drmonstaa

so i am deliberating on whether i should convert my th350 to a 5 speed manual, and the main thing that scares me is the stories of how much of a nightmare it is to install the pedal assembly for the clutch...
does the steering column and brake booster have to be removed? saw a very detailed thread on corvette action center about this and that dude removed those things.
can anyone give some input on this? thanks.

Gale Banks 80'

The later Cars are a bit more accessible once the Speedo and Tach are removed. The Steering Column needs to be dropped but removing it is not a bad idea. The Bolts that hold the Brake Booster are also the ones that hold the Pedal Assembly. Getting to the Nuts on the inside is the most difficult part. A long extension with a Universal and a Long Socket worked for me. Some Tape wraped around the Universal to make it stiff enough to guide the socket worked well. Rebuilding the Brake Booster at the same time will save the trouble of doing this all over again. Make sure the Clutch safety Switch is all in good order before doing this as well.

SH-60B

The other four bolts that hold the assembly in are in the cowl in the windshield wiper area. I removed the left wiper for easy access. I took the column out too. Wire your clutch safety switch before installing the pedals, it's easier.

Jason Staley

When I did mine I took the steering column and support brackets out. The bolts/nuts for the booster has to be removed, but I don't recall actually taking the booster out of the car. Following that I took the driver seat out to give me more room (I'm over 6' tall) and just laid on my back and worked from underneath the dash. If I recall I think I did take the screws out of the driver side of the dash to give some compliance for it to move a little, but I did not disconnect the speedometer or tach or any of the wiring.

It was a bit of PITA, but nothing too difficult. Took me a couple of evenings after work to do it, and like SH-60B said mount the neutral safety switch before installing brake/clutch pedal unit back into car. Just be patient ....

Gordonm

Done this a bunch of times. The booster does not have to come out. The steering column does need to come out as it makes it was easier. Yes it takes time and is a PIA but it is well worth it.

cooper9811

I just did this for the first time last summer - installed a TKO 600 in place of an automatic.

AS described above, the booster will have to be unbolted but does not have to come all the way out - but I replaced mine while I was that far in.

Steering column should come out, you will want the room. I also removed my gauges but not the dash. Helps to pull the driver seat too.

The most important thing is to take your time and don't rush anything.

drmonstaa

Thanks for all the info, I forgot to mention that the corvette action center guy installed a hydraulic clutch, so I think that's why he removed the booster.

resdoggie

The steering column is not hard to remove and is easier with a helper. Once that is removed, the dash panel is easily removed. Now everything is exposed. Just did this in the summer to replace my brake booster. I would not attempt doing this swap without first removing the column/dash.

Kipring

Did the same thing; going to a T56 from the 700R4.

jim-81

Yeah, it's a pain, but totally worth it. Here is my conversion thread:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...on-thread.html

oledave60

I am right in the middle of a th400 to M20 swap and the whole process is not that hard, just a lot of things need to be removed to get it done. The pedals are not that hard if you remove the steering, dash and brake booster. If I can do this with no help any body should as I am 77.

jnb5101

You Go, Gramps!

drmonstaa

also forgot to mention i have a 76. How easy (or hard) is it to mess something up permanently doing this? Also, i heard of floor mounted pedals?
sorry for my complete noob questions, im in high school so yeah....

CA-Legal-Vette

Good thread!

SH-60B

Well, you're going to cut some holes, so measure twice and cut once. The pedals are just one part of the swap. You will still have to set up the hydraulics, cut the pan for the shifter, sort out the speedometer, modify the crossmember and probably driveshaft, depending on what 5 speed you'll use. Just keep coming back here with any questions. BTW, a standard with overdrive really makes the car a lot more fun to drive, and well worth the effort.

donnie1956

Just did this swap auto to manual swap on my 78. I had even bigger challenges in that I have an LS engine and it doesn't have a provision for the pivot ball in the block for the Z Bar. If I had to do again I might have gone Hydraulic. I fabbed a bracket up and used the bell housing and engine mount.
I did have to pull the brake booster away from the fire wall to get the studs back far enough to get the old pedals out and the new in. Make sure you hook up the wires for the clutch safety switch before installing the pedals. Almost impossible to get on after the pedals are in place. Make sure the brake pedal has the same amount of travel as the auto before installing. I think my pedals came from a manual brake car and mine has power.
Another reason for hydraulic is the mounting on the frame for the other end of z bar wasn't welded on the frame. The one that is purchased for 80-81 is a bolt on but its a flimsy piece of sheet metal. Ended up making my own out of angle iron.
This was one of the more challenging things I have done to my vette and mine is heavily modified.

BDoc

I've done this three times. It's not all that bad. The hardest part for me was drilling and correctly locating the new holes in the firewall.

Couple tips.. hydraulic clutch is a lot easier. Hydromax is good. No complaints.

Remove the steering column and brake booster. (Order new gaskets.)

I've done this both with and without removing the driver side dash. The extra space makes it a lot easier, but it sure is a pain putting that dash back in and getting the harness routing correct. Personally, I now leave the dash in, and just use long socket extension and u-joints to reach the bolt nuts on the pedal assembly. The upper left is the hardest, but it is totally doable with an electric impact, a couple u-joint adapters, and a couple extensions.

dl5280

Yes you have to remove the steering column and brake booster. This can be done easily with a 3' extension to get to the bolts of the pedal bracket & brake booster (which are one in the same). Everything is pretty easy. (you will need to remove the driver seat also)

J-Vette1

It sound like maybe you've done some automatic to manual conversions. Do you have any idea if the plate that supports the Z bar (the clutch linkage attached between the frame and engine) can be bolted to the chassis? I noticed that the latest C3 has a bolt on plate, meanwhile all earlier C3's are welded. I am curious if I could by the later plate, and go that route. Maybe drill some through holes, using nuts and bolts,.. but I don't know if the chassis is exactly the same shape.

DUB

For what this is worth:

You might not want to drill holes all the way through your frame. Reason being....there are no sleeves inside the frame to keep it from collapsing. Especially if you plan on putting any good torque ion the bolts to hold it in place.

I weld them in with really not too much of a problem...depending on the year model this is being done to and all the stuff I need to remove to allow me to get the welder in there...and not knowing the year of your Corvette...it is hard to say for certain. Thew way I look at it...due to I am charging people for this service....is that I have to make it solid and NEVER fail. Because if it tears the frame steel or has a problem..the amount of time I will need to take to repair it will be off the charts crazy ...versus the time I SHOULD have spent on it when I did it the first time.

I do not even think I would use NUT-SERTS and trust them. I do sue Nut-serts....but in this area of importance....seeing how I can not get in to weld a large surface area nut on the inside of the frame....I would stick to welding it on myself...in my opinion.

Maybe I am over thinking it...but that is what I have to do so I do not have to do repairs over and over again and not get paid for them.

Like I 'say'...WOULDA-COULDA-SHOULDA.

DUB