Trans tunnel seam need bent flat ?

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DonnieLawson

68 Barracuda
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My 68 Cuda is about ready to be painted , before I send it off , Do I need to bend the lip on the floor pan seam flat for clearance between the tranny and floorboard.
It was a 318 with a 904 tranny. Now its gonna have a 505 RB with a 727.
Thanks
Donnie

My Cuda teardown for paint trans tunnel resized.jpg
 
You only have to do that on the early a bodies with a 727, not always though. It's trial and error on the early a's. Sounds like a Very nice upgrade on the performance level. Have fun with it:)
 
Didn't have to do it on my 70 Duster, but don't know if it needs to be done to run a shield. Guess I will find out when the time comes.
 
Did not hit me that your going to run a big block. I'm clueless about the bell housing differences between big and small blocks. You may have to for that combo. I'm sure there are others that know for sure.
 
I have never seen anyone bend that lip before..........but if it were my car I would test fit it before sending it to get painted! 8)
 
mcodecuda said:
The factory never had to do it so you shouldn't have to.
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contrer...68 SS Hemi's had spacers between the K and the frame so tunnel was higher. Im running into the same situation with a 727 in an Early A where you NEED to pound the seam, Mines pounded flat yet Im still hitting because...im running the stock 65 3" thick rubber motor mounts. As before when I had clearance, I had 1" spacers and schumacher style conversion B mounts which kept the 451 motor very low in the K. Pound it and paint it, couldnt hurt.
 
Bend it up - I gives you a lot of extra room where you need it most - once the RB is in you won't even see it.
 
Snake said:
I would get a metal nibbler and make a clean cut.
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While this would seemingly look better, it's not. That lip is how the body is held together. It's a pinch weld. If you hammer it flat you retain the strength.
 
Guess I'll fix er with the hammer :)
When the engine is in there it couldn't be seen anyway. And it would help make it easier putting everything back together .
I just didn't want to do it if It wasn't necessary
Thanks for all the replies ,
Donnie
 
I had to in my 71 swinger when I installed the 727. I also know of a couple who bored holes behind the trans bolts for access and used pop in metal plugs to cover them cause getting to the back bolts is a *****.
 
A large adjustable wrench can help get it started. Bend it a little bit 4 or 5 times a few inches apart all the way across and then finish it with the mini sledge. Having someone on the inside sitting on it with a pillow will make it easier because it will help keep the body pan from deflecting when the hammer hits it.
 
daredevil said:
I had to in my 71 swinger when I installed the 727. I also know of a couple who bored holes behind the trans bolts for access and used pop in metal plugs to cover them cause getting to the back bolts is a *****.
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You got that right. I changed a plug through a hole in my fenderwell.
 
Absolutely unneccesary, EVEN with a four speed and the large 69 cast iron bellhousing for a 440. The factory put big blocks with 727s and didn't massage that area at all.
 
Jim Lusk said:
Absolutely unneccesary, EVEN with a four speed and the large 69 cast iron bellhousing for a 440. The factory put big blocks with 727s and didn't massage that area at all.
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so says you. maybe it was my motor mount combo or something. Do you install bottom up?.
 
I've installed from the top and bottom, but I prefer from the bottom, especially on a car with fresh paint.
 
.........Ive put at least 40 bb into the 67-76 A bodies and have never had to modify the seam , not even once.............most have been installed from the top........it is nicer to install from the bottom.................kim...........
 
That is not the same structurally. It would be much weaker without the support of the flattened lip, but he apparently does not need to do it....I think.
 
I installed a 383 BB with a 833 4 speed and lakewood bell housing. We used Shumacher motor mounts and a stock tranny mount. I did not have to clearance anything for my 68 barracuda.
I know your using a 727 but I think the lakewood bellhousing is close to the same size if not bigger?

Good luck with the install.
 
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