1969 GTX....The T stands for tetanus

[threewood]

awesome work. do you have any transmission experience? or is this one of those couple youtube videos, and a couple 12 packs kind of trans rebuild? i know they arnt necessarily difficult, just more so intimidating for the average folks. and if you take your time and pay attention it should go smoothly. before watching you do it, i dont think i wouldve attempted it. but if your answer was youtube and beers, it may be worth a shot. if your answer was "i come from three generations of transmission shop owners but i work border patrol because its a heck of a lot cooler" then i know i probably shouldnt attempt it on mine. haha.

Lol, the latter....minus the beers.
The 727 in my 62 needed some leaks fixed so out it came and, like several full restos, started as "I'll just fix this one part"

I did watch a few videos of the rebuild first but went solely from the service manual for specs. Measure endplay is #1 so you know where you are at. When taking it apart, keep the sub units together and in order on your bench and deal with each one, one at a time. Assembly is reverse of disassembly. Big issue is keeping the washers and thrust bearings in the right order (it is all in a blown apart schmatic in the fsm) but I keep mine in place in the sub assemblies. Friction drums....measure gap to snap ring dry. The gap is very liberal for a factory build. Work front to back, back to front, measure endplay. Adjust if needed with the washer on the front pump support.

Special tools.....snap ring pliers, spring compressor for servos and for front drum spring, and a puller for the front pump housing. Screwdrivers, torque wrench, sockets, bushing drivers, feeler gauge and dial gauge with indicator.

It is not difficult, even the valve body, if you keep it organized. Most of the parts inside are re-usable and if they are not it will be apparant. Not uncommon to find frictions with factory writing on them.

Cable shift 727? Couple of differences....rear pump being one and park sprag and housing being another. But same stuff on the inside (with slight exceptions.)

You can do a complete stock rebuild for $140.00 including filter, bushings, and frictions /steels, and flex band kickdown. I added some better parts on mine for a performance build to the tune of $693.00 including a new pan.

Easy to do so give it a try. Any questions, just ask on here. We are always glad to help.

 

[Glenwood]

Lol, the latter....minus the beers.
The 727 in my 62 needed some leaks fixed so out it came and, like several full restos, started as "I'll just fix this one part"

I did watch a few videos of the rebuild first but went solely from the service manual for specs. Measure endplay is #1 so you know where you are at. When taking it apart, keep the sub units together and in order on your bench and deal with each one, one at a time. Assembly is reverse of disassembly. Big issue is keeping the washers and thrust bearings in the right order (it is all in a blown apart schmatic in the fsm) but I keep mine in place in the sub assemblies. Friction drums....measure gap to snap ring dry. The gap is very liberal for a factory build. Work front to back, back to front, measure endplay. Adjust if needed with the washer on the front pump support.

Special tools.....snap ring pliers, spring compressor for servos and for front drum spring, and a puller for the front pump housing. Screwdrivers, torque wrench, sockets, bushing drivers, feeler gauge and dial gauge with indicator.

It is not difficult, even the valve body, if you keep it organized. Most of the parts inside are re-usable and if they are not it will be apparant. Not uncommon to find frictions with factory writing on them.

Cable shift 727? Couple of differences....rear pump being one and park sprag and housing being another. But same stuff on the inside (with slight exceptions.)

You can do a complete stock rebuild for $140.00 including filter, bushings, and frictions /steels, and flex band kickdown. I added some better parts on mine for a performance build to the tune of $693.00 including a new pan.

Easy to do so give it a try. Any questions, just ask on here. We are always glad to help.

I chickened out and sent mine to my buddy who owns a tranny shop. He's rebuilt it, added a transgo kit and tweaked the stock torque converter for about $1100CAD. I wanted to try it but the piece of mind was worth it to me. At the time, I really sent it out thinking I would not have enough time to do it myself as I wanted to drive it last summer. Well, he's had it over a year and I'm still restoring the car! lol. I'm hopeful for this summer.
I really like reading your posts, particularly with items like your 727.

 

[threewood]

I chickened out and sent mine to my buddy who owns a tranny shop. He's rebuilt it, added a transgo kit and tweaked the stock torque converter for about $1100CAD. I wanted to try it but the piece of mind was worth it to me. At the time, I really sent it out thinking I would not have enough time to do it myself as I wanted to drive it last summer. Well, he's had it over a year and I'm still restoring the car! lol. I'm hopeful for this summer.
I really like reading your posts, particularly with items like your 727.

Holy smokes! One year for a trans!! Send it down here, I'll have it back in a week lol. I'm glad Jim already has his done otherwise he would add it to my list of things to do!

 

[JimKueneman]

Holy smokes! One year for a trans!! Send it down here, I'll have it back in a week lol. I'm glad Jim already has his done otherwise he would add it to my list of things to do!

Careful I have not driven it yet, it may leak or something.....

 

[threewood]

Careful I have not driven it yet, it may leak or something.....

Don't kid yourself. You aren't going to put fluid in it let alone drive it......it would get dirty. Just build an addition on your house around it LMAO!!

 

[Glenwood]

Don't kid yourself. You aren't going to put fluid in it let alone drive it......it would get dirty. Just build an addition on your house around it LMAO!!

In a glass box!

 

[threewood]

Game on!!!!!

These just arrived at the door. I really like dealing with both A&A and John Cope so I spread the wealth around. I have bought parts from A&A off and on since the early 90's when I saw them at The Nats.

 

[threewood]

Tailshaft is on, new governor in place. The transmission is getting heavier to lug around lol.

With that in place, I am setting the endplay. With the output shaft on the ground, slack out of snap ring, pump housing in place I set up my rig. It is not whizbang tactical but gets the job done.

I use a set of HF vise grips to move the input shaft. If you think soft chinese sleel will marr the input shaft you may need to get evaluated, but you could always wrap it with leather or a rag. 1st measurement was at .056" which isn't terrible. Factory specs between .037" and .084". My original measurement was .058".

Old pump fiber washer is .084" so I swapped in one that is .101". Re-assembled and measured again, did it several times to get a good number. Avg. was around .043" which is a good number.

 

[threewood]

Installed the pump housing and then set the band adjustments. I have an 8 point 5/16" that fits the square adjustment head. Then air tested the servos and front / rear clutch packs and installed the valve body.

 

[threewood]

Buttoned up and ready to go. That sweet oil pan was about $25 brand new. Better than a new oem style stamped steel pan for $80 lol. And mine has a drain plug.

 

[JimKueneman]

Are we ever going to drive these damn things.....

 

[threewood]

Are we ever going to drive these damn things.....

Lol, if I ever get more money to throw at the motor. I am about $3k away from getting the motor done. Still need exhaust, fan, fan shroud, and a bunch of little things.

You are right there and way closer than me.

 

[Glenwood]

Are we ever going to drive these damn things.....

I'm wondering the same thing!

 

[threewood]

Getting ready to degree my cam and checking fit while waiting on a crank bolt that was lost by the shop. So while messing with that I decided to sort out my brakes.

Ever have a master cylinder that just would not bleed? This thing is a pain in the butt. I think it is a new Dorman. But I kept getting bubbles pop back through it so I pulled it and bench bled it again.

With the back tilted up I would bleed let it sit, come back and pump a few more times and there would be more air. This was a few hours worth of pumping! Some of it was super tiny bubbles and lots of em. So I pulled it apart, seals good. Only difference I saw was between the front and rear piston. The captured spring end cap was not wavy like the original so It would, or could, trap air. I created some waviness and reinstalled. Finally got it to bleed so it went back in the car. I'm going to bleed the whole system again tomorrow. What a pain!

Timing set...

 

[threewood]

I love getting new parts! The old, crusty cast iron water pump housing is being replaced with a new aluminum housing to save some weight and save me the hassle of cleaning it. Bought the housing on Ebay and is a Procomp high flow water pump housing. Price was $55.66 to my door. Much better than the used units that I see going for $170+ because they say Mopar on them. Only real difference I see is an extra bolt boss under the thermo housing, plus the thermostat housing is a little taller. Port size is the same as the cast iron housing. It is waaaay lighter too!

With it, I purchased a Summit super cool cast iron pump. It has 8 blades as opposed to 6 for the old one, and has a larger diameter. I measured height on it relative to the housing and it is stock depth, no rubbing issues. I need to get the pipe nipple and plug and it should be ready to go. Hopefully, this will keep the motor cool in SW AZ.

 

[threewood]

Getting down to the nitty gritty. Degreeing in my cam. Now, don't laugh at my rigged degree wheel. I didn't feel like spending $ on something I'll use once. So I welded the plate to the old crank sprocket. It is non adjustable but is welded and keyed so I can adjust the pointer if need be. My guess on TDC was 1.5 degrees off so it is in a good spot.

Then I cleaned up an old lifter and set up my dial indicator on #1 intake. Took forever as the linkage was fubar and I had to re check tdc as I scraped the pointer. So, got it set and zeroed on the base lobe, got 12* btdc and 46*bdc.

This is my first time degreeing in a cam and my eyes were crossed with the math. Finally figured it out. 12+46+180 =238/2 = 119-12 = 107. Cam card shows centerline of 105*. I really wish it was dead on. I checked twice, same result. Took my setup apart, checked tdc again, set it back up and took two more measurements on the intake. Exact same.

So, I gotta pull the sprocket and retard it 2*

 

[moparnation74]

Wow, 3 wood...Great work on the body! Color and the X looks fantastic.....

How is the lawnmower working?

 

[69 GTX]

3 that cam is really close to mine! I'm using 1.6 rockers so my lift is about .630. My LSA is 112 to help take some of the lope out, and broaden the torque curve. Mine starts to peak about 5800-6000. Good enough for me. No need to wind the snot out of it.

 

[threewood]

I finally have the cam figured out. After moving it the wrong way I corrected myself and got it pretty close. I called Hughes and he said to put it together thank God!

First install...12*BTDC 46*ABDC 238 duration but centerline was 107

Final install...13.5*BTDC 44.5ABDC 238 DURATION
and 105.5* centerline.

See pic for cam card. I also slicked up the lobes with break in lube. Now I can start putting the front of the engine together.

69GTX, I am planning on running 1.5 rockers. I hope mine will pull up past 5800rpm, going with a single plane and will at least port match the heads. If I had a pile of money the parts would already be purchased.

 

[threewood]

Rebuilt my oil pump. The guts to my original were still within spec but it was about impossible to find someone who sold the 2 inner o-rings so i ordered a Melling stock rebuild kit for about $40. Super easy to do, just need a feeler gauge to check clearance. Where the 2 halves meet, I lightly hit it with a very fine file to eliminate any burrs or find high spots. Liberally coat the pump with oil and after bolting the 2 halves together, grab an allen key and spin it to check for binding.

Installed...

And I test fit the waterpump as I had to figure out if I needed longer bolts anywhere.