4SPEED427 wrote:

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cdnpont wrote:

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I'm wondering about the spacer (6) shown in this diagram.

question; Is it of a height that could make a significant difference? I don't have this part.

 

From a 1965 Chevrolet assembly manual,

 

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 You know how many of those B bodies I've stripped over the years. I've never seen that part before Mark.

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 (6)  3828841   Spacer R.D.         What's the R.D. stand for?

Started to measure for the tunnel hole and hump. I don't have a bench seat hump, and refuse to pay 100 bucks for the piece of crap that is re-popped. So I have a idea.

My plan is to open up the floor pie shaped. Staring in the center in such a way that I can pull and bend the sections up. Then mock up M20 with shifter and boot in place to position the metal boot flange in the correct orientation, then trim, bend and tack any of the curved and useful segments in place to the flange. Finally fitting in any other pieces to fill the voids, all the while trying to avoid hard edges as best. I'll make sure the hump follows a similar stock profile around the edge. Basically use the existing pan material as a hump. Combined with the metal boot flange it would certainly be strong enough. If it fails I'll just think of something else lol!

Edit; it wasn't practical to do the above, I just made a ring and started the hump from scratch.

I'm using Carls initial 10 7/8 from the forward floor pan tunnel ridge as a starting point. The 10 7/8 is the point of the center of the muncie shifter when in neutral. I'm coming 1" to the left off the estimated tunnel centerline. I used my own eye and a ton of images of the stock hump to figure out the rest, and have used some of the drivers floor pan details for better positioning.

I'm using what I think is a Nova boot and flange. It's the best I could come up with. I think at least in the opening size it's close to 65-66 bench.

In mapping out the hump, going through all the pictures as a reference, I'm looking at a great shot of the boot and hump from Carl's past 66 GP project.

But I'm struck by just how tall that stock 65-66 bench boot is. I know the stock boot is not quite all the way down to the base of the lever in the shot, but do you think the nova boot I have will work? Will it be tall enough?

Along the molding line on the nova boot, relaxed from the inside it's only 2.5" tall. 3" on center if you pull up on the pleats a little. 3" on the inside to the taller left side relaxed.

But I'm worried it that it just becomes tight if you pull on it too much, and it would probably restrict the lever motion a bit.

Might I have to raise the hump a little to accommodate the shorter boot? Maybe its not to worry?

Any better boot alternatives? Any lines on a good stock one, or even a torn one?? I'll pay good money to make it right. cheers.

The end result. Added some seam sealer (cheap, can't be smoothed, hence the ugliness!) and painted it Zinc primer. It's ugly, but it'll work and never be seen under the carpet.

It'll also be covered in sound deadener. Another task near completed!

With deadener and the trim ring fitted. Not too bad looking!

I could have probably saved 3 afternoons of labor by buying that janky repop hump. But would have it been as fun or satisfying? I got to use my welder after all!

I'm not sure it would have even worked with the Nova boot. It's much shallower than the stock boot, and probably would have had to been stretched down too far to the point of binding the handle.

Mark,

Any thoughts on how to form the carpet around the hump shape?

You're doing a great job with this portion of the project.

-G

Greaser wrote:

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Mark,

Any thoughts on how to form the carpet around the hump shape?

You're doing a great job with this portion of the project.

-G

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Thanks George, been fun. I think the carpet will just drape down over the hump, not really following the contours too tightly. 

But I am assuming it will be a little bit of a challenge cutting the carpet accurately. Fitting the shifter with trim ring. One shot at getting it right.

Anyone done this with a new carpet? 

Nova boot with Nova carpet ring,

Z Bar Bracket installation;

Thinking it worthy, I thought I'd add this little trick to the post. Kind of long for the small task, but you know how it goes...

It can be troublesome getting a clamp on the bar bracket and frame. It certainly can be done, but the clamp tends to slip around due to the different angles on the frame, top and bottom. But I do know it does and can get done successfully with a clamp.

Earlier, I had mocked up the bar and bellhousing to locate the bracket, and had left markings to locate it for welding later. So the time had come to weld it in.

In the past I have used these excellent self drilling and tapping bolts (Tec Screw) to locate and temporarily hold item for welding, marking etc, so I figured it would work great here.

I went and drilled a hole close to the forward edge of the bracket, forward edge to allow better clearance for the drill driver against the firewall.

Placed the bracket up on the location marks and made a mark on the frame through the hole. Struck a punch on that mark and drilled a very small pilot hole. Ran the tec screw with bracket in place in. Tightened the screw with a ratchet to test. 

Removed the bracket and bolt and cleaned up the welding surface on the frame. Re-installed the bracket finding that the base of it needed to be curved down slightly to meet the frame better. Removed and bent it to match the contour.

Re-installed it, tightened it fully, squared it up and welded it up. The advantage here is it is pulled really tight to the frame when tacking and welding it in. You could remove and fill the screw hole if required. I'm not bothering.

All right, I'll fill the hole just for you Carl.

I remember doing he conversion on my black car (that Tom has now). When I was worrying about getting the bracket welded on in the right spot I think it was Vince who explained that you can hardly go wrong, that frame indentation really shows clearly where to place it. Once I saw that it was easy.

As Mark states, it's a challenge holding it on in the right spot when the body is on the frame because of all the clutter in that area. 

7/15/ 2020

Lifted the 327 from the stand. Doing some preliminary work before mounting the bellhousing and trans.

Good quality made in USA oil infused bronze pilot bushing (Pioneer PB-656-HD), recommended by Carl. Cleaned up the edge of the crank bushing bore. Drove the bushing in with a piece of hardwood. 

Basic cast LUK branded 10.5" Flywheel. Wohlert? Mexico. Using ARP 12 point fasteners. 75 FT/Lbs.

RAM 92760 Muscle car series pressure plate and disc. Using grade 8, 3/8 - 16 x 1.5" bolts. By chance they have a shoulder that fits precisely into the threaded hole relief in the flywheel. Only had 2, will pick more up.

Luckily have a used M20 input shaft (with a very good nose) to use as an alignment tool. You can feel that it's precise. They say the plastic ones that come with the clutch don't work the best?

Small nosed starter and bolts courtesy of Carl (thanks Carl!). Discovered that the starter brace is different for this type of starter. Too short. Welded on a small extension tab. All good, but it's something to be aware of. Will check the drive mesh with the ring before I put the bellhousing on.

7/16/20

Mounted the M20 to the 327. Nice snug fit bearing carrier to bellhousing. Gently pulled in with the 4 mounting bolts. Used red locktite on them as the bellhousing threads were not the best looking.

One thing to be aware of. You'll need to put your flywheel cover on before you mount the starter. It's not like an automatic cover.