64 Fury Push-Button to 4-Speed Conversion

[Frustration]

Looking for a bit of advice and/or photos. I'm converting a '64 Fury Convertible from push-button to 4-speed. I have all the parts and am well underway with the swap. I was planning to install the engine and transmission this weekend, but need to cut the hole in the floor for the shifter. I ordered a new 4-speed transmission hump from Jamie at Passon Performance. It fits very nicely. I'm wondering if I should simply cut the hole for the shifter to protrude through the floor, or should I cut out the perimeter of the entire replacement hump? Pics of your conversion are appreciated. Go EAGLES!

 

[Frustration]

Photo of 4-speed hump.

 

[miller]

Your call. If it was mine, I'd consider pulling the shifter, before dropping the engine/trans in. With that, would be fairly easy to locate the hump accurately.

Admit, either way should work fine. 4-speed sounds like a capital idea!

 

[Frustration]

Had my Chevy lovin' brother over last night to help out. He's the one that recommended cutting the entire perimeter out. Said that cutting only a hole for the shifter would leave a ledge on the underside that would trap water, moisture, dirt, and all the leaking fluids from my POS! Has some merrit, just wanted some opinions. Surely others have done similar swaps.

 

[Glenwood]

So jealous! I'd love to change mine to a 4 speed.
I would trim it to the full opening and seal it.
Post some pics of the swap!

 

[64 Post]

I did it your brother's way using the same rationale. Trace around the hump with a sharpie and cut ½" inside the line. Weld in hump. Seam seal top and all gaps on the bottom.

@miller: The hump is self locating; it cannot be moved or shifted for fitment.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Hope you cut it in one piece and SAVE it! I will Never give up my pushbuttons!
I have to ask,,,,what trans and clutch did you us. Don't want you to experience FUSTRATION

 

[91r/t]

Up to you, but factory used to look pretty crude. There was no ryhme or reason to the size of the hole, but it definitely was not the perimeter but only a hacked looking hole in the floor. I have 2 original 4 speed cars, and both aren't very pretty but are quite a bit inside the perimeter. If you aren't worried about the factory replication, I'd cut a 1/2" from the sharpie like 64 Post said. Good luck man!

 

[Centerline]

This is how the factory did it.

 

[64 Post]

Up to you, but factory used to look pretty crude. There was no ryhme or reason to the size of the hole, but it definitely was not the perimeter but only a hacked looking hole in the floor. I have 2 original 4 speed cars, and both aren't very pretty but are quite a bit inside the perimeter. If you aren't worried about the factory replication, I'd cut a 1/2" from the sharpie like 64 Post said. Good luck man!

Yep the factory was crude as ****. The exact opposite of what I was looking for. Plus the collection of crap in the recesses was an issue for me.

CAREFUL WITH THE REAR CUT SO YOU DON'T GET INTO THE CROSSMEMBER!!!

 

[Frustration]

Thank you for all the replies. I will get some pictures later today. I have the engine, bell housing and clutch all assembled on the floor. Need to test fit the starter and make sure it engages. I really appreciate the photos of the original cars. I did not realize they cut the floor out of a standard, automatic hump. I thought there was a different floorboard used from the factory. That is crude! I will do my best to cut it out in one piece HEMI-ITIS! I used a kit from RAM that was suggested by Jamie at Passon. It's supposed to be good to 550 HP. This will only make around 450 at the flywheel. It's a Borg and Beck style. When I installed the tool to line up the clutch and pressure plate, it fit perfectly. A buddy of mine advised me to try it on his output shaft. It fit the tool, but did not fit the factory input shaft. I then tried it on my transmission, and it would not go. Jamie replaced it with an equivalent one he had on his shelf from McLeod. That one fit perfectly. If I had not taken this step, it would have been a major problem to replace inside the car.

I too love push-buttons, but three, black, automatic B-bodies is a bit monotonous! I'm long overdue for a 4-speed, and this is the only one of the three that I would not hesitate to cut! Call it a mid-life crisis! At least it's not a yellow Corvette and a wig!!

Centerline, the photo of the chassis on it's side is a big help. I haven't crawled under the car since deciding to go this way. I did not realize the cross member was so close to my cut line.

64 Post, I'm doing it your way. Thank you!

 

[pushrod]

I converted my 64 Belvedere post and did as the factory did. My concern is the structural integrity.

 

[91r/t]

Yep the factory was crude as ****. The exact opposite of what I was looking for. Plus the collection of crap in the recesses was an issue for me.

I agree 110%!

 

[64 Post]

OP, if you don't have the manual trans crossmember, I have detailed pics of how to modify the automatic crossmember to accept the manual mount. Or, you can get the mount already done from Brewer's.

 

[Frustration]

OP, if you don't have the manual trans crossmember, I have detailed pics of how to modify the automatic crossmember to accept the manual mount. Or, you can get the mount already done from Brewer's.

64 Post (which is my all-time favoriite Plymouth to have) thank you. I purchased one from Jamie Passon. It looks the same as the one on Brewer's site. I wonder if they both get them made at the same place. The one i have was modified from a stock automatic unit. I got the mount from Wayne at Brewer's. GREAT COMPANY to deal with. Sent order confirmation, tracking, and a thank you note after purchasing. Kudos to them!

 

[Frustration]

My brother and I spent half a day working on the project yesterday. Got the hole cut in the floor and the starter tested on the bell housing before installation. I think when I powered up the starter, I mis-aligned the clutch. Next I'll remove the pressure plate and put the input shaft back in. My transmission would not go all the way into the bell housing. If all goes well, and it rarely does, I hope to have the engine and transmission installed by the weekend. Have a good week.

 

[Centerline]

Don't force the trans input shaft into the crank. Many BB cranks that were meant for automatic transmissions did NOT have the crank completely drilled for the manual trans input shaft. Forcing it will severely damage your trans. Also some were drilled deep enough but not reamed out enough to properly fit a stock pilot bushing.

My 383 powered '64 was originally a 4 speed car, but when I replaced the 383 (still have that motor sitting under my work bench) with a 440, it had originally been in front of a torqueflight and although the crank was drilled deep enough, it was not reamed for the bushing. I used a pilot bearing from a Dakota pickup that fits into the recessed area of the crank to solve this problem. This is a common fix when the crank isn't reamed for a brass pilot bushing.

If your crank isn't drilled deep enough for the input shaft you can either have a machine shop drill it out for you or you can cut a small amount off the input shaft so that it will fit. This is also a common fix but many people don't like this mod since you'll have to use the Dakota bearing even behind an original 4 speed crank once its cut.

 

[coloradodave]

I also use the Dakota bearing as Centerline above suggested. ^^^^^^^^

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Thank you for all the replies. I will get some pictures later today. I have the engine, bell housing and clutch all assembled on the floor. Need to test fit the starter and make sure it engages. I really appreciate the photos of the original cars. I did not realize they cut the floor out of a standard, automatic hump. I thought there was a different floorboard used from the factory. That is crude! I will do my best to cut it out in one piece HEMI-ITIS! I used a kit from RAM that was suggested by Jamie at Passon. It's supposed to be good to 550 HP. This will only make around 450 at the flywheel. It's a Borg and Beck style. When I installed the tool to line up the clutch and pressure plate, it fit perfectly. A buddy of mine advised me to try it on his output shaft. It fit the tool, but did not fit the factory input shaft. I then tried it on my transmission, and it would not go. Jamie replaced it with an equivalent one he had on his shelf from McLeod. That one fit perfectly. If I had not taken this step, it would have been a major problem to replace inside the car.

I too love push-buttons, but three, black, automatic B-bodies is a bit monotonous! I'm long overdue for a 4-speed, and this is the only one of the three that I would not hesitate to cut! Call it a mid-life crisis! At least it's not a yellow Corvette and a wig!!

Centerline, the photo of the chassis on it's side is a big help. I haven't crawled under the car since deciding to go this way. I did not realize the cross member was so close to my cut line.



64 Post, I'm doing it your way. Thank you!View attachment 564892

Now I see the picture! Friend of mine has a red 63 like mine with a big blown hemi in it.It's a stick!
My heap still has a clutch pedal in it.That will be removed when I modify and lighten the steering column.

 

[Frustration]

For an update...we installed the motor and transmission a couple of days ago. I've installed lots of RB motors in B-bodies, but never installed one with the bell housing installed. It makes the engine considerably longer. It went in with no trouble, but would have been very difficult without help. We had to turn the engine sideways until it got low enough to get the bell housing into the transmission tunnel.

We did run into a bit of a problem. I am using a Lakewood, explosion-proof bell. It has a welded bracket for the Z-bar ball. This bracket has two drilled and tapped holes to allow moving the ball for different applications. You can see it on the far left of the photo. Once installed, I realized the ball on the bell and the one on the driver's side inner fender did not line up. They were roughly 1 1/2" off. I had to purchase an offset bracket to line the two up. It won't be here 'til next week. Bummer.