Back in March, I bought a "Corvette in a Box" from a friend. It has parts from numerous C3 Corvettes but, primarily, is a 1974. It came with a rebuilt truck small block 350, with the truck bell housing and tranny. Since then, I've stripped and painted the frame, rebuilt the suspension, installed the motor and tranny - lots of thanks to all you faithful members of the Forum for your many unbelieveably helpful posts!!!

Anyway, this past weekend I finally put the body on the frame and aligned it with all new bushings. Everything lined up very well but, unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the shifter mechanism and the opening in the body for it. This is a four-speed Saginaw tranny. With the body all lined up, the shifter mechanism is about halfway under the front lip of the cut-out in the fiberglass body!

So, my question for you all out there is, were longer transmissions used in these Corvettes which would locate the shifter mechanism farther back? I assumed (as did the previous owner) that all these Saginaw 4-speeds were the same and, therefore, interchangable!

I am a neophyte in all this (although mechanically inclined). My dream was to build a car from the ground up someday, as well as always wanting a C3 Corvette. So far, it has been a blast working on this car and I know this problem is not insurmountable (however disappointing!).

Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

 

the stock shifter doesnt attach to the trani. The stock shifter attaches to a bracket which mounts on the transmission crossmember

 

Here's a diagram of an '81, but it should be close if not the same mounting.

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And then from the shifter to trans.

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Thank you very much, guys!

The tranny came with the shifter bolted to it. As you said, I found the shifter bracket in the Assembly Manual - I just didn't notice it before.

So, now I have to locate the bracket and, probably, will need to buy new shifter rods, as well. Time to open the wallet - again!!

I really appreciate this Forum and, of course, your help!

 

Jester,
what shifter do you have?
The stock shifter mounts to a support arm (2) and the Hurst mounts to the trans. The support arm mounts to the crossmember.
Here is a pic of the support arm, which is for a stock shifter.

Hope this helps.

 

Your problem might be that Saginaw trans. A Muncie was standard, then Warner for mid '74 through '81. The only Saginaw I know of in Vettes is a 3 speed.