77 Project
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 44,707
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From: Huntsville AL
Anyone have a picture doing this? Hood On & Radiator In.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
If you take this picture I posted earlier and blow it up you will see the fan shroud is still in the car and so is the radiator. The water pump is still on as is the balancer pulleys. It is tight but I do this completely by myself. Slow but sure gets the job done.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 14,476
Likes: 8,256
From: Napa Valley California
I was looking at my 73 and I think there is plenty of room to pull my big block with the radiator and shroud in place.
I did remove the hood which took all of about ten minutes.
I did remove the hood which took all of about ten minutes.
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Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Trimmed dust shield for the bellhousing
Headers in
Had some time today to do some work. I had to trim the flywheel dust shield for the 1 piece rear main seal. This is the rough trim, I cleaned up the edges a little more and bolted it on. Installed the GM mini starter with no issues.
I plumbed the Hydraulic TO bearing feed line and pressure line. Installed the headers and installed a few sensors on the motor. Lots of little stuff to do now that most will never see. Just things that need to be taken care of. Tomorrow I have to fab up a plate for the hole I cut in the tunnel for the shifter. I have done this before so not really a big issue.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
This is one of those stupid little pieces of the puzzle of doing it right. This is a console plate cover that I made after cutting the hole in the console. If you have never done this it is something that has to be done. There is no hole in an automatic car. You need to locate where to cut the hole for the shifter. It is indented but that is the only clue as to where to cut. You have to make the hole big enough to clear the shifter housing. It leaves a gap when you slip the lower shift boot over the shifter though. You could leave it like this but you will get fumes and cold or hot air in the console. The answer is fab up a plate like this, seal it to the console then install the lower shift boot for a nice tight seal. I made it out of cardboard first then spent an hour cutting and grinding to make it fit correctly. Still have to drill the mounting screws and seal it to the car. This is something you will never see once the car is done but it makes for a better install.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 14,476
Likes: 8,256
From: Napa Valley California
Really nice.
I’ll be doing this as well.
I purchased a complete auto to manual conversion kit from Silver Sport Transmissions, but haven’t pulled everything out of the box yet.
I hope they included a cover like this in the kit.
If not, I’m glad you shared this.
What type and thickness plating did you use?
Thanks!
I’ll be doing this as well.
I purchased a complete auto to manual conversion kit from Silver Sport Transmissions, but haven’t pulled everything out of the box yet.
I hope they included a cover like this in the kit.
If not, I’m glad you shared this.
What type and thickness plating did you use?
Thanks!
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Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Yes I can provide those pictures. Since I have not installed it I can even give some dimensions. No they do not give you this plate. Just the lower shift boot. I made it out of sheet steel. I usually pick up scrap sheet metal from work but since I moved all my pieces got tossed. I picked up a piece from Home Depot and fabled it from that. I’ll get the thickness also for you.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
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From: San Jose CA
I have a photo of my 78's previous motor coming out with the pressure plate / clutch / flywheel still attached. Radiator was in, but my car had electric fans, so no shroud.
Pretty sure I dropped the new engine in with the scattershield on - again, radiator still in.
Pretty sure I had room to spare fore and aft.
Pretty sure I dropped the new engine in with the scattershield on - again, radiator still in.
Pretty sure I had room to spare fore and aft.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
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From: Forked River NJ
Here is the plate before drilling any mounting holes.
The hole I cut. I did clean this up a little but it won’t matter since you will never see this. I twill be covered. You just just want clearance.
Bad drawing of measurements.
Here is the bend of the sheet metal to conform to the tunnel.
I know all the measurements don’t add up but these are rough dimensions of the plate. You really don’t need to make this pretty as it will never be seen. You just need to cover the hole and seal it up. I am using the 4 original holes from the auto shifter to mount. I will be using a couple more sheet metal screws to secure it. Not pictured is the lower shift boot but it will cover the center hole. More pictures later on this.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Here it is with the lower shift boot nstalled and screwed down. I did put a little sealer around the perimeter to seal out the elements. The shift boot has a pretty good rubber seal and did not require sealer.
Here is the console just laid back in place. Not bolted in but you can see the shifter is pretty centered.
Here is a couple more a little more finished.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
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From: Forked River NJ
U bend for return line on Borgeson conversion
Nice tight radius and no kinks
New aluminum radiator and shroud in
Did a lot of small stuff today but the big piece in was the new aluminum radiator and shroud. wrestling all this in by yourself without any damage is always a challenge.
The other picture is. I needed the return line from the Borgeson box to make a 180 bend in a short radius. The rubber line will kink. I found this little 3/8 Ubend on EBay for about 5 bucks. I cut a short piece of rubber line and mated it to the pump and ran the return line back down to the ubend. Nice and clean and I don’t have to worry about it hitting the header or getting kinked.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
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From: Forked River NJ
Throttle linkage
I have never liked the stock throttle cable. It never seems to give you WOT. I have used Lokar linkage on several builds and used it again here. You have to cut to length the housing and cable but with minimal effort you get a smooth full throttle setup.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
TC 1000 U is the throttle cable.
It has the be trimmed to fit. They give you twice as much cable as you need but it is universal. The Corvette has a short cable