The Ford Barn

Russ/40 · 02-08-2018, 07:28 PM

I finally have all the parts to forge ahead with my V8 transmission mod on my 29 PU. I have to say, the kit is a beautifully manufactured kit. Very precise components the align and bolt right up. The kit showed up in two days, it was the rest of the transmission pieces I had to locate. Shift lever, rear bearing retainer etc.

I do have a question for those who have used the kit and have completed the installation. The front yoke wishbone ball adapter fits the bottom end of the transmission. To accommodate slight differences in trans castings there is a spot whereby you need to drill a hole into the bottom of the bell portion of the transmission. Spacers are included to close the distance between the bottom of the transmission and the wishbone ball adapter. Here my over engineering tendency tells me using washers for shims is a poor solution. Besides, the gap needing closure on my setup has a wedge shape to it and the large shim washers are tight at one end and not touching at the other. not happy with that. So my solution is to make a properly shaped and sized wedge to fill this requirement. Also, The casting is thin in this area, so I will be backing the bolt in the bell with a small plate 1/4" thick.

What have others done to deal with these issues?

zzlegend · 02-08-2018, 07:51 PM

Russ, I see nothing wrong with your idea of making a shim. My trans has about an 1 1/2 wide strengthening strip and my washer shims hit it nice and flat. Not sure if you can tell in my poor pictures. Some transmissions had this this extra strip and some didn't. Also when I did mine, I put it on my bench and bolted up that wishbone bracket tight with two bolts thru the forward bell housing and then drilled the hole thru the bottom going up in to the housing. Then I installed a larger thicker washer on the inside and bolted it together with a Grade 8 bolt and grade 8 nylock nut. Nice and tight and then removed the two bolts facing forward and in stalled it with that bracket attached. Also used all grade 8 bolts around the full bell housing. Good luck with yours. Sorry for the poor pictures but maybe you can get the idea.

Russ/40 · 02-08-2018, 08:43 PM

What components were needed for the ball mount? Did you use the original factory pieces, or maybe the rubber ball pieces? Looks like you sourced some special bolts.

zzlegend · 02-08-2018, 09:24 PM

Stock hardware from a vender years ago. No rubber ball. Just a lot of red grease on the ball. Wish I could remember more, but hey. The mind is going.

zzlegend · 02-08-2018, 09:39 PM

Very well could have been these from Berts.
A03442 A-3442 Radius Cap Nuts Springs Spacers Pair $10.00

And also, you may already know this, but I would install a clutch disk like this, that has the springs encapsulated so as they wont fall out. I did get this from Berts.

A-7550 Clutch Disk Assy. $38.95

Russ/40 · 02-08-2018, 11:05 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I plan to use a V8 pressure plate and will modify my flywheel for that. Thanks for the info.

Nosetime · 02-09-2018, 07:05 PM

Hey mark! Oh now I get what we were talking about on those clutch springs, I don't have that disc. I picked up a never used Mel Gross modified F100 steering box yesterday, so my parts collection is getting really good! Hope to paint the frame and install front end next week.

zzlegend · 02-09-2018, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nosetime

Hey mark! Oh now I get what we were talking about on those clutch springs, I don't have that disc. I picked up a never used Mel Gross modified F100 steering box yesterday, so my parts collection is getting really good! Hope to paint the frame and install front end next week.

Good for you Greg. I still have to install one of those in mine. Still using my stock box but I did go thru it a while back. Keep us updated. Just keep plugging along. It will get done. Have a good weekend, Mark.

Bud · 02-09-2018, 11:43 PM

I don't have a picture of what I did, but I will describe how I fastened the wishbone:
I took a couple small 1" long sections of angle iron and drilled a hole for the radius rod bolts to pass thru. These are the bolts with the slots for the pin. Then I drilled another smaller hole in the other leg of the angle for the pin that holds the felt. I used the inner thin half of the wishbone ball seat up against the bracket (the thin one has the hole in it for oil from the felt), plus the thicker one beneath to hold the radius rod ball. So the two angle irons allow one to insert the original long pin and retain the felt to lube the ball of the radius rod, just like the original setup.
On top of the bracket, instead of a metal shim I used a piece of thick rubber. I glued the rubber to the bracket. This cushions the bracket against the uneven surface of the cast transmission housing. My trans housing already had a hole in it (it was a B housing). I tapped the bracket for the fastener I used inside the bell housing of the B trans. The fastener I used was a hex head cap screw, but since it had to clamp down to a concave inner surface of the transmission bell housing, I used a square nut which was rounded on one side, threaded onto the hex head cap screw. In between the HHCS and the nut I included a lock washer. The fastener passes thru the housing and the rubber and into the tapped hole I made. Very secure.
The only thing I have never liked about this adapter setup is that the whole assembly is exposed to the elements. I am changing trans housings from the B to a V8 setup, so I plan to fix that with some kind of shroud or cover.
I may include a picture tomorrow if I think of it.

Bud · 03-22-2018, 07:58 PM

Hi,
I have yet to get around to taking a picture of my wishbone bracket because I hit a snag. I am using the truck transmission housing (78-7006) which is a 1/4" deeper where the wishbone adapter mounts versus a car transmission. Does anyone know of a source for a different wishbone adapter bracket for this situation? I tried the one from Snyders but it does not clear any better than the bracket I already have. If I can't purchase a different bracket I will attempt to modify what I have. Thanks.

02-08-2018, 07:28 PM	#1
Russ/40 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santee, California Posts: 3,505	Clings V8 Transmission mod I finally have all the parts to forge ahead with my V8 transmission mod on my 29 PU. I have to say, the kit is a beautifully manufactured kit. Very precise components the align and bolt right up. The kit showed up in two days, it was the rest of the transmission pieces I had to locate. Shift lever, rear bearing retainer etc. I do have a question for those who have used the kit and have completed the installation. The front yoke wishbone ball adapter fits the bottom end of the transmission. To accommodate slight differences in trans castings there is a spot whereby you need to drill a hole into the bottom of the bell portion of the transmission. Spacers are included to close the distance between the bottom of the transmission and the wishbone ball adapter. Here my over engineering tendency tells me using washers for shims is a poor solution. Besides, the gap needing closure on my setup has a wedge shape to it and the large shim washers are tight at one end and not touching at the other. not happy with that. So my solution is to make a properly shaped and sized wedge to fill this requirement. Also, The casting is thin in this area, so I will be backing the bolt in the bell with a small plate 1/4" thick. What have others done to deal with these issues?

02-08-2018, 08:43 PM	#3
Russ/40 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santee, California Posts: 3,505	Re: Clings V8 Transmission mod What components were needed for the ball mount? Did you use the original factory pieces, or maybe the rubber ball pieces? Looks like you sourced some special bolts.

02-08-2018, 09:24 PM	#4
zzlegend Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Reseda, Calif. Posts: 2,188	Re: Clings V8 Transmission mod Stock hardware from a vender years ago. No rubber ball. Just a lot of red grease on the ball. Wish I could remember more, but hey. The mind is going.

02-08-2018, 09:39 PM	#5
zzlegend Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Reseda, Calif. Posts: 2,188	Re: Clings V8 Transmission mod Very well could have been these from Berts. A03442 A-3442 Radius Cap Nuts Springs Spacers Pair $10.00 And also, you may already know this, but I would install a clutch disk like this, that has the springs encapsulated so as they wont fall out. I did get this from Berts. A-7550 Clutch Disk Assy. $38.95

02-08-2018, 11:05 PM	#6
Russ/40 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santee, California Posts: 3,505	Re: Clings V8 Transmission mod Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I plan to use a V8 pressure plate and will modify my flywheel for that. Thanks for the info.

02-09-2018, 07:05 PM	#7
Nosetime Senior Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Huntington Beach, Calif Posts: 330	Re: Clings V8 Transmission mod Hey mark! Oh now I get what we were talking about on those clutch springs, I don't have that disc. I picked up a never used Mel Gross modified F100 steering box yesterday, so my parts collection is getting really good! Hope to paint the frame and install front end next week.

02-09-2018, 11:43 PM	#9
Bud Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 819	Re: Clings V8 Transmission mod I don't have a picture of what I did, but I will describe how I fastened the wishbone: I took a couple small 1" long sections of angle iron and drilled a hole for the radius rod bolts to pass thru. These are the bolts with the slots for the pin. Then I drilled another smaller hole in the other leg of the angle for the pin that holds the felt. I used the inner thin half of the wishbone ball seat up against the bracket (the thin one has the hole in it for oil from the felt), plus the thicker one beneath to hold the radius rod ball. So the two angle irons allow one to insert the original long pin and retain the felt to lube the ball of the radius rod, just like the original setup. On top of the bracket, instead of a metal shim I used a piece of thick rubber. I glued the rubber to the bracket. This cushions the bracket against the uneven surface of the cast transmission housing. My trans housing already had a hole in it (it was a B housing). I tapped the bracket for the fastener I used inside the bell housing of the B trans. The fastener I used was a hex head cap screw, but since it had to clamp down to a concave inner surface of the transmission bell housing, I used a square nut which was rounded on one side, threaded onto the hex head cap screw. In between the HHCS and the nut I included a lock washer. The fastener passes thru the housing and the rubber and into the tapped hole I made. Very secure. The only thing I have never liked about this adapter setup is that the whole assembly is exposed to the elements. I am changing trans housings from the B to a V8 setup, so I plan to fix that with some kind of shroud or cover. I may include a picture tomorrow if I think of it.

03-22-2018, 07:58 PM	#10
Bud Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 819	Re: Clings V8 Transmission mod Hi, I have yet to get around to taking a picture of my wishbone bracket because I hit a snag. I am using the truck transmission housing (78-7006) which is a 1/4" deeper where the wishbone adapter mounts versus a car transmission. Does anyone know of a source for a different wishbone adapter bracket for this situation? I tried the one from Snyders but it does not clear any better than the bracket I already have. If I can't purchase a different bracket I will attempt to modify what I have. Thanks.