Featured C3 T56 rebuild and install

[taylorsk8]

Wow. great job. Glad to see someone can keep the work moving on their car!

T

 

[Jr. Corvette]

Hey guys,

Well it’s been a while since I last posted. I finally got that thrust washer a little over a month ago so I finished buttoning up the transmission and finished it off with a Sonnax 1350 Chromoly yoke. I installed the aluminum Ram flywheel and also had to get a new starter to work with the 153 tooth. Installed the new clutch and bolted the transmission into place. I then installed my new pedal assembly and drilled the holes for my clutch master cylinder. I used the MC out of an 85 C10 so I cut the shaft down and made it adjustable. After that I installed the new MGW shifter and found out that I also had to cut the console to make it fit because it sticks up so high. So I’ve made the shift hole bigger in the console and I’ve got my upholstery guy making me a shift boot just like the C7 corvette just bigger but same color, material and style. Next I bought some 16ga steel to make a cover for the transmission tunnel. I cut out the center to fit the shifter then trimmed the edges. I then used a hand dolly clamped in a vise and using an autobody hammer, curved the metal to match the contour of the tunnel. After I finished putting down some 1/4” foam on my floor boards over my thermotec butyl/aluminum heat and sound shield I installed the tunnel cover which I also put the same foam on it to reduce sound. Since it’s closed cell foam I also used it to make the seal around the shifter. Right now I’ve started to put the interior back in, I have my diff guy building me a new driveshaft, and I’ve clearanced my crossmember and I’m dropping it off to be fabricated today.

Some of the other things I’ve done include, restoring the hinges with new pins and bushings, installing the doors, installing new door handles, felts, and conduits. I’ve also power polished all the door locks and bolts, reinstalled the window motors, painted the doom light housing and installed new lens, installed new door water divertors, picked up some carbon fiber/cermaic brake pads to install, and some other little things. I find it too hard to put old things back on so I picked up a bunch of little parts back on boxing day so everything is either refurbished or new.

Fortunately work has been quiter lately so I was able to use some extra off days to get a ton done on the car. I should have the majority of it done next weekend and I should be all done in the next couple weeks!

 

[ddgermann]

Now that's some nice work on the shifter install and tunnel mod. Super clean looking job. Actually, everything you're doing is looking pro.

Hope you're enjoying actually driving this beauty soon

Impressive stuff man.

 

[Rruuff Day]

Wow.You have been busy!

 

[turbozig]

You never fail to amaze me Cody, serious talent you have. You are building one beautiful custom man! Can't wait to see it in person on the next cruise.

 

[Jr. Corvette]

Hey guys!

My project has come to a end for this year. Thank you so much for all the comments and support.

I cut up my crossmember and had it welded up to accommodate the new transmission. I then made up some aluminum spacers to get the correct driveline angles. I installed a new driveshaft from Driveline Specialties. Intsalled an electronic to mechanical speedometer driver. Got my console back from my upholsterer and was a little unhappy with the finish. It was uneven and you could see the glue and my edges where I clearanced the console. He had also painted the console which had dust and sanding marks in the paint but it was a nice starting point. I corrected the console amd painted it. Then I took an old metal hanger, cut it and bent it to match the shift boot opening, then soldered and heat shrunk the ends together (I don’t have a welder). I was then able to fit it inside the shift boot and it sits up around the edge of the console which finished off the boot nicely and matched my picture. After I installed the console I polished up the shift shaft and installed a stainless steel knob that matches the rest of the interior. I finished reinstalling the interior, mounted my clutch fluid reservoir onto the tube for my washer fluid as I wanted it out of sight. I took it for a drive but my ebrake was still broken and I found out later that it was jamming the wheels meaning I’d stall or buck the car. Found out never to buy stainless steel parking brake shoes and bought some steel replacements. Also had to modify some of the stainless steel components. I also installed my external transmission pump which runs off my old kickdown switch for my automatic. Now when my throttle is 80% or more engaged it actuates a relay which powers my pump which sprays fluid on my input bearing and gear.

 

[taylorsk8]

Looks fantastic! Great work

T