My '76 restoration (long post)

I might still have a 153 tooth, 2 piece RMS T-5 flywheel. If it's still in my garage you can have it for shipping.
 
I'm on normal day shift for the first time since the start of Ramadan, which means getting up at 04:45. It feels a little chilly this morning because the temperature's finally starting to drop. It's about 32*C outside (90*F), lol. I should be able to restart work on the BOSS in a weekend or two...
 
$200 isn't a bad price for the trans, how much are the gear kits ?
I wish I could find at least a good used cluster gear, but the ratio I have (2.95 1st) is rather unusual.
New price for the pair starts at 170$, chinese import (allstate gear)
and ends at 350$ from a local company (they better be made in North america).
I'm not too thrilled putting chinese gears in my trans, so I'm giving myself some time to find something in between this price range.
Anyway I still have to studying rebuild instruction, and figure what needs to be actually changed.
I will get a instruction video soon, so I could figure for example if my synchros are still good.
 
The tilted angle is because of how it sits in an body the shifter will have a bend in it too. You can install it straight up, just use the upper fill plug for the level indication instead of the lower one. Might have to drill and tap it though, usually only 1 is threaded.

A 700R4 driveshaft should be a perfect fit for that trany, proper length and all. The slip yoke will fit fine.


The mustang and camaro shifter mount the same way, identical plate. The only difference is that the stangs didn't have the tranny angled and the shifter is straight.

You can also mount the tranny w/ the body hydraulics and bellhousing, it will be angled then but you won't have to modify anything except the clutch master. If you go that route you need an F body shifter
 
The tilted angle is because of how it sits in an body the shifter will have a bend in it too. You can install it straight up, just use the upper fill plug for the level indication instead of the lower one. Might have to drill and tap it though, usually only 1 is threaded.
Thanks for the tip about the filler plug.
What's really worrying me is the tranny mount, looks like if I want the tranny straight up I will have to fab some custom transmission mount with the opposite angle.

A 700R4 driveshaft should be a perfect fit for that trany, proper length and all. The slip yoke will fit fine.
I guess you mean a '82 driveshaft, right?
The mustang and camaro shifter mount the same way, identical plate. The only difference is that the stangs didn't have the tranny angled and the shifter is straight.

You can also mount the tranny w/ the body hydraulics and bellhousing, it will be angled then but you won't have to modify anything except the clutch master. If you go that route you need an F body shifter
Fuelie reported some clearance issue with the camaro bellhousing and the tilted transmission, something like not enough space to install the slave cylinder. Anyway, I really want to install this scattershield, in a way or another.
 
Talking about scattershield, I finally could go pick it up at the border.

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This thing is huge and heavy, I don't know the brand, all is says is that it's been made in Mexico.
It match the transmission mounts, I will check on Michel BBC this weekend if it fit a chevy engine. It's supposed to, but the number of holes is much smaller than on lakewood's.

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but looks like this beast should not have problem with a 11" clutch. However not sure I can put that with a 153 teeth flywheel, they usually work with 10.5 clutches.


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Adjustable pivot ball, holes for hydraulic line on the right, and at the left a mount for some sort of bracket (vendor accessories or stock bracket?)

Yet another sweet deal a 130$ shipped to the border.
On the way back home canadian customs didn't even bother making me pay taxes. I love that.
 
This weekend I could dismantle the T5, it was a 2h job, when you got the correct instruction.
After inspecting the gear I deemed most of the part were good to go.
The 2nd and 5th gear synchro teeth show some wear, but it still good to go.
No noticeable wear on gear teeth except the reverse idler gear which is badly worn.
Surprisingly the synchro rings are still peachy, as most of the other small parts.
I will post picture later.

So, all thing considered, I ordered a cluster gear, a 3rd gear, a reverse idler gear and a bearing only rebuilt kit.
Transmission was one of the last "fear frontier", I thought is would be damn rocket science.
How wrong I was, with the instruction video, it's child's play.
 
This weekend I could dismantle the T5, it was a 2h job, when you got the correct instruction.
After inspecting the gear I deemed most of the part were good to go.
The 2nd and 5th gear synchro teeth show some wear, but it still good to go.
No noticeable wear on gear teeth except the reverse idler gear which is badly worn.
Surprisingly the synchro rings are still peachy, as most of the other small parts.
I will post picture later.

So, all thing considered, I ordered a cluster gear, a 3rd gear, a reverse idler gear and a bearing only rebuilt kit.
Transmission was one of the last "fear frontier", I thought is would be damn rocket science.
How wrong I was, with the instruction video, it's child's play.

Next up, let's see you do a 700 r4........:smash::surrender::devil:
 
As promised, some picture of my T5's gears.

First speed, mint condition, which is not surprising
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Second speed, synchro teeth are worn, but still useable
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Fith gear, again, the teeth are show some wear, but not too bad
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the 1-2-reverse slider, in execellent shape
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And the cluster gear and the third, just dead.
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The rings look like new :
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The output shaft is in nice condition, no wear or pitting on the bit.
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This saturday I could spend some time at Michel's, using his sandblasting both. I glass-blasted my transmission case and protected it with a clear coast.

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I also found time to install my spreader bar
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At first I had it installed on directly on the front bolt, just that would have make the alignment process complicated, so I had two pieces of steel welded a the extremities and installed it the way most spreader bar are.
 
Not much time for doing restoration these days, crunch time at work, 6 days a week, but we start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Still I could log some progress.
I received my pedals set, amongst other stuff from Ken of Ken's Corvette parts. Cool guy, great prices.
Didn't take long to get then cleaned and painted, they was very clean already.

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Any Star Wars fan around?

Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't leave a certain part just like it left the factory, bare metal like those pedals. Then I remember why I'm here in this garage, rebuilding a car, and grab the can of POR15.
That car ain't no rust home anymore.:hunter:

And it didn't take long to have them installed

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Every times a PITA to install.

I also received my parts for the T5 rebuilt, unfortunately the guys at The Gearbox screwed up my order. I received a 2nd speed gear instead of a 3rd. The only thing in common it that they have 30 teeth. Sent a mail today, no answer, will call them tomorrow.
So here I am into the rebuild:

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Cluster gear installed along with the reverse idler gear and fork.
I need a thicker shim, got play in the cluster gear.
 
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Quick update on The Gearbox order screw up.
Got the guys on the phone and they sent me the correct gear right away, without even waiting for me to send the bad one back.
So kudos to the guys at The Gearbox, they know how to turn a bad into an awesome good.
 
Quick update on The Gearbox order screw up.
Got the guys on the phone and they sent me the correct gear right away, without even waiting for me to send the bad one back.
So kudos to the guys at The Gearbox, they know how to turn a bad into an awesome good.

:thumbs:

always good to hear there are still some companies out there who remember what "customer service" is
 
It's been a full month of overtime, but at last I got a real weekend.
Here's one of the stuff I could do.

You might remember I've been given two DD quality steering wheel.
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After a good cleaning, I wrapped the metal core with a piece of air hose.
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Gluing the hose to the metal frame took some trial and error. I needed a rock solid binding, but there was a lot of space to fill, and some area don't see any air.
What did the job for me was Gorilla glue. It expands a lot when curing and its catalyst is water, so you just have to damp parts a little when putting the glue.

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On top of this layer I added a piece of 1" hose I have in stock. This time I used regular contact glue, wrap it up with metal wire (you can still see the parten on the picture) and let it cure overnight.
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I have a piece of black moose leather I bought last year from a native trader, I'm gonna try wrapping and stitching it over.
I've found a very neat stitching technique I'm gonna try
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i23RIp2OO9o&feature=related[/ame]
 
Moose leather ??? That's awesome :lol:

Yeah, it's a thick, soft yet very tough leather with a great texture, not too shiny, not to "velvety", should give pleasant and solid grip.

During the summer powwows native tribe are sellling a wide variety of furs and leathers, at relatively good price.

Arctic Fox fur wheel cover anyone?:rolleyes:
 
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