[Jason]

I just bought a '78 chevy 4x4 with a th350. The trans has 6 5/16 or 3/8 bolts for the converter cover. But it has no cover. Is the cover necessary for strength?
It has a cast iron transfer case with one support rod to a bellhousing bolt. Does it sound like somethings missing?
It was originally a manual trans.

[dklong]

the converter cover is there for keeping debris from getting in around the converter and seal .

[dklong]

and also the trans brace to the transfer case is correct all the older GM 4x4 had these.

[Crosley]

Those cover bolts may be 10mm x 1.50 metric stuff.

there would have been rods bolted to the tranny cover and they run up to the engine mounts.

GM was trying to avoid the cracking of the tranny bell housing and case breakage at the rear of the tranny where the transfer case bolts on.

[Jason]

Thanks all for the replies.
I know my brothers '89 chevy 4x4 has a 700R4 with a thick aluminum converter cover with rods attached to it to brace it.
This is why I asked. This truck I just bought was converted from a manual to a th350 automatic and it has a huge iron transfer case attached to it.
I might try to find a diagram with the factory set up pictured.
I want to put one on if it had braces on it originally.

[adtkart]

Jason.... Crosley was right about the brackets. They were used to brace from the convertor cover to the engine because of the distance between the engine mounts and the transmission mount, which was actually a plate bolted between the transfer case and transmission. I believe this was something that was added to later years, as most that I worked on didn't have them. It was either that, or they had been taken off on an earlier repair, as I was doing them in Wisconsin, where they all have plows attached to them in the winter.

[M&M CUSTOM]

If you don't plan on beating the truck to death, make the changes to a plain sheetmetal cover.
Not as strong but will keep stuf from being where it don't belong.