NP 203 Married to a 4L85E

[dragstews]

Good grief !!

Well, it looks like I'm in for some more work !!

Using a column shift that was made for a TH400 ain't working out so well on the 4L80E trans ..

Moved the pivot on the frame to a new location .. That worked out pretty dang well ..
Modified the rod going from the trans to the column, that too worked out nice ..
Found out that the column didn't have enough throw to get to second or first gear .. Thought was to give the column arm more throw to catch those two gears ..

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Column tubing was acting as a stop ..

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Cut a notch in order to allow more swing of the shift arm ..

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Creeping up on it .. Didn't want to over shoot the cut ..

Did a test to see how it would work and ...
Got to pull the column cause there's another stop internal that needs to be messed with ..

!! Lovely !!

Going to save that job for another day .. Do think the notch in the tubing will be enough ??
Really didn't want to go into the guts of the Caddy column cause it is working super well as is, but Que Sera Sera !

 

[Nasty-LSX]

Awesome thread. Now i understand why you used those blocks on the crossmember.

 

[dragstews]

Much thanks ...

There is good news bout cutting in the slot ..
Did get second gear to work ..
Seeing low gear working is going to be a PITA, no bout a doubt it !

I just may blow off having a manual first gear due to the amount of work that will certainly be involved ..
Let "Auto" do his job with the changing of the gears ..
(After what bucks went into the trans, he needs to earn his keep)

More good news ..
Years back when I did the body swap I used Borgeson Universal Joints to marry the Caddy column to the GM steering box ..
Recently I notice some play in the steering wheel which was causing a bit of wandering driving the beast .. Traced it down to the joint on the box .

Called up the company to order up a new joint ..
They said to send the old joint to them and they would send out a new joint .. !!
"No charge" cause they carry a lifetime warranty ..
Well kiss my grits ... I didn't know that ..
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Still working on the steering ...
Shipped off the joint, be a slight wait to be able to put it back together.
Had these plates to weld in ... Good timing to get them on ..

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Really didn't need them cause the frame shows no signs of cracks ... But. ain't going to hurt to beef up a know weak area ..

 

[dragstews]

Took the rear driveshaft to have shorten today ..
Be a few days before it's done ..

I'm about to take the column apart to see if I can get low gear working ..
Got some wires to feed down the tube .. Installing cruise control ..

Just about done with the steering box ..
Waiting for the u-joint and brace to show up ..

The dash is on the list to do ..
Got a Buddy that's restoring a Model A. he wants to woodgrain the dash too ..
Told him to drop it off and I'll do it at the same time I do the truck's ..