bjhines Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 I spun them both to make sure the spot was right on. Of course one of my pointers is a little less than accurately aligned. But it is only scribing a circle a half an inch in dia., so it is pretty easy to find the middle. Here is a pic of the differential mounted. I still need to do a few little things... like clip the flat washers attaching the mount. They are not sitting flat. I am changing the engine mounts to a harder urethane style mount. I also need to measure Yoke to Yoke for the driveshaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 I slapped on the adaptor flange so I could get the driveshaft length measured and take my shaft off for shortening. My required driveshaft length comes to 19.5" center-to-center between the hinge points at the yokes. I am taking it to the driveshaft shop this afternoon. Ohh BTW. I have measuerd the length with a .75" spacer holding it from being completely inserted into the tranny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I formed the 1988 Camaro boot to fit the tunnel. What a great idea! I bet this boot would work great for guys doing other tranny swaps with less than ideal shifter locations.... That's the same swap I'm doing and it will hopefully look as good as that. When you say you formed the Camaro boot to fit the tunnel, did you glue it, heat it, stick it, etc? I'm not quite to that point yet, so I'm asking the question. Good work BTW. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 The Camaro boot is molded rubber with a steel reinforcing strip molded into it's perimeter. It is very ductile and can be easily formed to fit the tunnel. I have not put any screws into it yet. It is just bent to fit and laying on top of the tunnel in that pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 The Camaro boot is molded rubber with a steel reinforcing strip molded into it's perimeter. It is very ductile and can be easily formed to fit the tunnel. I have not put any screws into it yet. It is just bent to fit and laying on top of the tunnel in that pic. Nice! It's going to be easier and less messy than I originally thought. I also have a Pro 5.0 shifter that I purchased in order to nix the sotck shifter. Although I have yet to mount the shifter, it looks like the cat's meow--a seriously nice piece but with instructions drawn up by a third grader Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 LOL... Now I am thinking I might like having the shifter right next to the steering wheel for that NASCAR feel. It seems that the PRO 5.0 shifter might get the stick too far away. Could you post some pics and angles for that PRO 5.0 stick?? There are several other similarly priced options out there... It would be interesting to find out if the PRO 5.0 could be easily modified to get the length and angles right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 LOL... Now I am thinking I might like having the shifter right next to the steering wheel for that NASCAR feel. A friend of mine did this in his 510. The result was not so hot in my opinion. I think he is still racing it like that, but the throws got really long and felt more sloppy. Your mileage may vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdfMF Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 BJ, Thanks for the idea regarding the Camaro shift boot. How well does the Z center console fit over the Camaro boot? Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted July 21, 2007 Author Share Posted July 21, 2007 STROTTER was the member here who posted the Camaro boot idea on the first page of this thread. The stock 1988 Camaro SHIFTER binds the 1973 240Z BOOT enough in first and second gear that it would need to be moved over slightly. Keep in mind that this is with the 1988 factory shifter with a very wide 1" tube forming most of the lower half of the stick. A smaller diameter rod might clear the factory boot. The PRO 5.0 shifter has it's stick attached at an angle and it is a smaller dia. rod. The pro5.0 shifter would probably fit the factory boot with no modifications. We would have to see it mounted to confirm this. I don't particularly like the Camaro boot because it interferes with the factory center console. It is nice to see that it will work in a pinch though. Pic of the Camaro boot with the tranny in 1st gear. Here is the shifter in 5th gear. It is being pulled back out of gear by tension on the inner boot. The boot is caught under the inner lip of the console. The boot bellows need to slide as well as flex. There is just no room in there for that kind of movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted July 21, 2007 Author Share Posted July 21, 2007 The differential crossmember is done and fitted. I had to clearance the top surface to clear the lowered differential nose. Actually the only thing that hits it are the nuts that attach the urethane mount. I can just barely fit a rubber pad in between the diff and the mount to keep it from clanging. I also modified the bottom of the crossmember to allow dual exhausts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Looking great! Nice work and photo/documentation! It looks like at this point you'll have that 327 running before I have the 400 in my Z! Yes, that balancer to steering rack clearance looks fine. No worries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted July 26, 2007 Author Share Posted July 26, 2007 Thanks Pete! I still have to get through painting this project. I am fitting up nearly every piece of the car(inside and out) to make absolutely sure that it will bolt together without further modification when it comes back from paint. Ohh god.. the dreaded paint jail is about to begin. It is almost more agonizing becasue I will have assembled the car to a nearly driveable state by the end of this weekend... Only to disassemble it again and wait weeks or months even for it to come back painted and ready to permanently reassemble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 It seems that the PRO 5.0 shifter might get the stick too far away. Could you post some pics and angles for that PRO 5.0 stick?? BJ, I have EVERYTHING in storage right now and am still in the midst of moving. Sorry, I just can't help here. Good luck with your car in paint jail--what a great place to be! Wishing mine was that far along... Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdfMF Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Hi All, Here are some photos of my Pro 5.0 shifter installed on a Chevy T5 with my 350 + JTR combo in a '72 Z. It is a tight fit. The tranny has not yet been aligned with the diff (I'm using a Ron Tyler style mount), but it's pretty close. Since taking these photos I have cut away a portion of the tunnel to gain some additional clearance. The shifter is in 1st in these photos. I am 6' 2" and the shifter falls into comfortable positions in each gear. The stock Z rubber boot really does not work. While it does fit over the Pro 5.0 shift lever, due to the extreme offset of the tranny, it tends to bind the shifter in 1st and 2nd and also pulls the right side of the boot off the tunnel when in 1st and 2nd gear. I will be searching for a shift boot that allows for enough movement while covering the hole in the tunnel. I may start with the '88 Camaro boot to see how it fits over the thinner Pro 5.0 lever. Hope this helps and I'll post more photos as I move forward. The Pro 5.0 shifter is absolutely awesome so I am determined to make it work! Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I'm using the small 153 tooth flywheel blow proof bellhousing from Sonic/Tilton: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=99928 It mounts the T-5 "straight up", not at the 15 or 17 degrees tilt that the OE F-body T-5 aluminum bellhousing does. Yes, you then have to create a tilted mount for the rear of the trans for the rear isolator mount, but I think it's a good option, especially if you want the safety of the blow-proof one. Note that it's not SFI rated like the Lakewood ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdfMF Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Hi Pete, I thought about the after market bellhousing as soon as I saw the placement of the shift mechanism. At this point I would have to pull engine out of the car and I am so close to getting it running. After 16 years of no Z, my anxiousness is getting the better of me! Since I've already altered the trans tunnel, I think it will be easier and quicker to find a shift boot. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Tom, thanks for posting those photos. You have convinced me to use the Corvette bellhousing I have instead of the Camaro bellhousing. It may not be blowproof like the ones Pete has mentioned, but it will avoid the slant that I see there. The slant may not cause performance issues, but it looks a bit out of place (for me). Good luck on your swap. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted August 1, 2007 Author Share Posted August 1, 2007 I notice something that may be important to choosing the right shifter. The stock camaro shifter is angled/offset towards the passenger side. It is angled right where it pivots, way down at the level where the bolts hold it on. The PRO5.0 shifter is angled up higher where the stick bolts to the stub sticking up out of the PRO5.0 stop ring. The fact that the stub sticks straight out of the tranny a few inches BEFORE it angles to the right is causing it to interfere more than other units. I would like to find a shifter that angles lower/closer to the tranny mounting plate, more like the stock shifter. I think I can use the original boot if I move it over 3/4" to the left in conjunction with a shifter that is more like the stock unit. At this point I think the PRO5.0 shifter's only advantage is the fact that it works better than the stock unit. I think the stock shifter will ultimately be the best choice until I can find a suitable replacement. Thank you very much for posting those mockup pics!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 As far as finding a boot that fits, I used a generic Napa auto parts boot. At the time, five years ago, they offered two sizes. The large one worked fine for me. It's kind of cheesy looking especially when you consider it was designed to be the only thing there and visible from the interior. I have a nice vinyl boot over top of it. Davy, if you think you really need to use the Corvette bell housing because the angle bothers you come drive my car first and then decide if it's really an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strotter Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 With regards to the boot - invert the inside couple of bellows, so that they're facing downward. This moves the point of resistance closer to the leverage point, reducing the resistance to motion considerably. Sorry I didn't mention it earlier. This arrangement has worked with a few T-5's and a T56. Also note that newer ones are "flexier" than old ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.