pauldana

Mine is cracked... yea, we can weld and fix it... but i want one that the 3" duels fit better under, is removable, stronger, and better in every way...

So, have one? please tell me about what you have and show mw a picture if possible.. thx..

TKO600..

OldCarBum

SteveG75

Bowtie Overdrives for my T56 Magnum. Had to modify the perch a bit since I was using the Magnum vice a stock GM transmission. Has been holding up behind the 496 for 6 years now.

Big2Bird

Back in the day the cure was side pipes if you wanted 3" exhaust.

gkull

You have seen pictures of my 1980 s home made pass under exhaust system cross member

We have more powerful motors than 99.6% of the vettes every where

mine is still working fine 14 motors later

OldCarBum

Share please!

gkull

[QUOTE=OldCarBum;1598288308]Share please

lots harder to post from a cell phone and being on a flight

naramlee

I just got my Bowtie overdrive 700r4 swap in... and at first I was happy, then I started finding all sorts of issues, the tubing was NOT cleaned up from cutting with a chop saw, the thin razor sharp pieces were still attached inside the ends of the center pipe, even powdercoated… (your making 100s of these and still using a chop saw?)

the welds are NOT perfect welds and have several stop-starts around the tubing-to-mount section where the puddles were not joined correctly (this is knit picking yes, but honestly someone sitting there welding these things up should have the MIG welder darn perfect on setup by now and know how to weld properly)

the BIGGEST complaint and actual problem, the previous being cosmetic and craftsmanship issues...


the bracket for the e-brake cable pivot wheel: was drilled out-of-square, resulting in the wheel being at an angle and binding HARD against the metal of the mount, I had to reshape the metal of the mount with a large crescent wrench to get the geometry correct


all this being said, when UPS lost this package for a month and a half... the girls in customer service DID keep me updated of the status without me having to call back several times, which seems to be more and more common place unfortunately these days


BUT, overall I am happy that I did not have to spend 20+ hours making my own and I also cut the weight of the stock unit in half

and their 700R4 drive conversion unit fit perfectly in the transmission, replaces the electronic HALL effect with a cable sending unit for our speedo cable, no complaints with it and it fit beautifully

pauldana

This is the only aftermarket unit i can find that works with a manual transmission.

mrvette

My '72 vert has a SBC and did have a muncie 4 speed some 20 years ago, I cut out the welded factory cross support, about 4-5" from the frame rails....and then got a buddy to weld on some ~2" angle iron to the upper rear portion of the now removable center section....also some other iron underneath too, so the section slips out to the rear....using 7/16-1/2 bolts to hold in place....

the center section has the lower portions of the exhaust loops cut out and so the open sections were capped off and a steel bridge that reinforced the upper portion of the loop welded in , the pipes lowered maybe 3/4 inch in total, to clear the support, the pipes are no lower than the old OEM lower loop I cut out, in fact....

IF you have a auto trans/removable cross support, the mod is even simpler, just cut the lower loops out, and bridge/structure/reinforce the top section.....

76strokervette

Can you post a picture of crack? I am curious of where and why.

Big2Bird

That thing is built like a trailer hitch.

carriljc

I like this. Do you have a thread/post where you fabricated this? I made mine removal but it would be a lot better with a big dang exhaust passage like yours.

[QUOTE=gkull;1598294064]

carriljc

Found the G-force crossmembers website-----Interesting. I think I'd get the one for the 400 since I'd have to modify the center for my Richmond 6 speed anyway. BUT it looks like I could just buy a piece of scrap c-channel steel and make one quite simply, eh? Dang scrap metal is cheap ..... and I'd have to fabricate anyway since mine was a welded in unit.

https://crossmembers.com/products/?find_make=chevy-model&find_model=c3-corvette&find_year=1968

suprspooky

The G-force looks like over kill, but when I think about fab time it seems like a winner, I'm running the Hooker Side Pipes, i did buy the laser cut flanges to make the center section removable for Tranny work. After seeing the G-force I may do that instead.

pauldana

Ordered the G-Force RCC3-350 $319 on eBay including shipping and tax...

Buccaneer

I have that one in mine for the 700r4, works great in an 82 as well, if you do not use a CAT and have headers.

gkull

No. I was installing a 700R4 in the late 1980's and I was trying to figure out how to simplify the exhaust and keep the hot pipes away from the tranny. I just dug around in the scrap metal pile and I found this heavy wall 7 inch steel pipe. I just used a torch to cut out the parts and pieces. A 6-8 inch dia. pipe would work fine. The pipe material is much thicker than the phony stamped steel cross member. So it is actually stronger than the original.

It's been working for 30 years in my poor old vette.

OldCarBum

I called GForce and they told me that for my big block and TKO-600 trans to order their cross member for a 700R4 and everything will bolt right up.
Right after Christmas I'll be ordering one for my 73.

carriljc

Thanks. I'll do this next time I have to mess with it. As it is I just bought the correct pipes, but it would have been simpler, and easier, to modify the crossmember.... and have straighter exhaust! I'll guesstimate from your photo how big of a steel pipe to get. Thx again.