My '76 restoration (long post)

denpo said:

Twin_Turbo said:

If you use the upper hole with the tranny straight up there wil be way too much oil in it. The 2 holes or bosses are near each other but a little offset

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Is it that bad to have the tranny overfilled? I could still fill is up and remove some afterward. See I'm looking for way to avoid to open it up once again.
*sight*

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no biggie.... you know how much fluid to put in there (by volume), forget about the hole and simply make your own dipstick to measure. Fill the trans with whatever they say to put in there (example 5 qts) , now bend a dipstick , stick it in the hole and put a mark where the fluid level is. done....

only problem is: will you remember next time you check the fluid level ?? LOL

MYBAD79 said:

denpo said:

Twin_Turbo said:

If you use the upper hole with the tranny straight up there wil be way too much oil in it. The 2 holes or bosses are near each other but a little offset

Click to expand...

Is it that bad to have the tranny overfilled? I could still fill is up and remove some afterward. See I'm looking for way to avoid to open it up once again.
*sight*

Click to expand...

no biggie.... you know how much fluid to put in there (by volume), forget about the hole and simply make your own dipstick to measure. Fill the trans with whatever they say to put in there (example 5 qts) , now bend a dipstick , stick it in the hole and put a mark where the fluid level is. done....

only problem is: will you remember next time you check the fluid level ?? LOL

Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I planned to do.

Still how the hell would G-Force sell a Ford T5 case (the GM holes have to be drilled afterward), which is supposed to be installed straight up, and still only have the higher fill plug drilled. Basically all those who put it right away in their 'Stang are running with too much oil in it.

It's because I'm an idiot, the tranny is rotated 17 deg. towards the driver so the GM uses the lower hole...so I goofed there, you're all set oops :bump::footmouth::footmouth::footmouth::footmouth::footmouth:

Twin_Turbo said:

It's because I'm an idiot, the tranny is rotated 17 deg. towards the driver so the GM uses the lower hole...so I goofed there, you're all set oops :bump::footmouth::footmouth::footmouth::footmouth::footmouth:

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errare humanum est.
Thanks TT, one less thing to worry about :noworry:

Motor looks pretty stout, don't think the T-5 will last long behind it! Watch the 1st to 2nd power shifts, that is generally what kills them fast.

JeffP1167 said:

Motor looks pretty stout, don't think the T-5 will last long behind it! Watch the 1st to 2nd power shifts, that is generally what kills them fast.

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Yeah, you're right, the engine is a high-reving mofo, I hope the heavy duty case will give me some margin, won't drag race it anyway, just some spirited driving :noworry:

denpo said:

This week I took care of my driveshaft, cleaned it and pressed in some new non greasable U-joint. They are structurally stronger than those with a greasing zerg. It's now reading to head to the shop for a 3" reduction and a balancing.

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Does that yoke fit the T5? It looks like the larger yoke for a 400. I had to run a bastered joint with the smaller yoke.

You're right, looks like a TH400 32 spline the T5 uses the same as a 700R4, a 27 spline. Only a Z6 (S6-40) uses a 32 spline yoke. The T56 uses the same 27 spline as the others and the TKO500/600 use a 31 spline. A driveshaft from an 82 vette is bolt in and the correct length

Fuelie74 said:

Does that yoke fit the T5? It looks like the larger yoke for a 400. I had to run a bastered joint with the smaller yoke.

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Twin_Turbo said:

You're right, looks like a TH400 32 spline the T5 uses the same as a 700R4, a 27 spline. Only a Z6 (S6-40) uses a 32 spline yoke. The T56 uses the same 27 spline as the others and the TKO500/600 use a 31 spline. A driveshaft from an 82 vette is bolt in and the correct length

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The yoke comes from my auto tranny, which is a TH350 (Tim confirmed that in person).
FYI U-joint are 1330.
Got it shortened this week and it's currently installed in the car along side the engine, and everything is fitting fine.
Thanks for taking care of my work :thumbs::friends:
I will post pictures shortly.

I have nothing of value to add (nothing technical) but wanted to make sure you know I am looking forward to your updates, great work, especially because of your budget. It shows you don't need $$$$ to have a great C3

Arthur Brown said:

I have nothing of value to add (nothing technical) but wanted to make sure you know I am looking forward to your updates, great work, especially because of your budget. It shows you don't need $$$$ to have a great C3

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Thanks, feels good knowing your people are watching.
The expression of your support is especially welcome today, spent too much time under the car this weeked, probably got my back cold, could barely move this morning. Spending the day sitting at work didn't help, not sure I could get up by myself tomorrow morning.
I got to get better quick, I don't want to be grounded for the xmass holidays.

well said Arthur :thumbs:

Denis, get some styrofoam to lay on.... cold concrete floor is going to kill your back, pneumonia comes to mind.... you really dont want THAT......

MYBAD79 said:

well said Arthur :thumbs:

Denis, get some styrofoam to lay on.... cold concrete floor is going to kill your back, pneumonia comes to mind.... you really dont want THAT......

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Don't worry Karsten, there is my shitty creeper between me and the floor.
I just got to make sure I keep my lower back warm when I'm under the car, where cold air comes for the garare door gaps.
Too bad because I grew up in the mountains and I'm an reverse bear : hibernate during summer, move mountains by winter.

Once I get my cross-member bracket done I won't be under the car before a long time anyway.

After being bedridden almost all last week thanks to a bad back, I felt much better this week and could move forward in several areas.

First I could take advantage of a week of holiday to go shopping. Bought fiberglass mat, epoxy resin and structural epoxy panel glue. I'm all set for the incoming bodywork sessions.

I could move foward with my T5 swap.
The driveshaft have been shortened and balanced.
The engine is now back in the car, and I've made a custom bracket for the transmission mount:
I took the stock support, cut it flush to mounting ears on the cross member, then welded a big piece of L shaped steel beam.
Then with a protractor and a jack under the bellhousing I aligned the engine 3° downward, that the lowest point you'd what the transmission tail to be anyway.
Then took measure to make the smaller bracket with the slope.

This way I keep my red flashing bushing and I can shim the transmission tail back up without messing with the lateral alignment.
Surprisingly, with the engine at 3°, I don't see any clearance issue, neither tunnel side or parking brake cable/pulley.


Finally a old project revived : the LED taillight
I made a base for the bubble cover, made from plastic cutting board.
I used my column drill a flat grinded drill bit and my hands as some kind of poor man's mill to make the grooves.
RTV silicon for the seal.



Kinda rough looking, but functional. I'd sure have loved those made out of a cnc machined piece of plastic and a PCB.

Denis, I've been enjoying reading your work in this thread. It's even more amazing considering I've seen the garage you're doing it all in! Keep it up, I wanna see this baby finished!

Fastphil said:

Denis, I've been enjoying reading your work in this thread. It's even more amazing considering I've seen the garage you're doing it all in! Keep it up, I wanna see this baby finished!

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Hi Phil, welcome aboard and thanks for the kind word.:drink:

I've put my door back out and started restoring the hinges.
Pressed out the hinge pin and bushing, nothing complicated here.
Upon cleaning the part the ugly truth showed its ugly nose :
the hinges are probably unrestorable.






I actually shouldn't be that surprised, the Vette I have, before the resto, had an frontal accident sometimes in its lifetime.
Door are amongst the lasted thing that haven't been changed.
Still I don't quiet see how you can to that to a door hinge.

So right now I'm looking for a set of cheap door hinges worth restoring.

why not cut/grind and weld ?

Denpo,

I have the hinge parts that you need... in damn near perfect condition. Call me... 615.308.0577.

They are yours for the shipping cost!

Best,

Robert

Arthur Brown said:

why not cut/grind and weld ?

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Good question.
I consider those part as safety elements, welding would make them harder (thus brittle), plus it would possibly warp the part.
Given they current state I'm not even sure it haven't been already done in the past.
Of course, if someone want to prove me wrong I'm listening.