tmcnam Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 Hi all, I've lurked on these forums for a while and got some tips on doing my conversion so I thought I would pass along some pics of my JTR parts because I thought they were easier (or at least as easy) to make as those shown in the JTR book (Mike Knell did a great job on that book btw). In any case it may give someone another option based on materials in hand. The first pics are of the motor mounts. I didn't have the required aluminum stock so instead used some bushing stock I had laying around and connected them with thin walled round tubing. I happened to have 4130 chrome moly but any thick wall tubing would work. Also, it may be much easier to use some flat bar stock to connect the spacers. Just about anything would work. I tig welded mine but only because it was 4130. For the tranny mount, I didn't want to buy a Caprice tail piece for my 700R4 and again, I didn't have a huge piece of flat stock aluminum (or mild steel) nor the capabilities to bend such a piece very accurately. I took the stock 280Z tranny mount (automatic) and cut off the end bushings. I then heated and bent a 1" square mild steel tube to fit inside the shortened mount (secured with a few short welds). After that I bent up some 2" x 3/16" flat stock I got at Lowe's, positioned the tranny in place and bolted the flat stock to the transmission tunnel. It took about 30 minutes to do the whole thing and seems to work well so far. I can shim to raise the tranny if needed and slot the center mount to adjust side to side if needed. I made some backing plates out of the flat stock and drilled them at the same time. Hopefully the pics are self explanatory. I realize this is simple/old hat to most of you, but this may help a newbie get going with some common materials on hand. Tim '76 280z w/ '99 vortec engine (heads adapted for higher lifts and GM 375hp cam--nothing spectacular) and 700R4 tranny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 Oh, man! I am just laughing to myself as I read your post. SUPER! Ingenuity of our membership never ceases to amaze me. That's pretty cool and I have never seen that before--nice! I suppose with simple welding skills, this is something a person can handle quite easily. I like your out-of-the-box type thinking. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 Wow, that is some amazing work. Use what you have, I couldn't agree more as long as you don't sacrifice safety. If you have the time, equipment, materials and talent making those yourself is very cool. When people ask which kit you used they will be blown away when you tell them you made it all. Personally I didn't have any of that so I bought mine, LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Top Secret Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 Very impressive! Lightweight too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nismoluv Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 ether way i like someone to be accountable for my mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 Very cool! I made the trans mount, per JTR manual in a press. It was tedious, and I like your solution better. But for the engine mounts, I felt like the $45 for the spacers was well spent. If I pay myself for my time, it'd be cheaper for me to buy them than make. Your solution is nice though, for someone with time, a nice welder and the materials sitting around!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmcnam Posted December 28, 2007 Author Share Posted December 28, 2007 That's true that it is much easier/faster to pay the few bucks and support Mike Knell (which I firmly believe we should). I happen to have a lot of aircraft tubing (4130) and bushing stock laying around and I literally made the mounts (spacers) in about an hour. However, I do have access to a lathe to quickly face the bushings, a mill w/dro to accuraetly (and quickly) drill a jig plate to hold the bushings while I weld them up with the tig welder...tools that aren't in everyones shop for sure. My motivation was that I like to build these kinds of parts but when I got ready to work in the shop these were the raw materials I had available (too impatient to order something and wait for it!) I guess I figured that someone could use a cutoff wheel/chop saw to cut some heavy wall tubing and flat stock then use a mig welder to tack it all together and have a set of mounts within an hour or so. Anyway, at the time, it seemed pretty quick and easy but I definately see your point! Thanks for the input. BTW, Pete, your car (via your website) has been a huge motivation for me. Beautiful work, beautiful car! Best regards, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Tim, if I had all of that stuff available to me and knew how to use it, I'd be making all kinds of stuff like the nice mounts you made! I get by with a grinder, hacksaw, circular saw with metal blade, MIG welder, files, dremel, die grinder. So things take me much longer and don't turn out as precise . Hell of a nice job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 It is possible to build crossmembers with little more than a hammer, vice, MIG and a bunch of flat steel welded together a piece at a time. Took more than an hour to figure out what I wanted to do though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmcnam Posted December 29, 2007 Author Share Posted December 29, 2007 WOW! That looks great! I'm sure you had some time in that crossmember but it looks like time well spent. I love seeing these different ways of acheiving the same goal! Really nice work. Best Regards Tim PS I'm concerned that you may not have enough thread in those floor bolts. Seriously, are those stainless bolts with stainless nylon lock nuts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdv350ss Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Great examples of clever home brewed fabrication! Pop N Wood, your transmission looks to be centered in that photo, or does that picture just make it appear that way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Must be the angle of the photo. The whole motor/trans if offset about an inch to the starboard side. I used the laser tool to get everything in line when I made the mount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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