LT1 and a T56 in a 55 Chevy

Did some more work....
Took the lowering blocks out,
moved the U-bolt plates around and welded in a bolt for the lower shock mounts,
and a few other things....
58HTframe017s_May2015.JPG

more pics HERE (scroll down)....
Willy
 
sweet setup willy i liked what you did there to correct the potential catastrophe in the event of a flat... and yea i agre once you grind off that bottom caltrac mount itll be even more clear from danger.. lookin good!
 
Before and After on those rear lower shock mounts:

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55HTshockmounts_s.JPG


More pix HERE....

UPDATE....
I've been asked why I want both the coil-overs and the leaf springs on the rear....

The QA's give me easy access for adjustability on rear ride height and ride firmness, as I can crank up the preload when necessary to add more capacity when carrying extra load (maybe a coupla wide bodies in the back seat?) or pulling a trailer with the added tongue weight. The shock valve adjustment works well to provide the right quality of ride from soft to firm.Will start with 100 lb/inch coils and have a pair of 150's on hand if needed. Just thought I'd try the concept and see just how well it works. I did that on the front end of my solid axle '55 gasser, worked out great!

55gasser%20front%20end%20mods%2022s%20Apr%202012.JPG
 
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Me and my buddies sat there for quite awhile last Fri. nite, beer in hand, discussing the panhard bar idea, and ideally where it should be located to get the best results.

One comment about mounting it fairly high like I am proposing, is that between that high mount point on the axle itself, but above the axle on the left side (the frame mount is going to be on the right side), and the two leaf springs down under the axle, the axle is pretty much constrained to only move up and down. As far as rocking the body to one side or the other relative to the axle, not going to happen, the panhard bar, triangulated with the leaf spring mounting points at the axle, will pretty much keep the axle parallel to the frame rails and, much like a sway bar, keep axle movement pretty much just up and down. At least that's what it looks like to us.

The panhard bars I have on the front of my '55 4x4 truck, and the '55 gasser does cause it to corner pretty flat, plus the parallel ladder bars on the rear of the gasser have that effect also, there's not very much body roll at all on hard cornering with the gasser.
 
Finally convinced myself to try a sway bar first on the rear axle. But will install the mounts for the panhard bar, and will leave the bar out for now. Then I can always try it out later if I want to, or if I still see tire sidewall rub on the frame with the sway bar. Two bolts and it's in.

Ordered a Hotchkis rear swaybar setup for my '55 and installed it. It's not the standard position for a swaybar, as my coil-over shock position prevents that, but I think this setup will work just fine.

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There's a bunch more pix on my website....
Aloha,
Willy


A bunch of pix HERE (scroll down)...
 
you do some darn impressive fabrication work, its inspiring in some ways and makes me feel that I should be able to follow your lead and do more personally.
yes there always a reluctance to just dive into a project with both feet as they say!

BTW why can't we have a post , you could put up on what your using as a welder, and larger machine tools and what you like or don,t like about the tools you currently have access too?
Im sure many guys have basically no idea how to plan, cut out and drill then weld up custom brackets, the pictures are good for some one with experience but taking and measuring and cutting out custom brackets is far more complicated to a first time hot rodder , might at first think, and more difficult for new guys than too older more experienced guys who have screwed up numerous times learning the art and the skills.
the pictures may be self explanatory to us old guys but I know from questions that thats not true for some new guys!
and a bit of info on were you get the materials and how patterns are used , measurements are taken etc. would be great!
 
Good idea, I like it, now just gotta find the time....
Where would be the best place to post it?
W.
 
That'll work....

Maybe just "Fabbing Custom Parts"
by 2Loose


Later: Done Deal
 
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Have been on the run, two other projects, a 58 chevy pro street truck exhaust rebuild after 17 years, and lotsa minor stuff on the 55 chevy gasser. But did pull the rear parts off the 55 hardtop axle, painted and put back, here's one pix, others at the usual place, scroll down for latest.
Aloha,
Willy

here


55HTFrame1553S_May2015.JPG
 
Started setting up the clutch and tranny to the motor, then will install in the frame, pretty routine stuff....

Found I was missing the flywheel/crank bolts,
and the clutch/flywheel bolts, so have some new ones coming....

Meantime, used some old bolts I had on hand to set it up, also want to put some long style dowel pins in the block, and need to find my clutch alignment tool, it's stashed away somewhere around here....

55HT_Motor_Install101s_June2015.JPG


The original LT1/T56 clutch setup was an external hydraulic slave cylinder with a standard clutch arm and release bearing, I dug around in my storage shed and found the original stuff, the slave cylinder looks pretty messy, I might go check out what a new one would cost....

55HT_Motor_Install102s_June2015.JPG


I also found in my storage shed, this Tilton brand hydraulic release bearing,
but it doesn't fit over the sleeve for the old style release bearing, and it looks like it needs to be mounted some way (see the four mounting holes), and I don't see any easy way to do that....

I'd probably have to take the transmission apart and drill and tap into the front of the tranny case to make it work, and remove that sleeve that is pressed into the front of the case....

55HT_Motor_Install103s_June2015.JPG


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More later....
Willy
 
Have given up on the Tilton hyd. clutch unit, going with the stock '93 Camaro slave and release bearing setup for the clutch. And looking for a mc that will mount easily on the firewall with correct alignment to the OEM '55 clutch pedal setup. Any suggestions for the clutch MC? I'm finding a whole bunch of them online when I do a google search....
 
Not sure on the Hydraulic clutch Master Cylinder Willie.
Maybe from a Chevy GMC C/K Truck will work.
Or from a Firebird Camaro 3rd - 4th Gen.

I have seen some crazy home inovations done.
Door slammer 7-second BBC Drag cars with Chrysler K-car Master cylinders.
It worked at the time for them .
$15 dollar master cylinder to slow down from 170-180 mph.
 
Looking through my parts bins, found a brass pilot bushing for a big block Olds (425/455), checked the dimensions, it's the same for a Chevy both sbc and bbc. Got a bolt out of the bolt box the right size, adjusted the nut to put some bolt inside the bushing, put a small amount of silicone grease inside the crankshaft hole, and tapped the bushing in, just enough so it is flush with the crank surface surrounding the hole....

55HT_Motor_Install106s_June_2015.JPG


I also had a pair of the longer dowel pins for locating the bell housing, I like those, as they give more room to begin the alignment when bolting up the tranny to the motor. But the original dowel pins are refusing to come out easily, so will get more aggressive in removing them, like welding nuts onto them and with a helper, twisting them and tapping hard on them, luckily this block has access holes behind the pins where I can get a punch in there to pound on the pins. So far this has been met with total resistance....

Pix later....
Willy
 
With a buddy helping me, we welded large nuts on the old dowel pins, and while they were hot, put an impact gun on them, and twisted them while a buddy pounded on them through a hole in front of them with a long, heavy duty punch. They slowly began to turn and eventually came out. This one was almost all the way out. I do this right after welding, while they are still hot.

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Then I cleaned out the holes, applied a small amount of silicone grease to the inside of the holes, and tapped the long dowel pins in all the way....

55HT_Motor_Install108s_June_2015.JPG


I recently had to rebuild the Doug Nash 5 speed in my other '55 (a gasser style build), after I destroyed the input shaft gear, so I have a nice Chevy input shaft to use to align clutches...

55HT_Motor_Install109s_June_2015.JPG


It does a very nice job aligning the clutch plate with the pilot bushing...

55HT_Motor_Install110s_June_2015.JPG


The clutch release bearing (throw-out bearing) for this '93 LT1 (5.7 liter) is a bit unusual, and I am having a difficult time finding a replacement, as this one is noisy and I don't want to use it. My local NAPA dealer doesn't even list it. I can't go any further with this until I can find a replacement. Even online, I'm told they just are not available.

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It's a hydraulically operated clutch with an external slave cylinder. The original slave cylinder seems to be ok, we shall see.

55HT_Motor_Install113s_June_2015.JPG


More Later....
Willy
 
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