Can someone tell me the difference (or show me with pics) between a manual trans and automatic trans center cross member for a 71? Just pulled the Turbo 400 out but car has clutch pedal under dash and need to know what to do to convert back to manual...thanks

 

Yea the manual is not removable. Mine is now. You are lucky to have a removable one.

 

I had to cut mine out (4spd car) for the Tremec TKO install

 

okkk? So was mine converted to "removable"? or do you think mine was an original automatc? Need to know the difference in trans mounting...manual vs auto...thanks...

 

If your engine is original, the engine suffix code will tell if your car was auto or a 4 speed. Example for 1971 : CJL suffix is for 350 cubic inch, 270 HP, 4 speed.

 

Is there any way you could post a picture of the crossmember. We could tell from a picture if it was an original auto crossmember or a "converted" crossmember.

 

tried...evidently, moderator won't let me...any suggestions? Have a pic ready to go...thanks

 

just put it in "my photos" if you don't mind looking...thanks

 

oh...no it is not the original motor so can't tell from that

 

My cars are manual with the welded in crossmembers. I have an auto crossmember in my storage area. Tomorrrow I can go out and look at it and probably tell what the differences are. My recollection is that aside from the bolt in provisions at the ends of the crossmember (since it wasn't welded in), they were the same.

Maybe one difference might be that manual welded in crossmember had two holes on the backward facing vertical crossmember surface for the shifter monting bracket. Maybe the auto transmission crossmembers don't have these holes. If this is the case, this wounldn't be a problem since a hand drill could easily drill the holes in the frame.

Anyhow, as I said, tomorrow I'll see if I can find my removable auto transmission crossmember and compare it with the welded in manual crossmember.

 

that would be great...thanks for the help! I guess I'm now wondering if mine is an original 4 speed? Or automatic? Looking forward to what you find and thanks again

 

I just went and had a look. First look at the top center of the crossmember. The crossmember has holes there to mount the crossmember to transmission support cushion. On the automatic removable crossmember, these holes are slots. With this crossmember there was apparently a need to be compatible with a range of different transmission lengths. On my manual 1968 welded in crossmember, there were no slots, just holes. Once again these holes were for the tranny support cushion. And as I suspected on the backward facing vertical face of my manual welded in crossmember there were two holes for the shifter support bracket. These holes are missing on the removeable crossmember. If you're going to be putting in a 5 speed (Kreisler or Richmond) you don't need these holes since these shifters are attached to these transmissions. Anyhow, even if you want to put in a Muncie and the shifter support bracket, you could drills these holes with a hand drill. They're not very big.

....Oh yes, and the most obvious! I almost forgot. The removeable crossmember has flanges and drilled in holes where it mates to the frame rails. The welded in crossmember doesn't have holes. But if someone adapts a welded in crossmember to a removeable, they would probably fabricate some flanges with holes.

 

I would bet the biggest clue here is the frame side "tab" for the "Z" bar. Is one there??? Was one there and was it cut-off??? Is the one that's there(if there is one)look like it's "non-factory" welded???

 

this is from a 77 auto couldn't tell you if it is the same for your yr

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ok...now I'm dumbfounded...I can't convince myself now that this is an original 4 speed car! It has the clutch and brake pedal assembly of a 4 speed (with the clutch pedal torched off above the dash) but it has an automatic crossmember with no sign of a clutch pivot shaft crossmember bracket ever being on the frame? D@mn...was told it was a 4 speed car. Before I buy any more manual parts, is there anything else to look for to confirm either way? Would you stay automatic if it was originally and automatic? Or go ahead and convert to manual? Looking for member insight! Thanks!

 

just put in what you want......don't worry about the previous history...

 

I had the TKO with the fixed crossmember... You just need to slide the engine a few inches forward in order to be able to get the tranny in...

 

From your picture it appears to me that it used to have a welded in crossmember and was converted to automatic. But I could be wrong, because the picture is too small for me to make out the detail where the crossmember meets the frame. Did you find the z-bar bracket?

 

That's a factory auto crossmember..... Looks like averything on the frame points to the car( or at least the frame) being a factory automatic.

 

did not find a bracket for a factory z-bar...how far back from the motor mount on the inside of the frame would it have been originally located? thanks