Thanks fellas! A lot of time I switch from BLINDERS to rose colored glasses and overlook the obvious. Theres as much difference between these models as between the '64 and a lowly '63! There was absolutely no rush on this job; just getting stuff ready for next winters big adventure. Its good to have a nice warm shop to work in unless the state turns off or regulates natural gas volume sales. Remember Dick Nixon requesting us to keep the heat at 68F and wear a sweater? 73F in the wintertime up here is marginally comfortable! Anyways, Ill continue the search.
I am guessing most 64-65 GM "A" bodies will be closer? Howz about RIVs? There seams to be an abundance of those around up here. Just a thought!
Yesterday I got that shifter rod installed. Some one on V8 called it a :hybrid" model with modified arms on the trans and the rods as well. . Hmm. Laying the new one side by side with the busted one, the new one was about 1/8 to 1/4 inch too long to align the neutral pin for adjusting. No sweat right? I got a die nut on the threads and that bastard was hard as glass! No way was the die nut gonna touch that rod, and I wasn't gonna ruin the dye. Ended up taking it back out and puttin' it back the vise to give it a cold bend to shorten it up. HURST says to do it cold. That lousy 3/8 rod took all I could give it with a 12 inch adjustable handle on it to bend at all. I thought it was gonna bust and I was gonna go flyin'. TUFF STUFF. Even the sturdy bench and a REAL vise were moaning.
That worked swell, but the caveat (as always!) was that when putting that "C" clip back on the arm, BAYOINGGG, it went flying into the abyss of my tool box. I heard it hit and actually saw it go. Two hours later, the packed rollaround box was all cleaned out and re-organized, but no stinking clip. All 3 motor parts in town now close at noon on Saturday, and at 12:05 the race was on. All three actually unlocked the doors and helped me look to no avail. CRAP!
Sure as heck, I got home and there was that little bastard in the upper corner of that big tool box laughing at me! Three hours wasted for a Jesus clip. FWIW, I also unbolted the cross member and slid it back 6-8 inches to access the shifter. There just wasnt enough room for me and the rods at the same time. Hands are cut to ribbons now. Shoulda done that first. Completed that part and with new belts and 1-1/4 gallons of anti freeze we went for a spin and the shifter is actually smoother than before. Mustve been that home made rod eh? Today I hope to get down to some serious work... a nice nap and garage cleaning LOL... Bill
