A-518 in a J-body?

[jasperjacko]

518 is in the shop now for a rebuild. Getting performance clutches, a shift kit and hemi converter. I’m running an 8&3/4 rear and will be installing my 3.91 posi pumpkin.

View attachment 42092

let us know how much floor and crossmember work you have to do.

 

[Shorty Thompson]

let us know how much floor and crossmember work you have to do.

Here , here !!!!!!! 1 of my feared comprehensions about how much work it's gonna take.

 

[Slodoba]

Unfortunately it will be a few months till I get to start the swap. I was activated by my guard unit to head to DC for the next 2 months. I actually worked with Greg Rager on the Moby Doba project years ago but wasn’t there for the trans install

 

[Slodoba]

Had access to a water jet and a machinist friend last weekend. Made up a trans bracket using my educated guesses. Wish me luck.

 

[Duke5A]

Looks nice, but I weld gussets on the sides.

 

[Shorty Thompson]

Looks nice, but I weld gussets on the sides.

never hurts , does it?

 

[Slodoba]

I might. Considering it’s over 3 times as thick as the original one I’m not expecting any deflection. I’m thinking some mods to the bracket will need to be made in order to clear certain items.

 

[Slodoba]

 

[Slodoba]

So got the trans back. Looks like I’ll have to make some slight mods to the trans bracket.

 

[Slodoba]

Getting closer to getting my 518 trans in. I had it rebuilt and was in my basement until last week. Started enclosing my car port since it’s getting cold up here and bought a heater. Cordoba is behind it! One thing I noticed is that the 518 has no provision for the floor shifter linkage bracket so I’m going to have to make or modfiy the lower linkage bracket to make it work. I’ll keep you posted when I get started. Hopefully week when it gets warmer. Right now in NC it’s 19 degrees and getting colder!

 

[Slodoba]

Unfortunately my other car broke down first so it didn’t mak it in the Garage. Trans is out. I’ve cut the crossmember brace out and have decided to go a different route with the trans mount. I’ll be using a modified butterfly style mount off of an 83 Cordoba. The floor shifter will not work with the 518 due to its width causing a clearance issue with the linkage.

 

[Slodoba]

I purchased a winter’s performance gated shifter which looks like it will fit in my custom center console with little mods. It uses a cable which hopefully will have less clearance issues.

 

[jasperjacko]

that looks good

 

[Duke5A]

If I had known you were having trouble I could have asked my Dad. He adapted his floor shifter to work with a 518.

 

[Slodoba]

A little more progress today Despite the rain. I had to modify my custom console so that my shifter would fit. because of the shifter design I have to get creative to mount it. I’m going to mount it to the top half of the console and bolt the top half of the console to the bottom half. I decided not to use the bracket I had made up in favor of a butterfly transmission mount I found on a junk 83 Cordoba. It looks like minimal modifications will be necessary in order to make the GM trans bushing work with it. I purchased some steel pipe and cut it to reinforce the crossmember. Once I get everything in place I will weld the pipe

 

[Duke5A]

That console looks amazing. Would love some more details on it. My car needs one bad.

 

[Slodoba]

That console looks amazing. Would love some more details on it. My car needs one bad.

Thanks! Not bad for my first attempt! I had it professionally upholstered but I made the base. When I was still in the guard I had my friend in the machine shop waterjet the aluminum center section.

 

[Slodoba]

Shifter is now securely fastened to the plate. Had to make a trip to Home Depot to get some angle aluminum and some corner bracing.

 

[Slodoba]

Latest update. I was able to MacGuyver the linkages by extending the rod by about 2.5 inches! A trip to Harbor freight and Home Depot provided the tap and dye set and the threaded rod and couplings. So far it works great! I can finally install the trans now! Plan an working on it in the next hour or so.

 

[Aspen500]

Nice job Macguiver, just don't grow a mullet now, lol.