Started adapting the datsun gearbox today

[Jim_Gruber]

Finally had a few hours available between remodeling projects and Kate took the late afternoon and evening off to hit the Beach at Siesta Key for a few hours. I opted for Bugsy time. Opened up the top of the tranny with a small rectangular hole with my Dremel Tool rather than the angle grinder. Slower but more control. Once I got it opened up I was able to get my Wonder Bar Demo Tool in there and with the edge under the lip of the shifter opening, I was able to raise the area in back of the shifted as much as 1/4". I reconnected the Driveshaft to the differential with 1 3/8" spacer not two and voila, no more clearance issues, Driveshaft Yoke sits at least an 1" maybe 1 1/4" behind the tranny so plenty of room to move in and out as the rear suspension moves up and down. Finished it off with a small patch panel and sheet metal screws holding it to the top of the transmission tunnel. I have yet to fit the turret, screw holes should still line up the way I raised the lip behind the shifter. I opted to use sheet metal screws rather than welding until I see if this works.

BTW I learned you cannot remove the Driveshaft and I'll assume the converse is true as Drive Shaft Yoke hits the side of the tranny tunnel before the end of the Driveshaft Yoke can be removed from the transmission.

At this point, Mission is successful. On to Wiring Harness once again.

 

[Boink]

How did that tranny fit without an indentation in the bell-housing?

 

[Jim_Gruber]

It all depends on the rear mount. He ground down the top of the bellhousing and was using a Rivergate Rear Mount. Yes it will fit in that way without taking a BFH to the Battery Shelf but it is really really tight. I followed a similar process with Bugsy, shave down the top of the bellhousing and used a Paul A Style Rear Mount. It was in there but GR Starter was right up against the Firewall and the worst part was that the Tranny and adapter plate was the lowest thing and going over those 3' wide traffic calming humps Bugsy was bottoming out and dragging the Adapter plate or tranny across those humps. Not a good thing but it fit in there. I also had one of Gerard's 5 speed kits. I ended up cutting the bellhousing per his instructions, it really sounds worse than it is to do. I reinstalled the tranny, fit was better and I gained at least 1.5" of ground clearance. I did run into issues with yoke on Driveshaft hitting on the underside of the tranny tunnel. I used one 3/8" spacer to move the driveshaft forward to where the tunnel open up. I tried a slide hammer to lift the tranny tunnel up in a spot where it was low right behind the shifter. Could not get enough lift so I cut a 2 x 3" access hole right behind the flange of the shifter opening. I used my wonder bar and raised the tunnel area about 1/4" and no more interference and driveshaft yoke banging on the bottom of the tunnel. A covered the hole with a piece of 18 or 20 ga Steel and bent it to shape and fastened down with sheet metal screws,

 

[Boink]

Forgot it was the Rivergate conversion. I did the Assgerson conversion (now Gerard's) and I'm not sure the grind-down only would have worked, or if it did would have been difficult. My gear-reduction starter really didn't create any problems.

I do like the idea of opening up the tunnel a bit (and there is another nice shot in my old thread that was added by Gerard).​

 

[Bayless]

Yes it was a tight fit with only grinding the bell housing. This is a photo of the Rivergate rear mount. It come apart leaving only one steel plate maybe 3/16 inch thick attached to the gearbox during installation. The real problem I had was trying to install the lower piece. At the front of the upper piece, it is wider than the distance between the vertical arms of the lower piece. This makes it impossible to slide the lower piece in after the tranny is in the tunnel. It had to come back out far enough to come in from behind. If it ever comes back out I plan to grind the edges of the upper plate so it can be reinstalled as the instructions explain. I have not yet but I will pass the information along to Rivergate.

I have the whole process fairly documented on my web page http://enfoprefect.org/cars/Sprite_Restore_5.html

 

[Boink]

[there is a missing colon after the "http" part (when I first tried your link) - but when I added the colon it worked fine]

 

[Bayless]

Thanks a lot Mark. Don't know why I couldn't see that but I fixed it and removed the remark.