ERA Toploader Re-seal/build

[ACHiPo]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Evan - I'm not sure if it would be an improvement from just a bunch of air flow through the cockpit or if I would just get a bunch more heat from the undercar exhaust. Think I'll be safe and put the transmission tunnel back in. It's gotten too blasted hot and humid here now and I don't need more heat.

Interesting that when I first assembled my car I thought it would be too difficult to muscle that 95 lb thing in by hand and I used an engine hoist to suspend it and work it in. This time (and several years older) I just yanked it out and shoved it back in by hand. Not light work but not as bad as I thought it would be. Worst part was maneuvering it through the little door way. The nose of the input actually bumped my door front while I was concentrating on getting the tail housing clear but it was a glancing tap and no paint damage done. Those four threaded rods make it much easier - once I get it hung on those it's just a matter or picking up the rear and guiding it in with a little push.

Dan,
I was joking--you don't want that drive shaft spinning close to stuff that could get caught. That being said, the tranny sure is purdy!

Oh, and you get lots of man points for strong arming that bad boy into place!
Evan

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by ACHiPo

Dan,
I was joking--you don't want that drive shaft spinning close to stuff that could get caught. That being said, the tranny sure is purdy!

Oh, and you get lots of man points for strong arming that bad boy into place!
Evan

Thanks Evan. At this point I'm all out of vintage transmissions to rebuild. I've rebuilt 2 manuals and an automatic and the completel front/rear suspension/differential on my GTX in last 18 months. Think I'll concentrate on some light routine maintenance for awhile now and maybe even drive one of them sometime.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by DanEC

....Those four threaded rods make it much easier - once I get it hung on those it's just a matter or picking up the rear and guiding it in with a little push.

Dan, if you're planning a trip to Australia soon, bring those threaded rods along and you can help me muscle my Toploader into place

Cheers!
Glen

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by xb-60

Dan, if you're planning a trip to Australia soon, bring those threaded rods along and you can help me muscle my Toploader into place

Cheers!
Glen

Wow - one last rookie mistake. Glenn - you might be able to find better help over there.

Got everything hooked up and after finally getting my Hurst bolted in the correct hole (two options and after painting the bracket I initially picked the wrong one) and adjusting the rods - I couldn't get it to go into any gear but reverse. At first I thought it was all the stiff assembly lube and I started the engine and let it idle a while to circulate the lubricant but still no go. Then realized even reverse was kind of iffy and started looking at my rods and levers again and realized that reverse didn't seem to be all the way toward the neutral position. After dropping the rod off of the shifter I could move the rod hooked to the transmission lever a good inch further towards full neutral - which keeps the interlock pin engaged in the 1/2 and 3/4 sliders. So re-adjusted the reverse rod and voila - all gears again. At least I know I got all the interlock and shift detent pins installed right. Sure glad I figured that stupid error out before I yanked the transmission back out.

Now I just have to reassemble the interior which I'm saving for another day.

[DanEC]

Finally finished getting the car back together - 100 little screws it seems. Transmission running & shifting good.

Kind of disappointed that the speedometer is still a little jumpy. With a new drive and driven gear and a flush and re-lube of the cable I figured it would be steady and smooth. I have a feeling it's due to the tight bend the cable has to take coming away from the transmission to run thought the parking brake bracket and up towards the front. I don't see much way to improve it so may have to live with it.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Kind of disappointed that the speedometer is still a little jumpy.

Do you have a reversing unit behind the speedo? Or is it a clockwise unit?

[DanEC]

Yes, I have one at the speedometer. I've lubed it and shimmed it previously so I doubt it's an issue but can't ever be 100 sure.

I also have one on my Corvette cable tach drive (set up for same direction rotation) at the distributor to avoid a tight bend in the cable and it runs very smooth.