Here we go. One last time...

[moparedtn]

I have a Centerforce Dual friction 10 1/2" in mine , and cannot imagine a better street clutch than that . easier pedal than stock , easy to install , and my bet is, it will handle 450 plus horsepower............................................MO

Thanks CP!

Not hearing anyone else here....again, looking for recommendations on:

a. mini-starter (for clearance on crappy Hedmans that actually rub the current Dakota starter)
b. clutch setup (to replace whatever generic rebuilt-looking weak crap that's in there now)

 

[moparedtn]

Got some really good news developing on a replacement 4 speed, thanks to a fellow FBBO members' incredible generosity.
I'm not going to post their name just yet (just in case the deal goes wonky), but if it goes down, I'll sing their praises loudly right here.

I want to see if I can put the car back together using strictly the parts advice of FBBO members (or in this case, the parts from FBBO members!), while still making very skinny dollars work - and given my limited health, it would be awesome if it went back together as painlessly as possible, one time.
No guarantees on being able to do "go-backs", after all.

 

[moparedtn]

Nobody has any advice or suggestions?

 

[moparedtn]

Well, it appears no one is reading this, but heck with it.
Somebody might stumble across this thread someday, who knows...

In the meantime, today's progress. Transmission removal day:

Factory service manual at the ready, I first dropped the driveshaft and removed the shifter, then disconnected the speedo cable and reverse light wiring.
Jacked up the front end as far as the jackstands would adjust.
Easy peasy so far...

Rear of engine supported, I then removed the transmission mount and crossmember....

...which came out clean and easy.

At that point, I thought things were going quite well.
Little did I know.
The first sign of trouble was when I decided to get the top drivers' side transmission to bellhousing bolt out while I was over on that side.
Well, not so much - that bolt is pretty much inaccessible with the engine/tranny in their approximate "normal" position.
I decided to drop the temporary engine support down as far as I could without taking risks, thus allowing the rear of the transmission to droop quite a bit.
The top left mounting bolt was still a biyotch, but I finally got it out of there.
At that point, I knew I could do everything else from the passenger side, so the new tranny jack went under and I went for it while I still had any gas left in my tank.

It became obvious in a hurry once I got that jack under there that there was no way it, with the transmission perched on it, was ever going to come out from under the car - the car simply wasn't high enough off the floor for clearance, nor was it going to be - the jackstands were as high as they could go already.

A sane man would have backed off at that point and decided to pull the engine and transmission together another day - and with help.
That sane man is not me.
Like I said, this is the last time for me. The plan was to pull out the transmission today. That's that....

The new, shiny tranny jack went under and supported the transmission. I pulled the other 3 mounting bolts from tranny to bellhousing, then started the fine wrestling match of getting the transmission out of the back of the bellhousing.
Once that was accomplished, it was time to get it out from under the car.
I had two choices:
1. Yank the transmission off the jack and simply let it hit the floor
2. Ed becomes the de facto trans jack

I chose option 2:

Jack is fine. Car is none the worse for wear. Transmission got a nice ride on me and even has the bushing on the input shaft for some reason.
Me, I'll heal eventually....

 

[BeeKool]

I'm reading your thread. I don't know enough about 4 speeds to fill a thimble, though. I'm learning by watching this.

I admire your tenacity and wish that I lived close enough to give you an extra set of hands. You're definitely determined, and that's a positive.
Don't give up my friend.

 

[moparedtn]

I'm reading your thread. I don't know enough about 4 speeds to fill a thimble, though. I'm learning by watching this.

I admire your tenacity and wish that I lived close enough to give you an extra set of hands. You're definitely determined, and that's a positive.
Don't give up my friend.

Thanks BK, I do appreciate the kind words.
No, there's no quitting. This is the only game in town for me and I'm the only player.
Time's a wastin'....

I got tickled at my wife today. As she watched me come out from under there with a transmission on top of me, she remembered my doc's orders about a 25 lb. limit on lifting and such (a result of having all sorts of things rearranged inside me; some of it just plain gone forever) and asked if the tranny was more than that.
What could I do? She caught me red-handed....

I lied to her, of course.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Jack stands are never long enough! What I did was take 2x6's Cut them 3" longer than the stand base stack them two one way two the other way and stack them 3 or 4 high and cap them with a 2x12. Then center stands and mark where the legs are and take a large spade bit and drill a hole 1/4" or so deep. get them the same depth.
I've got a 4 speed to pull to replace front seal. Just have to adjust brakes on other car and put it on the ground.
Keep up the good work. Had my cars sit 9 years bad knee then bad ankle. Med's got me back to work but only 2/3 hours at a time.

 

[Cornpatch MO]

I am still watching your progress . Good that you have this much done already , but next time , pad the floor, roll the 4 speed off the jack and use a chain to drag it out from under the car. That heavy thing could put an end to your progress.. don't overdo things..........................MO

 

[moparedtn]

Jack stands are never long enough! What I did was take 2x6's Cut them 3" longer than the stand base stack them two one way two the other way and stack them 3 or 4 high and cap them with a 2x12. Then center stands and mark where the legs are and take a large spade bit and drill a hole 1/4" or so deep. get them the same depth.
I've got a 4 speed to pull to replace front seal. Just have to adjust brakes on other car and put it on the ground.
Keep up the good work. Had my cars sit 9 years bad knee then bad ankle. Med's got me back to work but only 2/3 hours at a time.

Very industrious of you. Well done!
I'm not concerned on mine, however. The replacement engine and tranny will go back in the car as a unit - and this is the last time for any of this for me.

 

[moparedtn]

I am still watching your progress . Good that you have this much done already , but next time , pad the floor, roll the 4 speed off the jack and use a chain to drag it out from under the car. That heavy thing could put an end to your progress.. don't overdo things..........................MO

Thanks CP. I do appreciate your concern.
Eh, I thought about it, sure.
Then the younger Ed that had done it without so much as a transmission jack in times past showed up.
I was already sufficiently exhausted and ticked off about fighting that top drivers' side mounting bolt, so I Schwartzeneggered it, knowing the cost.

Next up is getting the clutch linkage off, then taking the bellhousing, clutch, etc. off so I can hustle up and order replacement parts pronto.
That'll have to wait a few days, though. Concrete floors take the life out of me these days.

 

[kiwigtx]

I'm reading your thread. I don't know enough about 4 speeds to fill a thimble, though. I'm learning by watching this.

I admire your tenacity and wish that I lived close enough to give you an extra set of hands. You're definitely determined, and that's a positive.
Don't give up my friend.

Same here, except I have done this a few times now, only difference being the method.

I use the following;
1. A car hoist
2. Transmission jack
3. Some friends who enjoy cars.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Must be nice, to have the equipment.

 

[BeeKool]

The extra set of hands is worth more than the equipment.

 

[moparedtn]

Same here, except I have done this a few times now, only difference being the method.
View attachment 397741
I use the following;
1. A car hoist
2. Transmission jack
3. Some friends who enjoy cars.

Equipment certainly gives one options on the method employed.
I don't have the former, nor the means to acquire it thanks to medical bills....
so there was no choice on the latter.
Another set of hands today would have mattered little, either - unless there was a half dozen of 'em to lift the front end of the car up higher and hold it.

It'll get done, even if it winds up just being me.
Been there, too:

 

[moparedtn]

The extra set of hands is worth more than the equipment.

For me, moreso with the work to come than today.
Either way - it gets done. No choice.

 

[moparedtn]

Any other recommendations on a new clutch?
I think I've decided to wail on this old set of Hedmans in order to get them off the starter; that would be more prudent and gives me money to get a decent clutch, plus all the other little parts needed when one does this engine swap stuff.

 

[OH71RRunner]

Congrats on getting the tranny out. Thanks for taking the time to keep us up to date on the progress.

Gotta keep the wife outta the garage when you're doing things you aren't supposed to do. Haha

 

[moparedtn]

Well CRAP!

This old transmission input housing has part number C94796.
That's the smaller 4.354" outside diameter/3.70" bolt circle, originally installed in 64-67 b-bodies, 64-75 a-bodies and 70-up small block e-bodies.
It's the WRONG DAMN TRANSMISSION!

Man, I hope to heck the hole in the bellhousing is bigger than that so I can replace this thing with a proper big block transmission!
I'll get under there and measure it tomorrow....
dammit.

There is hope, though. It looks like there's an imprint of the bellhousing hole on the front of this transmission and it sure looks bigger if that's what I'm seeing.

 

[khryslerkid]

I'm still here too Ed! And learning about 4spds.

The only thing I can tell you about those mini starters is they make two different ratios. I bought a used Jeggs from a member on here and its one of the two that has more torque. I hear most guys buying the factory Dakota starters from the parts stores.

Be careful big guy!

 

[Ladysmith Bob]

Following right along with everybody else, but my 45 year out of date knowledge is no help here. I wish my drive to get things done was what it was many years ago, but advancing age does take it toll. The other day I said it was a good day because my wife could find her greenhouse after the last snow melt so I thought I would send a picture. I will follow until smoke comes off of those tires Ed.