65 BB 4spd wagon

[thehemikid]

Originally a /6 3spd manual.

You guys that are running a BB 4spd in your early wagons, are any of you using the 626 bell housing? Ive mocked up a BB motor, 626 bell, & slip yoke trany, combo to see what issues I'll run into. Try'n the 626 because that's the only spare I could find in my stash that has the 4.80 bore.

Car has a late 60's K, so I know of the 1-5/8' difference. I removed the motor mounts and brackets to ease crank centering in the bay because of that. When I line up the ball studs (front to rear), the shifter mount bosses appear a bit to close to the cross member. I figure if I had to, I can fab a plate to relocate the ball stud on the bell, but not going that route yet.

Is there another 143 tooth bell that locates the ball stud a little farther back than the 626?

Also, borrowing some pic's from the /6 site iirc, appears the adapter plate I have marked 3 may help the sifter issue some, I'm not sure yet on that till the ball stud issue is settled, same with the trany mount.

Also,... the competition plus's rear shifter throw limit bolt says the motor need to be farther forward.

...yeah I know there were BB 4spd from the factory that just bolt in,...I don't have those parts.

 

[thehemikid]

Changed my mind on using the Z-bar studs to line up where the motor locates.
That was a first look. Now Think I'll let the shifter and trans mount & bracket
locate it, then work a bracket to offset the trans stud being a bit forward.

Waiting on a shifter from Holley/Hurst

 

[thehemikid]

Christmas in February.

 

[hacksaw]

what mounting plate did ya use?? im doing a 4 speed swap in my 62 wagon. and im useing the GTO handle ... should put it where i want.

 

[#41]

I have also BB/4-speeded a /6 3-speed wagon, but I just threw old mixed-bag of parts at it until something worked. Therefore I'm not much help other than to ask: Have you considered going to a hydraulic throw out bearing to simplify the clutch operation?

 

[hacksaw]

I have also BB/4-speeded a /6 3-speed wagon, but I just threw old mixed-bag of parts at it until something worked. Therefore I'm not much help other than to ask: Have you considered going to a hydraulic throw out bearing to simplify the clutch operation?

No... I have enough clutch parts.. Z bars and stuff to use all maw mopar stuff.

 

[thehemikid]

"what mounting plate did ya use?? im doing a 4 speed swap in my 62 wagon. and im useing the GTO handle ... should put it where i want."



I was planing on removing the shifter, plate, linkage, and levers from the trany in my 3rd pic above but
got hung up with yard work. I'll try again tomorrow,....and get the # off of it then

I think the plate is like the #3 in my 2nd pic above. That should help the 1st & 3rd shift limiter bolt
to be a tad farther from the cross member. I might could trim the bolt's length down if needed,
but probably wont need once the shift handle is located through the floor hump proper.

I say that because I don't have a correct trans cross member in hand yet. I"m sure I have some late
60's cross members around and not sure how they'll bolt up to the trans or locate it but I have a TKO/TKX
bracket leftover from a/the previous owner and will probably work that as they say, use what ya have,
...or till that's a bad idea.

You got a pic of that GTO handle?

 

[thehemikid]

I have also BB/4-speeded a /6 3-speed wagon, but I just threw old mixed-bag of parts at it until something worked. Therefore I'm not much help other than to ask: Have you considered going to a hydraulic throw out bearing to simplify the clutch operation?

I can truly understand the mixed bag route!

I have considered the outside slave and do favor more than inside bearing, cause repairs would be
easier accessed, and not enthused about a leak inside the bell. Once I get the motor located I'll
look again at the studs and see what route to go.

 

[hacksaw]

The shifter itself has a kick out to the right made into it. It's from a 73 javelin. So I wanted some curve to the left in the handle. It seems to fit the bill nicely. And I'm running a 59 poly and it will be about a 1.5 inch back farther than the late LA set up.

 

[hacksaw]

"what mounting plate did ya use?? im doing a 4 speed swap in my 62 wagon. and im useing the GTO handle ... should put it where i want."



I was planing on removing the shifter, plate, linkage, and levers from the trany in my 3rd pic above but
got hung up with yard work. I'll try again tomorrow,....and get the # off of it then

I think the plate is like the #3 in my 2nd pic above. That should help the 1st & 3rd shift limiter bolt
to be a tad farther from the cross member. I might could trim the bolt's length down if needed,
but probably wont need once the shift handle is located through the floor hump proper.

I say that because I don't have a correct trans cross member in hand yet. I"m sure I have some late
60's cross members around and not sure how they'll bolt up to the trans or locate it but I have a TKO/TKX
bracket leftover from a/the previous owner and will probably work that as they say, use what ya have,
...or till that's a bad idea.

You got a pic of that GTO handle?

one more thing ya can think on .... using a B body trans will give ya the option of running the rear most mounting spot for the shifter as well. that will put it above ya knee and below ya hip. and no cross member probloms. if ya using a A body trans .. ya mite think on using the B body... jmo

 

[thehemikid]

one more thing ya can think on .... using a B body trans will give ya the option of running the rear most mounting spot for the shifter as well. that will put it above ya knee and below ya hip. and no cross member probloms. if ya using a A body trans .. ya mite think on using the B body... jmo

Good idea, and I'll look at that, but I'm not sure about how that would work with a bench seat. But mainly even tho my floor hump isn't nailed down yet, the new carpet that came with the car is already cut to fit and the shifter hole is set for the stock location. I'm gonna go with the flow.

 

[hacksaw]

Good idea, and I'll look at that, but I'm not sure about how that would work with a bench seat. But mainly even tho my floor hump isn't nailed down yet, the new carpet that came with the car is already cut to fit and the shifter hole is set for the stock location. I'm gonna go with the flow.

one other thing... the first gem camaro's and mid 70's monza/vega used a floor mounted shifter. if i didn't have a shifter already i was doing to do that with mine. 10 bucks at a bone yard.. vs a 1000 buck Hurst...

 

[Krooser]

Can you modify the floor pan/firewall to gain some clearance?

I'm using a used $75.00 Hurst shifter assembly with a $50 used shifter. Don't be afraid to fire up your smoke wrench and bend whatever shifter handle you have to make it work.

After pricing all the misc z-bars, linkages, fancy clutches etc I bought a $50 hydraulic slave cylinder from Speedway Motors, a new clutch fork, a used master from my old stock car stash and I will fab up the hyd. line and push rods myself.

If you are trying to use your A body transmission I would bet you could sell that and buy a good B body trans and be even up. I think that would solve your clearance issues.

BTW my project is a '65 Coronet 2 door small block/4 speed O/D.

 

[thehemikid]

one other thing... the first gem camaro's and mid 70's monza/vega used a floor mounted shifter. if i didn't have a shifter already i was doing to do that with mine. 10 bucks at a bone yard.. vs a 1000 buck Hurst...

Interesting way of doing a shifter/handle mount.

 

[thehemikid]

Can you modify the floor pan/firewall to gain some clearance?

I'm using a used $75.00 Hurst shifter assembly with a $50 used shifter. Don't be afraid to fire up your smoke wrench and bend whatever shifter handle you have to make it work.

After pricing all the misc z-bars, linkages, fancy clutches etc I bought a $50 hydraulic slave cylinder from Speedway Motors, a new clutch fork, a used master from my old stock car stash and I will fab up the hyd. line and push rods myself.

If you are trying to use your A body transmission I would bet you could sell that and buy a good B body trans and be even up. I think that would solve your clearance issues.

BTW my project is a '65 Coronet 2 door small block/4 speed O/D.

Don't think I'll have to modify the firewall. May flatten the pinch weld tho, depending on how high the trans mount turns out.

I'm ok with bending even the brand new shifter handle below the boot if necessary.

The hydro idea is still possible once I locate the trans mount and shifter to where I like.

My trans is a Passon hemi spline 4 spd OD with B & E body tail housing. I'll be using the B mount. That's what's in the 1st pic of my 1st post.

Trany in this post's pic is not the one I'll be using but robbed the fairly new shifter mechanism, linkage, & levers from it.

 

[hacksaw]

Don't think I'll have to modify the firewall. May flatten the pinch weld tho, depending on how high the trans mount turns out.

I'm ok with bending even the brand new shifter handle below the boot if necessary.

The hydro idea is still possible once I locate the trans mount and shifter to where I like.

My trans is a Passon hemi spline 4 spd OD with B & E body tail housing. I'll be using the B mount. That's what's in the 1st pic of my 1st post.

Trany in this post's pic is not the one I'll be using but robbed the fairly new shifter mechanism, linkage, & levers from it.

View attachment 1611123

Ya. . I'd go with the B body trans.... JMO

 

[thehemikid]

Currently I was leaning on cutting the rubber mount box off the late 60 cross member and splicing it into the TKO c/memeber
that came with the car. But now I'm gonna wait till I pick up a early B c/member first and then rethink the conglomeration or
see where that positions the shifter handle. Wish I had a 65 spd c/member, anybody got a pic.

A picture story. (It only allows 10 pic's)

 

[thehemikid]

last 2.

 

[thehemikid]

Well! ...I've been ignoring this cross member because it's parts for another car and I didn't want to rob it, but with the rubber mount swapped to a late 60 and the motor bumped another 3/8" forward,...Bingo! So I cancelled an order for now for a cross member.

Next up,... we'll see how the headers like it.

 

[thehemikid]

Started working on the late 60's Headman Super Comp headers that came with the 493. Started with left side first cause of the steering box and had to make a dent in #1 tube for that bolt on the cross shaft lid. I'm using the crank center line of 5-1/4" to K member x 15-1/16" to right frame rail for the front of motor location. But I wont nail down the front motor plate frame lugs till I finish both headers.

Next, ...again the #1 tube is in the way of the pitman arm at mid swing. This set of late 60's headers doesn't go well moved forward 1-5/8".
May put a dutchman in, not sure, but that's one ugly dent. Revisiting Freiburger's "header bash" on Engine Masters eases the mind a little but not much. I figure that'll cook the tie-rod ends,...will have to do something different. A dog leg dutchman or go to the tri-Y's for better fit and better starter install.

Pulled the steering column to see about removing the 3 spd shifter levers that are hitting the #5 tube. Not a show car so I'll not pursue a floor shift column, guess I'll cut them down so they'll slip back up into the column sleeve.