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1971---240z---SBC-V8 Swap


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My 71 240z Build Thread ,,,

 

---- :Car Back Story : --- This 1971 240z Car was originally white from what can be seen. The Door Jambs , Hinges , Under-body , Rear Hatch Paint all show evidence of this !!! Below are the cars spec's to begin with. This 71 240z was to have had low miles( less than 200,000 probably realistically ). Below is a list of the engine/car specs to begin with when transferred to my hands !

 

Engine: ---- L24

Head: ---- E31

Carburetors : - Dual Webber Downdraft 32/26 DGV's (Manual Chokes)

Ignition: ----- Standard Points

Transmission: --- 4-spd

Rear Diff: --- R-180 Open (3:36 gears)

Suspension: --- Stock ! ( All stock it appears to be ,,, )

 

Interior : ---Was thrashed ,,, ripped out sort of ,,, some plastic broken ,,, center console was ripped out ,,, center heater control bezel was broken :-( ,,, dash cracked ( always typical of these obviously ) ,,, seats were thrashed ,,, carpet not that good as well ,,, :-( ,,,

 

Exterior: --- The paint was not good ,,, cracked all the way through and coming off ,,, the rear drivers quarter was pushed in ,,, below the marker ,,, so this indeed needed body work as well ,,, :(

 

Body/Sheetmetal: --- Overall was in very good shape !!! a few minor spots of rust (picky) ,,, but nearly all of them have it ! :D

 

NOTE : ---> There was concern that the engine possibly overheated at some point. This was was during the previous owners possession. This car did not start when I had bought it.

 

Car did not start when I first got it. I went and bought some basic ignition parts after finding no spark. I purchased new points as well as a condenser were installed. After that I found a new accelerator pump as well as a float were needed , and so I purchased/installed them as well. After intially replacing these parts , it was able to start/run !. A surprise came my way , as the freeze plugs were apparently rotted out. The block almost started crying anti-freeze within seconds after initial start ! I stopped the engine immediately , and drained the coolant to prevent a large mess.

 

I had many negative attempts on replacing the core/freeze-plugs while engine remained in the car. So, Out the motor came after not being able to get "rotten" core/freeze plugs out successfully. Once the motor was out , I decided to re-seal it with fresh gaskets all around. In addition I had the E-31 cylinder head pressure checked , and surfaced checked at the same time. The head checked out good all around. I then installed new bearings , piston rings , and a complete timing set. This was in addition at this point , and it seemed like a logical choice.

 

I was thrilled to have the engine back together. I was planning to put it straight back into the 240z. After serious thought , I decided to do a SBC V8 swap. I really did not wish to have two L-series z-cars , as I like diversity !

I did Not realistically having the funds to afford an RB25det or a 2JZ-GTE for the $2,000 price range ( give or take ) . I opted to use what I had for a motor swap ! Which in my possession is a SBC from a 75 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4. The features of this SBC were a ,4-bolt main , 9:1 compression , mild cam , headers , HEI Ignition , and better breathing cylinder heads !

 

Here are some initial pictures of this 1971 project 240z !

 

Body primed over ,,, paint was ,,, bad ,,,, out of rain and in dry storage thank goodness !!!

 

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Rear drivers lower quarter panel a bit mangled , but during previous owners possession.

 

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I had taken off the Fenders for the V8 conversion ! ( So I do not destroy the body during )

 

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A shot of the empty engine bay after pulling the L24. My SBC swap method required the wiring looms , and brake line hold downs to be ground off the frame rail's. This was in order to be able to "line"(fit) some 2.5x2.5" angle iron pieces onto the frame rails.

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The frame rails were cleared of wiring/brake-lines/obstructions. Next frame rails were lined with the Angle Iron. In addition the angle iron was drilled with 1/2" hole. This was done straight through the frame and tension control arm bracket. The angle iron was then removed , and 1/2" I.D structural tubing was inserted into the frame as well as MIG welded. The angle iron was re-installed , and bolted down at this point.

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Looking at the passenger side area cleared of fuel , brake , and electrical tie downs/wires. This was in order to be able to mount the angle iron properly.

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Passenger's side view again. Both angle iron pieces were C-clamped carefully before being drilled. Later on these will be bolted to the front cross-member.

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This view is sitting down in engine bay , and looking straight Trans tunnel. Hole on the drivers side is cut out for the External Linkage 4-spd Saginaw Manual Transmission.

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Drivers side view

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I then went to find a method to level the engine fairly easily while tacking together engine mounts. I made a "Engine Lift Plate" ( also purchase from Harbor-Freight). The rear the loop , allows an almost completely level engine option. The front loop allows enough "tilt" to pull and install the engine/transmission. In addition , I made the plate wider at two points to allow a magnetic "level" to be stuck on top of the plate to check making sure the engine was level !. Obviously this is critical when making/testing ---> motor-mounts/trans-mount/etc,,,

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From the beginning I knew I wished to have an engine cradle , and a quick disconnect system. Here are a few pictures of an "Engine Cradle" that wraps tightly under the oil pan. The engine cradle also connects both engine mount plates. These mounting plates ultimately connected to two R-180 Mustache Bar Loops that have been cut off the Mustache bar ends. When the engine is lowered in , they will sit on top of the angle iron pieces for mounting. ( more on that later )

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I ultimately lowered the engine in. I then blocked it , and leveled it as best I could. I also used a transmission jack to level the transmission tail/angle. I then checked tail-shaft and pinion angles. Next , I block the sides of the engine with wooden blocks , and a cherry pick supporting the weight on the rear lift plate loop !. Next , I tack welded my engine mount loops/cradle together ! This is a picture of my 350 engine set in after tack welding the mounts together( full weight supported ). One must note the distributor is not installed.

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The distributor was pulled out in this picture. Engine was set back to within 1/2" inch of firewall (distributor as measurement obviously per JTR specification !)

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Next, I then purchased some "Block Hugger" Headers ,,, that fit very tightly and snugly around the block/heads/oilpan . The ultimate reason for purchasing these headers was to clear the steering arm with room to spare ! Which it did with great success. Thank you JTR !

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Here are the motor-mount ends complete. The 90-degree angled thick washers ends that are bolted THROUGH the R-200 Bushings ,,, SIT on the angle iron that is mounted in the engine bay on both frame rails . This makes the motor-mount adjustable if desired (with shims before and after the bushing) . I will add additional gusseting to the end brackets bolted through the Mustache Bar Bushing if need be ,,, :)

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Drivers Side (Longer ,,, since engine off set to passenger's side)

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I had run this engine on my engine test stand ! . I acquired an engine test stand with poor wheels , and poor motor mounts. Next step was wiring this beast test stand. I pulled all of the cab/engine harness wiring out of a1975 Chevy 4x4 Pickup. I also pulled out as well as used the Radiator , Engine Mounts ( all metal ) , and Engine Mount Cross Member. I proceeded to mount them all to the test stand !. The test stand itself is made from 2.5" round tubing , and pieces of sheet-metal as well as steel plating. I made a plate that attaches to the bell-housing , and this help stabilize the engine during operation. Next , I tack welded a quick radiator mount to the front hoop on the engine test stand ! The entire wiring harness I strapped to a wooden board , and I was able to start/stop/test this engine from outside of a car ! Here's some pictures of it !

 

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Then After testing the engine , I found I had a bad valve seal , and a bad accelerator pump. Everything else checked out ok. The engine operated smoothly , and the oil Pressure was very high ! The Compression was healthy as well ! At this point , I had decided it was ok to go into the car.

 

After this , I then proceeded to attach the correct clutch/flywheel. I had not attached the "clutch" because I did not wish to put back in a burnt disc. During mock-up I left the clutch out. Finding out the hard-way that a car-clutch was used in Van SBC's , rather than Truck Clutches. I needed to use a 10.5" clutch , and not the 11" clutch lol.I proceeded to switch the Bell-housing , Flywheel , Pressure Plate , Clutch Disc , and Starter. After the swap , the Saginaw slipped right in !

 

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I forgot to mention , that all welds are done with ARC Welder. They look like crap , but they hold !!! :lol: ( except for the internal frame rail structural tubing 1/2" crap ,,, that was done with my MIG before it broke ) It was easier for me to stick with the factory H.E.I. Also the plug wires were angled plug wires. Proved beneficial over the straight plug wires on points type distributors. Pictured below is the larger base H.E.I Distributor.

 

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This next picture is a look at some wiring at the starter. Positive battery cable , and wiring harness share the same 9/16" nut lug stud. The Starter "Excite" (or signal) wire is to the right of these. It retains it's own 5/16" nut. I will be building a heat shield , and possibly purchasing a gear-reduction starter. Obviously the heat issue will be a threat.

 

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Mechanical fuel pump is up next. I had 1/4" of an inch clearance between the fuel pump body , and the top edge of the passenger side motor mount tip. I ended up buzzing off the top of the existing passenger side motor mount since this picture. It was actually a success down in car with a steady hand :D. The lower radiator hose from the 1975 Chevy truck ,,, will interfere with the sway bar as well as steering rack. I will use it to fire up/test the car , and then attend to proper fitting radiator hose(s) later on when the car is licensed/driven.

 

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I ran down to my local "Ace Hardware" , and grabbed four Grade-8 bolts for the water pump pulley. I was certain I would not be able to run a mechanical fan , so I grabbed these in-case I ever wanted/needed to run an electric fan. I have sourced a "High Volume" dual-speed model fan since this picture has been taken. It as cheap so I am very happy !

 

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The Big Orange Hose "looped" at the front of the engine is a bypass to the heater core. I did this as I am sure the current heater core is rotten in the car. This bypass will allow me to run/test the engine swap without another worry. Various wires/cables are strung up over , and ready to drop in engine this way. Obviously this will allow me a faster wiring/accessory hook-up once the engine is slid in !

 

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This "Electrical Plug" (picture)is originally meant to plug straight into a "Fuse-block" in the firewall on a 1975 Chevy 4x4 3/4 ton pickup. Well , I have all of this wiring needed to start/test/run the engine. This is the "end" of the engine harness , and it plugs into the "beginning" of the cab harness (Fuse-block area at firewall on Chevy Truck). It is nice to have this set-up , and I can start/run/stop the 240z outside the car.

 

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Picture of Drivers side head , and looking straight down just to the right of the first exhaust tube is the "Temperature Sensor/Sender". I point this out as I will possibly be running new wiring to it through a loom later on. I also had to "notch" The header on this side (just a touch !) This was done , because the sender was interfering with the header flange. All is well now !

 

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Another angle of Temp Sensor/Sender location view.

 

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This looks like garbage ,,, but I assure you ,,,, it's reinforced pretty dang good :lol:

 

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I just love the look of headers !!

 

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This particular SBC , has the engine harness wiring loom bolted to the back of the engine. This is achieved via the bell-housing bolts/connectors. This shouldn't cause clearance issues when setting back the motor. I worry that vibration , and motor-rock could potentially rub on something. I say this also since the brake lines are right there as well ! I choose to leave the loom bolted to the engine bell-housing when I set the engine in. This proved to be a close call !

 

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(To be continued),,,,

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Another Shot of the wiring Harness Loom ,,,

 

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Heater Core Bypass specifically orange hose

 

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Looking 1.25 inches to the left of the base neck of the distributor. There is a "Black" vacuum hose sticking straight up. This is actually an insulated oil pressure hard tapped gallery line (5/16" wrench). It is is fed directly to the mechanical oil pressure gauge ( located in gauge cluster ) from factory ! (in case someone was wondering , it's important to know for future gauge hook-ups):)

 

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A better picture of oil pressure-hard-line-to-mechanical gauge (visible fitting)

 

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4-wire Internally Regulated 65amp I believe ? ( I will have to look that up again ) GM Alternator ( Not a "One Wire") :). This shouldn't be very hard to wire in. I just have to compute a proper gauge between

the conversion , and the GM Alternator Specs. Wiring will come last ! JTR to the rescue :lol:

 

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Engine negative battery cable grounded to the alternator bracket (top left) from factory !

 

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Factory GM what I believe to be a "junction block ". One side of this block has a Resistor for the H.E.I ? This junction block was mounted to the firewall on the donor 1975 Chevy pickup. The resistor is originally mounted to the firewall as well. ( looks like 3 springs on a block of fire-resistant and non-metallic material ) The resistor is not pictured , and I will have to update this.

 

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Motor view from the back ,and transmission attached ! Wooo-hooooo

 

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Transmission = GM Saginaw 4-speed (Cast Iron Case , and 3-ring input). Physically picking up this transmission , it feels like approximately 100lbs. It definitely feels lighter than a TH-350 !

 

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Another angle of the 4-speed Saginaw transmission.

 

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Saginaw transmission side cover (External Shifting Linkage rods/shifter not currently attached)

3rd-4th gear = Lever on the left

1st-2nd gear = Lever in the middle

Reverse = Square Lever on the right

 

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Next , I had to look at a Clutch system. Originally this was a mechanical clutch operated system :blink::unsure:

 

I decided to convert ( or attempt to ) the Datsun 240z hydraulic clutch system. I had to cut off quite a bit of the original SBC clutch throw-out arm. This was done to bring the pivot point closer towards the bell-housing. Hopefully compensating for the shorter stroke of the Datsun slave cylinder ( I know I should be using a larger slave and master )

 

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I then attached a 240z slave cylinder as best as I could. The brackets are following bell-housing lines for strength , and the bolt is shanked/fitted properly. I hope it works ! lol ( no big problem if not , because of the other proven options are out there just more money. I had to build the cylinder as tight as I could. This was due to the firewall , and transmission-tunnel clearances. Arc Welder Booger welds:rolleyes: :lol:,,, )))

 

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The angle of the slave cylinder adjustable push-rod is off just a little bit. If this hybrid clutch system works , then I will correct this "angle". In addition , I have reinforced this bracket since this picture has been taken. If this does not work , then in goes an internal hydraulic throwout slave cylinder.

 

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You can see how tight the flat-bar steel is formed to the bell-housing "ears". It is also bolted down on both bell-housing bolts. Also reinforced the rear bracing from the transmission lower ears/bolts .,,,( which is not shown in this picture )

 

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Getting Ready To Drop in Engine ! At this point , I realized I still needed to change out the Differential from a R-180 to an R-200 (3.54). So I took the R-200 Mustache Bar I had laying around , and drilled out the old rubber bushings. I then cleaned the loops/hoops with a wire wheel on a drill. Next , I installed the upper poly bushings with lube (correct lube) . I then gave differential a quick blast of black paint , and installed the mustache bar on the Differential.

 

I then put it on a jack with the cross-member attached to the differential , and jacked it up in position. I proceeded to bolt the cross-member in , and then lightly pushed in bottom R-200 Mustache bar bushings. Next , tightening down the bolts sucked the bushings up ,and the it all fit nicely ! here's a pic of the differential ( no current pics of Mustache bar ,,, I will have to get some )

 

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This is the part where I do the "Engine Hoist" dance lol ( swing Engine Hoist 180 degrees around the engine that is sitting on blocks/ jack stands )

 

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In this picture I then flopped over the battery cables/wires , and made sure nothing will catch when dropping in the engine ! Picture is getting ready to position engine/trans to be able to be craned in ,,, :D

 

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I really can't remember why I needed this much angle ?,,, haha !

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Hard to see this one , and it is from the passenger side ,,, lowering engine in ,,, apologies for the darkness !

 

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Edited by Blue
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Drive-train In !!! :D ( some pics with my phone and some with my laptop ,,, apologies in advance for variations )

 

All in and Mounted !!!:D

 

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Tell me this is not ,,, Cool Looking !!! :lol::cool:

 

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Gauges you see on the left in this picture ,,, work when I hook up my "test harness" from the 1975 Chevy Pickup . I am very happy I took the time to pull all the wiring from that donor pickup ! :D

 

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( Descriptions in this post in progress .... )

 

After setting in the engine , this is the "Played" with result of clearance between the steering rack and engine Harmonic Balancer. It seemed 5/8" clearance seems plenty , but I felt safer it being just a touch higher assuming my motor mount rips or motor rock is an issue :unsure: . I originally had this clearance at about 1/4"-3/8". I am aware of smaller 6.25" balancer per JTR , but I do not have the money at the time. I then proceeded with the 8" balancer !

 

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Notice motor "Cradle" clears the steering arm ,,, :D. engine crankshaft center-line is "off-set" to passengers side obviously.

 

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This is obviously a pic from underneath , and on the drivers side of the vehicle. The hole you see above was my noob to engine swap mistakes (manual trans). I had originally "clearance" the clutch arm to be able toi fit inside a pocket of the firewall area. Somehow in my drunken calculation , I had forget about the Gas Pedal being RIGHT THERE :blink: . I proceeded to shorten the clutch arm as short as I could stand working with. I then modified it to what you see now. If you look at the trans tunnel currently ( in this picture ) you will see I still have to "massage" the trans-tunnel lightly . No worries boy's and girls , and this hole will be MIG welded back up solid with reinforcement !.

 

The slave cylinder is now mounted on the "drivers side" as opposed to the "passengers side" of the transmission ( from factory ). I now must move or "re-bend" the factory clutch hydraulic line , to be able to use the original line. I have not achieved this yet , and am afraid to try at the moment lol. Which of course brings me to making up a "new" hydraulic line (correct way) -to-hydraulic soft line which connects to the slave cylinder.

 

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This picture shows the mechanical fuel pump is hovering above the passenger's side original factory motor mount ! As mentioned before clearance was marginal , but still "ok? . Since this picture , I took a grinder cut-off wheel to give the fuel pump a little more room ! ( What I really should have just done was weld locators into the cross-member(jig) , and cut welds off both factory Hard Plate mounts. Then take them off ,,and keep them for later if I ever wanted an L-series engine back in the car ! )

 

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This picture shows an ,,, Internally regulated GM 65amp ? Alternator ,and the Negative battery cable grounding point was on the alternator bracket ( Factory GM Point ). A V-Belt shown obviously from age as well as era !

 

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Pictured is my engine cradle wrapping around the oil pan , and it clears about 1/2"-9/16" from the pan itself. Could possibly be just a touch more. The cradle fits very nicely ! The connecting "U-Shape" piece is made of 1"x3" Square tubing ( thicker than usual ,,but can't remember how thick at this moment in time ) Header Down-pipes shown in the picture. Steering linkage arm is shown as well.

 

Rear sump oil pan is again from a 1975 Chevy 4x4 350 (4-bolt main)

 

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In this picture I Regret having to cut such a large hole , and it was painful to do so. I had to be able to get at the external linkage somehow with installation , and so on. It doesn't make sense what I did in this picture , that is until you have to actually WORK with the parts I am using <_<. I choose this path , and know one to blame but my budget as well as myself ! haha

 

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This picture is looking straight down through the shifter hole , and you can actually see that the crankshaft center-line is offset to the passenger's side (cool !) Also this is in alignment(as close as I could get realistically get it ) with the differential !

 

Also is all of the "widening" and "cutting" on the shifter hole/trans tunnel. hat I had to pursue and execute ,,, in order to achieve a working system with my new found transmission. I'm not too happy about this , but it is my first "official" engine conversion. Live , learn , and a hater's gonna hate ! :lol:;)

 

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This drive-shaft is for mock up only. Allows me to see transmission height , and clearances around the brake Lines as parking brake cable. Of course sheet-metal was a concern in itself . The Front of the drive-shaft looks funny , because it was a slip yoke that was torched off by previous owner of the transmission. Ultimately just the slip yoke will be knocked out , and attached to a longer gm drive-shaft. I then will attach my R200 adapter flange to this drive-shaft longer GM drive-shaft. I measured for a new drive-shaft already at this point. Finally when I am ready , I will take the GM drive-shaft to be shortened/balanced !

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This was quite interesting ! I had a FULL SIZED 19" mechanical "clutch-less" type radiator fan Once installed it only had 3/4" clearance (to the hood) , but clearance from my top radiator hose was of no concern ! I can opt to buy an 19" , 18" , 17" , and 15" inch diameter non-flex steel fan later on. I also have an electric "Push" type fan that may be large enough for this conversion. I will stick to this 19" Mechanical Fan while working out the bugs/testing phase ! I will also test my electrical fan set-up , and compare the two for my needs ! ;)

 

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This is the gauge cluster pack from the donor 1975 Chevy Truck.The entire Gauge Pack , has a thin strip copper circuit printed film board. This copper film strip in all share a common ground , and this is how the bulbs are powered ! (cool) ,,, I use the mechanical "Oil Pressure" gauge, the "Volt" gauge ,,and "Temperature" Gauge only for this obviously lol ! You cannot separate these off the cluster without damaging them , but why would you want to separate them ?

 

This same set of gauges , I also use on my "Engine Testing" stand. The one you saw earlier on in this project thread ! cool huh ? ( if you scroll back up to the first post you will see them sitting below the engine ! )

 

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All cab and engine bay wiring from the donor 1975 Chevy 4x4 pickup. My method of securing the wiring to the board was makeshift. I grabbed some 5/8" heater hose , cut it into 2 inch or so chunks , and slit them length wise. I then proceeded to tucked the wiring inside each mounting point ,and I grabbed some sheet rock screws. Next I used a 3/8" cordless drill , screwed through the edge of the rubber. Naturally the rubber would "curl" back up to it's circular position. This would "trap" the wiring very snugly for a makeshift board.

 

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These are glass-packs from the donor 1975 Chevy truck. Same one as the motor came from ! This will work for testing/working out bugs on car ,and maybe even a little driving. Glass packs are VERY long for this car , and hard to fit ! lol. I am glad I recessed my transmission mounts enough to tuck them in a bit more and without burning anything or clearance issues ( hopefully on the burning part lol ). I used Jack-Stands to hold/position in order to "complete" this recycled exhaust. It helped me accommodate (cut) the proper angles without too much of a fuss ! The exhaust pipe is in much better condition than appears , and is of thicker gauge.

 

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A further back angle pic of the last ,,, The transmission-mount plate on the cross-member ,,, that the rubber transmission mount bolts to ,,, was actually made from the "flat" part of the r-180 mustache bar that did not get used. I cannibalized it for the R-180 loop ends on the engine mounts ! Recycle and re-use !;). The whole mustache bar was used in both the engine and transmission mounts ! :D hehehe

 

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I really need to grind down these welds ,,, and re-weld them all pretty like ,,, haha :lol:. I will proceed to do that AFTER I verify/run/test/drive car. For now they just need to hold the transmission in until I get all the bugs worked out ( assuming always there will be some bugs! ) . This will happen when the motor comes out again for paint , mods , or repairs ! ( we all know it happens often , especially during these things ! lol )

 

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I really need to grind down these welds ,bevel , and re-weld.

 

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Picture says it all ! The bolt and nut you see is Grade-8 hardware. It is a 1/2" hole drilled through the "Tension Control Bracket" (TCA arm bracket) towards there rear of the engine frame rails,This is the rear mounting point for the angle iron. Earlier I lined the frame rail tops with.

 

( I may change out pics as this one is a touch annoying ,, with all my writing ,,, )

 

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Driver's side from underneath , showing drivers side motor mount plate connected to the cradle. The mustache bar loop connection , and steering arm were actually an issue my first time around tack welding them in. I proceeded "Angle" the mount up in order to clear the steering arm. Success ! The steering are looks as though it is no where near the steer shaft. But , if I dropped the motor much further down ,,, I would have to be very careful with those specific clearance's on this drivers side motor mount.

 

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Looking at the block hugger header clearances. I will have to build a sheet-metal shield , and possibly use "header wrap" etc. I am glad I am able to "reach" , and change the starter In the car with this conversion ,,, lol

 

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I Installed the GM "Chevelle !?(not entirely sure now ,,,all I know is it works ! haha ) 4-speed Saginaw Shifter. A bit of clearance in front of the bracket , and shifts freely without touching anything ! I really need to take it apart and clean/re-grease the mechanism itself.

 

The assembly bolts onto the passenger's side of the tail-shaft ,and the working mechanism itself is off-set towards the driver ! Cool ! Of course I really wish I just had a "Hurst" Shifting assembling instead. If you have ever felt/drove one then you know what I'm saying !! :cool:

 

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(Laptop cam) Drivers side floor ,and you can see the linkage hookup. It also appears that the speedometer cable outlet on the transmission will be a challenge as well :blink: . It points straight through where I planned to put the "reinforced access cover" ( I might need a 90-degree adapter of some sort if they make them. I will be researching this !

 

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Shifter linkage rods are in , and engaged at the transmission! ( The shift forks are located in the cover obviously ,,, 1st/2nd share one ,,, 3rd/4th share one ,,, reverse has it's own fork ! For a "Cast Iron Case" Transmission , it's fairly light to me :blink::D

 

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Picture looking from drivers side(column doesn't have cover on it ). Shifter height actually ideal with the seat that is currently in there ! Critical wiring seems to be "ok" , and accessory stuff ( heater , radio ) is kind poop at the moment <_<.

 

You can also see my "Dual Glass-Pack" Mufflers below the trans ,,, love it ! haha

 

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Shifter height I am getting use to ! It's nice once you sit in it and feel it ! It is engaged in first gear in the picture.

 

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Patched together dual exhaust tonight , and will use to test ! Then once bugs figured out as well as car licensed I will drive down to exhaust shop . I will then play quote battle with the exhaust shop ! lol. Ultimately I will have them run a nice pretty new 2.25-2.5" Dual exhaust ,,, :D . Until then a used dual 2" exhaust shall do !! :)

 

Also , I Took off the transmission side-cover to re-seal it. This is the external linkage to the shift-forks located in this cover (picture).

 

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Linkage Rods are disconnected in this picture. They are held on by washers on the back-side , and cotter-key type pins ? ( I need to buy the correct ones as non-correct ones were provided with my used transmission purchase ! )

 

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Pulled off the cover , and you can see gears inside ! They look to be in good condition. Of course it needs GL-4 Gear Fluid as well , because of the Gold Metal ( Synchro's )

 

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This is a picture of the inside of the shifter/transmission cover , and you can see (2) Shift forks poking out . Shift fork on the right is 1st/2nd gear shift fork. Shift Fork on the left is 3rd/4th gear shift fork . Reverse has it's own system ! lol ( a little paw selector )

 

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(Top Gears in Picture ) ,,, From Far Left ---> (Top Gears) ,,, 4th ,,, 3rd ,,,, 2nd ,,,, (Reverse ,,, the one with straight cut gears ) ,,,, 1st

 

(Bottom Gears in Picture ) ,,, Cluster Shaft Gears ,,, non-removable I believe ?

 

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In this picture Showing access cover is on the drivers side. I will leave it open for now , and reseal it later. I want to take a closer look at 2nd Gear Synchro/hub/fork. I stated earlier in this portion , that 2nd feels a touch funny shifting. I am being really really picky. Synchro look really good ! I will be noting this for sure , and test/work out bugs on whole V8 conversion. Then rebuild/repair this transmission myself or have this done by a transmission shop if reasonably effective all around. Initially I was quoted around the $400 figure to have this done.

 

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I thought I had posted a picture of my re-used , and recycled exhaust lol ! here it is !!! ( rear exit pipes will be cut/re-welded so they don't scrape) This is really more of a test exhaust system , and I probably will keep the glass-packs if I can.

 

The car is on four jack stands. The rest of the jack-stands were used to hold the exhaust in place , so I would be able to tack weld the exhaust. I then pulled each side one at a time , and finished welding them on the bench. Finally I re-installed them.

 

NOTE : ---> I eliminated the "bends" towards the center back are of the exhaust since this picture. Obviously these would have scraped ! lol. These bends were how the exhaust shop ran the exhaust on the donor truck.

 

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We all know ideally that a transmission should be diagnosed while driving. Well ,,, I do not have that luxury at the moment , so I will stick with what I am able to do !

 

Delayed initial start up testing. I put my focus back on transmission after worrying about that funny feeling ! I proceeded to pull off the side-cover again , the synchro teeth all looked to be excellent in every gear ! I then slid the synchro hubs back and forth with my hands , and that proved to check out well ! I cannot see the dogs , or the synchro springs/hubs. So I am doing what I can to help diagnose or ease my worrying mind.

 

I then proceeded to check the shift forks. They looked like they were in good condition. The 3rd-4th fork has a little wear but not a lot , and that is only normal !

 

I picked up the side-cover that was housing the shift-forks. I then proceeded to work them , and inspected them for a bit. Next , I put the side-cover back on the transmission. I then operated it the gear selectors manually at the side-cover. Strangely it felt a little different ! I pulled off the side-cover. I took the spring at the bottom in the picture , and cupped it a bit tighter. I put the side-cover back on the transmission. At that point it felt smoother! Transmission guy around the corner said these can become weak ... and mimic the conditions of a worn synchronous block ring ...

 

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I will be ordering one soon , and installing it ! Transmission all back together for now ! I do not know if this is the issue , but gotta start somewhere ! The gentleman I bought this transmission from said "It was rebuilt 1 year ago". As we all know ,,, it seems little elf's are working round the clock to rebuild every-transmission that is for sale (rolleyes). To his credit , I have not had a chance to test this transmission , and the synchro's/gears look to be promising shape ! :)

 

I will be thoroughly inspecting the synchro dogs , hubs , splines , springs , etc once the transmission is to be rebuilt. I know the feeling is not in the linkage or original shifter. I know that won't be helping anything at any-rate lol ! Another excuse to hunt for my Hurst !.

 

I am still chugging away on this project ! That's it for this moment (January 3rd 1:06 PST) ,,, Happy New Year ! I will try to update again soon :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

.. forgot i had these!

71 240z ... Gen I 350 Chevy ... ( its now 3/4" farther back since this pic) .... J I could run a smaller balancer to drop the engine another 7/8" (per JTR specs) ... but I prefer the larger factory balancer lol.... 5/8" clearancer between balancer and steering rack if wondering ;) ... its all in my build thread in my sig. Engine is offset to passengers side as well in pictures.

 

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73 240z daily driver ... L28 engine ... factory position :)... absolutely love the l28 ... mileage .. low end torque ... zx 5spd

 

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Strut tower cap looking things ... i built these to wrap like a cone around top of strut tower ... They are then bolted down on top ... then pinch weld three connecting points at the base that allow the caps to come off (I may just MIG weld them in completely to be done with it) ... a front strut tower bar will be built... attached ... then triangulation from each strut tower cap to centerish of firewall ... via two additional pieces of tubing ...

 

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Still need to br finished ... final fitting ... these were ARC welded and ground down mostly ... these will get body-work when the rest of the car gets to that phase :D

 

i decided to span the load of the triangulation points across the firewall attachment ... as best i can before finishing ... this is due to the idea of sharing the load,across, and in the event of s bad wreck i do not wish for this to be a harpoon lol.

 

 

 

Building a rear ... strut tower bar ... it will be triangulated as well ... versus just a a single connection bar clear across the top... :)

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In addition ... i am also thinking of moving the radiator and battery to the back. I will definetly have to research plumbing materials, flex joints, etc ... :D

 

The battery relocation seems easy peezy , but i do believe i will have to install a relay upgrade as well :)

 

I am searching ;) ... these two points deserve their own post in my build since they are of low priority until many other things are taken care of first.

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Little things ...

 

Cut off hood latch retaining bracket ... will be relocated ... a few inches towards drivers side ... this is to allow room for distributor/maintenance purposes ...

 

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Deleted/took out wiper washer tubes ... they are in the way for firewall bracing purposes either way

 

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Grade-8 hardware for installing strut tower bar ... lol

 

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1/2" I.D structural tubing pieces ... will be welded to the strut tower bar to allow removal.

 

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Grade-8 hardware bolted to ... 1/8 plating ... in which the ears will be welded to the strut tower caps

 

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Strut tower bar installed ... ears welded onto the strut tower caps .... bar itself is 1" diameter square tubing ... :)

 

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Another angle ... looks tight ... plenty of clearance ;)

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Not much of an update

 

I.. re-cut ... shortened ... and re-welded the strut tower bar ... threw a coat of blue paint on it for heck of it, and to slow rusting lol .... blue my favorite Color.

 

I know for sure i will weld two more adajacent 1" square tubing pieces ... triangulated to firewall to make just an entire 1-piece setup ..... rather than 3 seperate pieces ...

 

I am much happier now with this result, and moving things around a bit ... :)

 

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I really need to get more done on this before spring :)

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this is a stock 350sbc air cleaner ... the snout was going to be a clearance issue

 

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So i cut it off ... heat riser valve is gone ... this air cleaner will be used for testing and until i make a custom one or low profile.

 

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Strut tower bar ... triangulation to the firewall ... fabrication done.

 

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Strut bar ... triangulation to firewall bar ... installed ... distributor cap have to come off ... in order to install the strut tower bar.

 

Also tack welded a long steel plate for connection points ... this will also serve az a hood latch mounting point as i had to cut off the original one ...

 

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Air cleaner installed.

 

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If i had ... a roll cage ... i would be using 1.25 round tubing instead of what i have used .... i would also use connection points through the firewall to bracing (obviously)

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Painted the bars blue quickly to prevent rust over duration ... i love blue anyways lol

 

Also ... i will MIG weld the steel plate at firewall ... once i pull the engine again lol ( proper weld)

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Vacuumed out mice poop and organized interior today. I did this in order to see if anyl possible patch welding is to be done beforemoving onto por-15 coating phase. I am getting ready to order some por-15 or eastwood products equilvalent soon... i am doing some more research before ordering to satisfy the system i will be using. I also need to decide if i will be extending the floor pan frame rails before coating anything in this "reasonably" priced precious chemical. :)

 

Also got a goodies in mail today ... my previous heater control panel was mutuilated <_<

 

Ebay find .... 240z heater control panel with switches , cablez , and heater vent attached got it at a good price, but unfortunately the bottom bezel in which the radio sits ... is cut out .... geee thanks ebay seller for disclosing ahead of time :rolleyes: ... got it for. 50 cents more than willing to pay though :lol::)

 

A little fixing, and it shall work. Onto the pics! !! ...

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Anyone that has tried to buy these ... knows how much the price can fluctuate ... errrrr

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Well ... today coated passengers side floor boards ... sealed seams before hand ... tubing structure to hold trans mount is welded in and sitting close to the trans tunnel ... just in front of the seat mount.

 

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Picked up a 77 double scooped 280z hood ... this will go on later down the road :)

 

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