Murphy Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 Thought I better give an update to my Muncie install, currently out of town on business (Raleigh, NC) so I don't have any pics at the moment..........Recieved my adjustable dowel pins for the bellhousing, knocked out the old dowels, only after removing the headers, installed the new pins, tweeked abit until the bell was within .002, .005 was our tolorance, removed the bell, permanently installed the flywheel bolts with loctite & torqued. Installed the RAM clutch & torqued. Installed the bell again & torqued. THEN, realized I couldn't get the freekin' fork mounted inside the bellhousing with the throwout bearing!! ARGGGGGH!! Took the bellhousing (Lakewood) back off, installed the clutchfork with bearing & reinstalled the bell. Finally, got to mounting the M20 which wasn't too tough, my biggest obsticle was trimming the floor since the shifter was mounted. Ended up trimming quite abit of the side hump due to the shifter, I just didn't want to cut any more than I had to.........Had to drill new holes in the frame for the crossmember but everything was working out pretty good.. Then attempted to install the driveshaft which I just got back from the driveline shop with new Spicer U-joints and balancing. I, of course, painted it also. Driveshaft is too long???!! about a half inch. The vibration dampener is hitting on the tranny before I can get it into the rear yolk, had my brotherinlaw take it back to the driveline place today and they told him they would remove the dampener and rebalance....we remeasured as per the specs from AZ driveline as this was the 1st time we had the muncie installed to get accurate measurements. So, it was a very productive weekend, but I won't get back for about 10 days to finish up the project. Can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cny first gen 71 Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Good progress, dont you hate it when work gets in the way of a Monte project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8Freak Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 So is your car going too be a 4spd bench? Did you buy the tranny hump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Where were the supports located that were holding the car up when you tried the drive shaft? Is the car on a lift? Â Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 Yes, I'm going for the 4-speed w/bench seat & yes, I have the non-console hump. Dan, if you look closely at the pic in the very first post, you can see the yellow stands behind the front wheel. I thought about the position of the car, but the doors open fine and the seems at the door are good. I'm thinking that when the car is on the ground that the driveshaft length might even be a bit shorter??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8Freak Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Yes, I'm going for the 4-speed w/bench seat & yes, I have the non-console hump. Dan, if you look closely at the pic in the very first post, you can see the yellow stands behind the front wheel. I thought about the position of the car, but the doors open fine and the seems at the door are good. I'm thinking that when the car is on the ground that the driveshaft length might even be a bit shorter??? Â So did you find the gear shifter itself came out of the floor pretty centre with the tunnel? I'm just asking because I'll be ordering the same one shortly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 Yes, the shifter lever comes up almost dead center to the hump, possibly just a fuzz towards the driver. Sorry I didn't get any pics as I had to catch a plane but when I get back I'll post pics. Then I'll be starting the pedals/clutch linkage, etc......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8Freak Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Yes, the shifter lever comes up almost dead center to the hump, possibly just a fuzz towards the driver. Sorry I didn't get any pics as I had to catch a plane but when I get back I'll post pics. Then I'll be starting the pedals/clutch linkage, etc......... Â My biggest concern was where the shifter handle was going too sit , I have the console hump so not a lot of room for error. Don't want too buy a third shifter and still not have it work out for me. Nice thing about the pedals is they work with the original brake pedal bracket atleast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 you should have installed the cross shaft and frame bracket before the trans, it would have been much easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCfan Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Yes, the shifter lever comes up almost dead center to the hump, possibly just a fuzz towards the driver. Sorry I didn't get any pics as I had to catch a plane but when I get back I'll post pics. Then I'll be starting the pedals/clutch linkage, etc......... Â Murray, I know you're not working on the pedals yet, but I wondered if you are planning to install the ignition interlock switch on your clutch pedal? Â According to the wiring diagram for a '70 (not sure it is the same on your '71), the two purple wires that now go to your neutral safety switch will move over to the ignition interlock switch on your clutch pedal. The switch simply prevents starting the car if the clutch is not depressed. Â I didn't even know about the switch until Jimmy Alund test drove my car and hit the switch before depressing the clutch. Of course, the car lurched a bit and he knew instantly that it shouldn't have done that. I didn't know because I have always depressed the clutch before turning the key anyway. Jimmy confirmed that the switch was on the clutch pedal but did not try to connect it at the time. Â I looked up under my dash tonight (my least favorite thing to do) to see if I could find the purple wires shown on the wiring diagram. I found them up under the dash just above my left knee position but the terminals on the ends were connected with a green jumper wire. Someone in the past decided to bypass the interlock switch and I suppose you could do the same if you wanted. All of the various ignition and gear selector interlocks on modern cars drive me nuts so I doubt I'll ever connect mine. Just wondering if you were planning to install that switch on your new set up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 Thanks for your insight Dennis, the clutch pedal switch is actually at the bottom of my list. Being an old Iowa farm boy, you never started any type of equipment without having the clutch depressed. (trucks, tractors, combines, etc..)Since I'd be the only person driving the Monte, as with your procedure, the clutch will always be to the floor when starting. I might possibly add the switch when the snowball is smaller.......... Talked with my brother-in-law earlier today as he picked up the driveshaft, the round balancer at the slipyolk was removed and the driveshaft now fits perfectly. Anxious to get home to get the conversion finished & jam a few gears! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 Finally got home from a 12 day business trip so I can proceed on this project. Installed the driveshaft, speedo cable and started to put the exhaust back up. Here's a few pics...... So now I'm ready for the pedals & linkage but trying to figure out this kit.......Mostly the 2 springs, I have several manuals but only one spring is ever shown in diagrams. My guess is the large spring must go from the Z-Bar to the frame (towards front of car) do I need another bracket for the spring to attach to the frame or just drill a hole. Any pics will be greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 the one spring I have goes from the clutch fork to the frame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 Is there a hole or where on the frame? There's a half circle indentation on the top of the frame close to the upper A arm??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 no, I'll try to get a picture for you  do you have a assembly manual? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 I have an Assembly manual for a 72 Chevelle, it was cheap on CL locally thinking it should be very similar......... Your pics definitely help. THX! Determined that the 2nd spring I have is smaller and is mentioned to be optional that goes from the Z-bar to the clutch fork. The larger spring states that it goes from the Z-bar to the frame........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 Have another question.....I'm concerned about the clutch fork I'm using, as you can see in this photo, the fork is way forward and almost touching the bell. I installed an adjustable pivot ball and set it at 4.75 inches as per the Lakewood spec. I've read on several other sites (Camaro/chevelle) that many people had to go back to the stock fork when using the Lakewood bell due to travel issues. Looking for input here.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I sold my '71 4 speed car years ago and I can't give you too much help, but nice work! Â Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCfan Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Hey, Murray, Â I also have a Lakewood housing but I don't know if my clutch fork is stock or not. I have a Hayes clutch/pressure plate but I doubt that matters much. Â Here are a couple of photos of my setup which works just fine. It does appear that the external end of your clutch fork is pretty close to the Lakewood housing "seam", but I don't know why that would present a "travel" issue since the actuating rod pushes back on the arm and there is plenty or room for that motion. Another possibility is that when the actuator rod is installed, there might be a bit of "preload" on the clutch fork causing it to rest farther back as shown in my photos below. Â Â Hard to tell from these crappy photos, but the distance between the end of the actuator rod and the "seam" of the bellhousing is about 3 inches as shown below. Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 Thanks Dennis, no fork boot? I realized I might be having an issue is when I attempted to install my boot. Worried that I might have the wrong fork, even tho the guy said this Lakewood bell, block plate and fork was removed from a 70 Chevelle SS. One of the unknowns when buy from CL........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCfan Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Fork boot ... who needs a stinking fork boot?? Â Thanks for bringing that to my attention, Murray. Honestly, I haven't missed it because I didn't know it was "missing" ... maybe the fit issue you encountered is why. I just ordered one from JEGS. Looks like there are a lot of Lakewood forks to choose from ... some are rather pricey ... hope you get yours figured out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 Good one Dennis....just got the pedals installed and was hoping for a mark or indentation for drilling the hole thru the steering column mounting plate. don't see anything???? Best guess, I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8Freak Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I'm not at that point yet wish I Could help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I'll take a picture of mine tonight murph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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