!!!) I remember putting a new clutch in my uncle's '64 and I know for a fact we didn't pull the engine to do it. I should sober up before posting!!! :cheers: :cheers:

I guess we are getting away from your original topic. Why mess with the tranny??? Why not just swap the engine and let the tranny alone?? Does the tranny need to come out for some reason??? Brian


[Modified by Brian Matheis, 11:12 AM 11/4/2002]

 

MasterDave,

This past winter I installed a Hurst Comp Plus shifter to my M-20 Muncie. Granted this was in a '65. I just found it a hell of a lot easier to pull the trans with the stock shifter attached. All this made easier 'cause of my lift. There's no friggin' way to break loose those flush mounted, originally installed by the factory bolts....using a hexkey that hold the stock shifter plate to the tranny. The install on the ground was soooo much easier. Think this approach may be the best one for you even though it's not a '5.

Hey Brian, wasssssuuuuuuupp? Glad to see you're back! Sounds like that 'glide's worked out well for you. I'm still havin' too much fun with the 3.70 I put in last winter!

Good luck Masterdave!!

Jim
6T5RUSH


[Modified by 6T5RUSH, 11:26 AM 11/4/2002]

 

Thanks Brian and Rush. The engine's coming out soon for a replacement/upgrade. If the trans will come out with the shifter attached that will be very cool and according to you fellas it will. If I can leave it in, pull the engine and reinstall that will also be very nice, just not sure how much of a PITA either would be. I'm leaning towards leaving the trans/bellhousing in the car and just undoing the driveline to ease alignment and engaging of the clutch. Thanks again....... :cheers:

 

Like the others, I can't say if this applies to your year as well, but my '66 (with a '67 Corvette Muncie) allowed me to pull the transmission leaving the shifter in the car. The shifter appears to be bolted to the car. I pulled the engine months before the transmission. When I went to pull the transmission, I unscrewed the U bolts from the differential, undid the transmission mount bolts, and took the shifter arms off the transmission (cotter pins). I then carefully slid the transmission forward until it fell onto my creeper. I don't know if this is easier or harder, but there was nothing to unbolt.

Then again, if your shifter bolts to the transmission, things will be different...

 

I've got a Hurst in my 64 as well. Mine have the original looking shifter handle installed. On mine, I remove the center console and boot, and the shifter handle unbolts from the mechanism with 2 bolts. Then, the trans can be removed without removing the shifter mechanism or the rods.

 

Hey Dave, if you are asking whether the shifter can stay attached to the trans when pulling the motor/trans combo, I would say most likely no way (or at least not without one heck of a fight). I definitely would disconnect the shifter before pulling motor/trans, but to each their own... :crazy: Or maybe I just didn't understand the question... :confused:

 

The shifter plate does attach to the tailhousing with three bolts but the shifter mounts to the plate with two bolts, one which goes through the center (hollow) pin of the shifter. The two bolts only thread into the plate approx 1/4". Remove the shift handle, if it's the newer style that bolts to the mech with two bolts, and then back out the two bolts holding the shifter to the mounting plate until the shifter is free of the plate. You won't be able to remove those two bolts from the shifter. Disconnect the shift levers from the transmission, tie the shifter to the side so it won't fall out when you remove the transmission.


[Modified by JoesC5, 2:43 PM 11/4/2002]

 

[QUOTE]The shifter plate does attach to the tailhousing with three bolts but the shifter mounts to the plate with two bolts, one which goes through the center (hollow) pin of the shifter. The two bolts only thread into the plate approx 1/4". Remove the shift handle, if it's the newer style that bolts to the mech with two bolts, and then back out the two bolts holding the shifter to the mounting plate until the shifter is free of the plate. You won't be able to remove those two bolts from the shifter. Disconnect the shift levers from the transmission, tie the shifter to the side so it won't fall out when you remove the transmission.


Lemme see if I can 'splain myself a little better. I'm worried about the little spring loaded (or whatever holds them together) 1" or so little plates that are on either side of the shifter handle itself. I know I can remove two bolts that hold the shifter inside the mechanism and slide it up and out. What scares me is what happens to the 'loaded' plates then? Do they stay in place or bounce all over the garage floor? If the three bolts could be removed from the tail shaft all would be well, but ya can't get to one of the bolts without disassembling the shifter itself, if I remember correctly. No, I do not wanna remove the engine/trans as a unit leaving the shifter on. I would remove the trans seperately if the shifter handle could be removed first without problems or if it could come out with the trans only as a unit. Hope this clears it up.

:cheers:

 

Master Dave,odds are you won't be able to remove the long pivot bolt ( the one thru the main body,it will hit the tunnel wall) the other bolt is slotted I believe to give minimal movement of the shifter assy ,before tightening down the assy before starting to aligin the rods per spec , the best way is to basically lower the trans in the back(remove trans bolts ,raise trans,drop brackett, lower trans till everything is visible) then unbolt from the triangular alum plate, it should all come out as an assy, shift handle (don't forget to remove ball or tee handle) main body, linkage arms and levers,easier that fighting with those spring lock pins

 

post script...just becareful of the shift body once its out of the car, that shaft (pinned) that joes C5 mentioned can actually slip out of the assy treated too rough., then you might have a tougher time aligining the assemblies shims, and levers...

 

Dave,

You can remove the motor without pulling the trans. Does your trans/ clutch need work?

If you want/need to pull the trans you will find that the shifter is no big deal once you get the support out of the way.

Andy


[Modified by andy60, 5:03 PM 11/4/2002]

 

I've taken my shifter out and it's not that tough to get at the bolts. Just follow the tips listed above (like remove the shift ball, etc.)
I've done two engine swaps on my '64, the first time I pulled engine and tranny together (you'll need a $40 engine tilter) and then you can swing it all out together (radiators gotta be out). The second time I just left the tranny in place, when you put the motor back in, a little juggling to get the shaft to line up and you need to use an alignment tool to make sure the clutch is centered first. BTW, while you're going through the effort of swapping motors, it's well worth the time to clean the shifter mechanism and relube. You don't have to take the shifter apart to do this. You can also freshin up the shift rod bushings and put in new spring clips at the trans levers and recheck the adjustment and the shift stops when you put it back in. Any time you get a chance to replace the front bearing on a Muncie, do it.

Daffy2

 

The easey stuff

remove console and rubber boot

I took 3 different daps of colored paint and put a dab on the lincage to the bracket it attached to on the trans.so I had no misunderstanding of what went where.I also put a dab on the adjustment area in case they spun when I took it out (pulling it out of adjustment)
I then removed the shifter handel. (the rear driveshaft was allready out along with the other stuff needed to remove the trans including bellhousing bolts.I slightley turned the trans and was able to get out all of the mounting bolts.The shifter mounts to a bracket.It gets removed from this bracket with out effecting the shifter. IT DOES NOT FALL APART once unbolted(my biggest fear when I did it the first time) I also have a hurst shifter.Make a drawing/take a digital picture/mark it whith paint. Alot of times I dont need my drawing or pictures or paint dabs but the little extra work they cause me are saved later on trying to figure out how something went

Buy the way what engine swap what did I miss here.