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Old 10-25-2018, 09:27 AM
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patrickt patrickt is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA #732, 428FE (447 CID), TKO600, Solid Flat Tappet Cam, Tons of Aluminum
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If you call Mike Forte, I bet he has one of his beautifully crafted alignment tools just sitting in a box somewhere. But, regarding the spacer, alas I can not tell you whether you need one or not. You have to measure. Remember, you have two goals: 1) Don't let the nose of the input shaft push up against the crank shaft and destroy your thrust bearing thereby sending shards of metal pumping through the rest of your engine; and 2) have the geometry of the transmission, its mounts, where the shifter comes out on the tunnel, the length of the drive shaft, all work out properly. As a general rule, you will need a spacer if you have the long shaft on the TKO, you will not need the spacer if you have a short shaft on it. But you have to measure to be sure. Don't trust your engine on a "general rule" and just bolt shi* up together with a hope and a prayer that it works. Read that thread on this issue and note post #8 by HSSS427 and the importance of the bellhousing dimensions. Mine is a Lakewood, I have a long shaft in the TKO, and I use a spacer. Don't rely on me, though. Measure, then measure again, then post your measurements and ask for a sanity check from the gallery.
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