Trans bolts access panel.

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Cope

Cope

Fusing with fire
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
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Location
San Jose, Ca.
I hate separating the transmission and engine so I decided to make my life easier and make an access hole for the bolts.

At the same time I rerouted my shift cable.
Still got some holes in the fire wall to fix but I'm leaning towards just making a smooth fire wall next time the engine comes out.

Access hole.
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Panel.
Had I been a little smarter I would have used the flat wheel on the English wheel before I put compound curves in the corners.

Panel before flat wheeling the English wheel lines and hammer divots out.

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All done. This was one of those projects that the part I thought was gonna be hardest turned out to be easy and the "easy" part was hard. Shaping the panel was not bad. Getting the nutcerts in and bolting it in was a beioch!! I ended up having it over size most of the holes then go back and weld em up once I go the bolts all lined up... what a pain!

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Still gotta figure out how I want to run the wire for my 2 step and line lock but that's another project....
 
Interesting.
An innertube cut to fit the big wheel will give you a flatter profile when using the flat die. A rubber ring of some kind.
I’m sure you have watched Lazze on youtube.He does some nice work. Shrinker/stretcher would help a little too.

The older trucks/4wd often had a removeable panel.
 
If this is a street car make sure you have a good seal on the panel and the shifter cable unless you enjoy the smell of exhaust!!
 
Lots of effort to overcome "I decided to make my life easier and make an access hole for the bolts."

How often do transmissions go bad?

Or is there another purpose perhaps?
 
I want to make or buy the rubber band just haven't yet.

I did some shrinking on it. Just to tighten up the radius. Curves this steep start to be a pain on the wheel.

I just HATE getting to those bolts.
Street race car and it is sealed very well. It's all the rest of the holes the let heat in that suck...

:)

Also I can, so I did. Why not?
Practice on the English wheel is good, it's not as intuitive and easy as U tube makes it look.

:lol:
 
Cope said:
I want to make or buy the rubber band just haven't yet.

I did some shrinking on it. Just to tighten up the radius. Curves this steep start to be a pain on the wheel.

I just HATE getting to those bolts.
Street race car and it is sealed very well. It's all the rest of the holes the let heat in that suck...

:)

Also I can, so I did. Why not?
Practice on the English wheel is good, it's not as intuitive and easy as U tube makes it look.

:lol:
Click to expand...
My e-wheel is gathering rust. I have to put wheels in lathe and give them a polish.
 
No inspection cover needed. Drop the back of the tranny and use a 36" extension and wobble socket. A lot easier than what you're doing.
 
I cut the hell out of my hand once Tendons and all. I created my own mechanic work therapy. I removed the bell housing bolts on my chevelle. To keep me from having to continually retrieve the wrench from my fatigued hand, I tied a string to my wrist and the end wrench. Just saying.
 
Bodyperson said:
I cut the hell out of my hand once Tendons and all. I created my own mechanic work therapy. I removed the bell housing bolts on my chevelle. To keep me from having to continually retrieve the wrench from my fatigued hand, I tied a string to my wrist and the end wrench. Just saying.
Click to expand...

God fuckin dammit stop being smarter than me
 
Murray said:
No inspection cover needed. Drop the back of the tranny and use a 36" extension and wobble socket. A lot easier than what you're doing.
Click to expand...

No thanks.

I've done the extention thing. I don't like it. I dont like starting bolts with three feet of extention and a universal.

God dam, this is a race car. If something is in my way or bothers be more than once and it can be cut out. It's getting cut out.
 
I like it. Looks like a good idea. I hate pulling bellhousing bolts too. Work smarter not harder!
 
dartfreak75 said:
I like it. Looks like a good idea. I hate pulling bellhousing bolts too. Work smarter not harder!
Click to expand...

I understand the bolt thing , but you better hope u never have a trans. explosion !! I don't have room for a blanket or shield, so I welded reinforcing straps across my tunnel , w/ the pinch seam welded completely shut all the way across.
I had a very violent trans explosion once , right on the starting line , in a 66 belvedere , they are quite a bit more well built than the A bodies and stronger --------------still tore it up pretty bad.
An alternative would be special holes in the right locations to reach the bolts from the interior , using a snap in plug to stop up the holes. They would only have to be big enough for a socket to go thru. -jmo
 
I do this with my four Speed hump. that's why I tell people to just bolt it down or screw it down and not to weld it. Pop it off and you can get the two top transmission bolts and slide it out easy.
 
j par said:
I do this with my four Speed hump. that's why I tell people to just bolt it down or screw it down and not to weld it. Pop it off and you can get the two top transmission bolts and slide it out easy.
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I want a 4 speed to put in my dart! I wish now i would have kept that extra 3 speed i had with my barracuda. My dumbass let it go with the car.
 
Hey....Wait a minute!! Doesn't this car belong to "Cope". Since it is his car he can make any modification that he likes/wants. I think that there's some transmission tunnel envy going on here??? :rofl: Case closed.
 
What are the little screw insert things you used? I have wanted to put an in-tank pump in my car for awhile now; that could make pump service much easier.
 
Search riv-nuts. There are all kinds available.personally i would weld threaded tabs in below floor. Riv nut loosens, then its a pain.
 
I had my sheet metal guy make me an access panel similar to that for my bracket car. Mine is attached with Dzus fasteners with a thin rubber gasket attached to the panel. It makes pulling the transmission in a race car MUCH easier.
 
I did have holes in the fire wall for removing the bolts. It just looked to hacked up.
The plate is steel 18 gauge and at least as thick as the body.

You'd think I was cutting up a gull wing benz... not a 318, 71 swinger...
 
Cope said:
You'd think I was cutting up a gull wing benz... not a 318, 71 swinger...
Click to expand...

!!HUH!! I didn't see much "hate" goin on here. I'm 70 and getting the upper bell bolts loose or tight is getting to be an effort. I've even thought of "custom bending" some wrenches
 
67Dart273 said:
!!HUH!! I didn't see much "hate" goin on here. I'm 70 and getting the upper bell bolts loose or tight is getting to be an effort. I've even thought of "custom bending" some wrenches
Click to expand...

Agree with 67dart273 , no hate intended. Some people try to make something out of anything!
But trans. explosions speak for them selves !!
 
I got tired of messing with those bolts years ago...I switched to a 12 point bolt with a 3/8 head (like in the pic) and a ratchet wrench....now I can have all of the trans bolts out in less than 10 minutes.

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I’ve smoothed the firewall on my Demon.
It’s personal taste!
And it’s an H code, 340 car. I’ve had it since I was 15. (50 now) but it’s mine.
Just like your swinger is yours Cope!
Keep up the good work!

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