Chuck Harmon

I have thrown in the towel and will be soon be dining on crow. As much as I wanted to keep the welded crossmember un-modified and preached against others cutting them, I have reached the limits of my patience. I doubt very much that I will ever sell the car so originality be darned. Pulling the engine with the ROD 6 speed has turned into a multi day affair. Once upon a time, I changed throw out bearings or clutches within 6 hours from start to finish and that was dealing with under car exhaust. But that was with the stock 4 speed, things are a bit different with the ROD and BB.

Soooo, to those of you familiar with cutting out the crossmember and fabricating a strong custom bolt up version, your expertise and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Chuck

SmokedTires

I used a sawzall on mine. Be forewarned, this is one of those PITA jobs but makes those tings your fighting now worth it down the road.

MassVette

Chuck-
Bob Turner (C-3) forum has a lot of pics and info on this. He helped me out with my ROD install. I believe he 'sawzalled' out the center section, and welded flat stock 'ears' to it, with 2 bolts per side.
You could also use an A/T crossmember.
Good luck.
:yesnod: :chevy :chevy :yesnod:

mrvette

I cut mine to fix the 700r4 about a year ago, and i'ts cut about 3" from each end could go four inches...and that leaves enough flat area on top of the tabs still welded on the rails....I took 2 inch angle about 8 inches long on each side, and welded it over the top and backside, same with 1.5?? inch angle on the bottom this locates the now liberated cross piece pretty good, as it can't shift anywhere....I used a 1/2 inch diameter grade 8 bolt and lock nut on each side to keep it in line and also stop any movement aft....OH, my bolt is going forward/aft, not vertically...
so it's the lip of the 2 inch angle iron on top, plus the bolt on each side...easiet removal install of all....far as I can see....been in there a year, never a moment's troubles....I do look....

Tom454

Posting the question here is probably the best move... but if you dead-end...

I think Vette magazine did this mod a few times over the years.
My magazines are in boxes due to moving, but maybe someone else can chime in.

From what I can remember, there are several approaches to the project, including larger exhaust holes etc. Some people use an air chisel to cut the old one out, some leave the ends intact and weld onto the stubs after cutting the center section out. Some remove the whole member and fabricate a new one. I think you have a lot of options depending on your long term goals. This is one mod I would do myself if I had a wire welder.

Tom

zwede

I cut mine with a saw-z-all. It was much easier than I thought. The metal is fairly thin.

I then got 1/8" thick steel plates and welded one on each side of the crossmember (total of 4 plates).



Here's a picture of the test fit:



I used 2 thru-bolts and one bolt that uses a U-clip on each side:



It seems like a very strong installation and I haven't noticed any more flex after making it removable.


[Modified by zwede, 9:36 AM 7/1/2003]

fauxrs

Sawzall is the ticket no doubt - not hard - use a 9" blade because you will have to tackle it at a large angle to prevent any damage to the floorboards.

I used 10 ga. galv. sheet for my side plates (slightly thicker than 1/8") formed into a 'u' shaped saddle to protect the cut gap from road debris from below.



Then cleaned it up - and POR15.....

fit is excellent - it is held in by two (2) 1/2" diameter bolts each side.

gkull

chuck, Years ago I arrived on a project that was nearly completed. My friend unbolted and supported the tranny tail housing. Then he used his air chisel to separate the the crossmember from the under door connection spots. He had bought some aftermarket cross member. I don't think it was from Bowtie Overdrives, but it might have been. I'm not sure if he had to tap the frame rails or that the holes were there from the factory on a 69.

After a trial fit he had to weld up the tail shaft mounting plate. It was a much better design than my modified stock auto tranny cross member. The stock crossmembers have holes large enough to pass a three inch exhaust pipe through them. But the two exhaust holes are so close together that the hot exhaust pipes would be nearly touching a large tranny pan like a TH700R4. It would be a pipe bending nightmare. So build or buy a crossmember where the exhaust pipes pass under it.

George

I spent three hours in the garage last night trying to install teflon tubing 1/2 inch steel braded tranny cooling lines with 8 AN fittings to a new monster cooler. I had to drop my tranny down to R&R the new adapters to the side of the tranny case. But at least now I have quick release lines that will make tranny or torque converter changes all that much faster :yesnod:

Fevre

I like that look, probably will do it to make the 5 speed install easier.

Chuck Harmon

Thanks everyone for all your great replies. I just bought a Sawzall. Leslie was mad at my claimed need for buying another new tool, yet she was also amazed that there was actually tool I did not already possess. I mentioned that I still don't have a plasma cutter - she looked at me very crossly! Something like a Ford owner on a dare :D

Thanks again. I will be sure to post pictures.

Chuck

Shark Racer

Chuck - I think you shoulda mentioned that you didn't have a four-post lift...

You're re-doing every other part of the house, why not the garage too? :D

Let me know if you need any help.

-Steve

Bob Turner

Hi Chuck,

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


Zwede and Fauxrs both did a cleaner job on their crossmember cutting, welding and installation. I should go back to the drawing board and start over!!! I would follow what they did. Also, Check out this page for some nice shots and ideas on cutting it:

http://www.weavermill.com/trans/richmond.htm

Bob :cheers: :cheers:

Gordonm

Chuck, I work for Lenox saw blades. Check out the website for the proper blades for your sawzall machine. http://lenoxsaw.com/sprecip.htm You will need a 14 or 18 tooth blade to get a smooth cut without jarring your teeth out. Even if you don't use our blades make sure you get a Bimetal blade for anything you cut with the sawzall. They will outlast and outperform anything else. These blades will cut through the crossmember very easily.

69stingray

:lurk: Excellent post.....

Chuck Harmon

Gordonm,

Thanks for the tip, I went out and got the 18 tooth bi-metal blades you suggested. I bought both 6" and 9". Man, I can't tell you guys how reluctant I am to cut. I am probably being way too hesitant, but I really don't want to regret cutting it, and certainly where I cut it. Reminds me of another surgical cut I participated in.

Chuck

Gordonm

One of these days I am going to get a 5 or 6 speed and am looking at cutting mine. It is one of those measure twice (or multiple times) and cut once. You only get one chance. Show pictures of the cut so I don't mess it up.

Les

Chuck,
Don't you still need to get a 9/16" socket to fulfill the claim that you have everything?????????

427Hotrod

Hey Chuck..I know where you're at. When I finally got up the courage to do mine, my wife walked out into the garage while I was just laying there looking up at it with a sawzall on my chest. She asked what was wrong....I told her I was contemplating an unnatural act...cutting the frame of a perfectly good C-2!!!

I cut mine similar to the others, but I made the attachment plates a little different. I used 4 x 3/16" plates. Two attach to the frame "stubs" and two attach to the crossmember. I don't have any pictures right now, but I think it looks very slick. The plates are welded completely to the stubs and crossmember . The "flat" side of plates face toward the center of the car. I trimmed the crossmember just enough for the two plates to slip in between the stubs and crossmember. I had previously drilled 5 holes through each one while the two of them were clamped together. This made 5 "through" holes that are in perfect alignment. 3 holes are on the front side of crossmember and two are on the rear. The plates have a slight notch cut into them to clear floorpan. When crossmember is installed there are 10x 3/8" bolts holding it in place and the extra plates going "perpindicular" to the crossmember really stiffens the whole area.

Don't worry about it. I have never regretted it since I installed it. The recent motor trans installation was great because of it. Made it a breaaze!

You won't regret it.


JIM

SmokedTires

CHUCK I finally arund uploading these pics. Gives you another idea for your crossmember and attachment. On the ends, I drilled 2 holes to mount the bolts thru, and accessed the inside of the frame with a small slot similar to the ones for sidepipes from the factory to get a wrench in there for the nuts.

Bob Turner

Hey Chuck,

Where are you at on this project? Did you cut it out yet?


Bob :cheers: