[Zimmo]

A long time ago when I installed a 455 Olds & TH 400 into my '59 pickup, I needed to cut out the crossmember that had the origional clutch pivot on it. I'd like to reinstall a manual trans again (but this time behind the B/B olds), & I need to fabricate the linkage somehow.

Has anyone done this? I'm thinking about getting an Olds M/T Z bar, & welding in a bracket so it matches up to the pivot ball on the block. I was thinking about installing a hyd setup, but that me be even more work & more costly.

Thx in advance

[burnt olds]

have you the flywheel ?
i get them from jegs , centerforce brand , i paid like $192 for new one .
as for hydraulic , hard part be adapting the thing to bell housing , unless you go blow proof .

[Zimmo]

Yeah, I have everything for the conversion except for the manual trans. I was looking at the option of installing a TKO-600, but $3800 for the kit is too much $$
http://www.5speedtransmissions.com/

I do like the extenal slave cyl bellhousing kit tho

http://www.5speedtransmissions.com/hydclutchpkg.html

[57halfton]

Is your 455 Olds crankshaft drilled for a pilot bearing for a manual trans ????
As far as I know if the Olds engine came with an automatic trans the crank wasn't drilled for a manual trans pilot bearing .
Gene

[Zimmo]

Hey thx. Yep, the short block I'm building came out of a '71 442 M/T. The "N" crank is drilled & the block is bossed with the z-bar pivot ball.

I'm really looking forward to having an MT behind this torque monster. I'm building it for torque, & I'm hoping to get halfway desent gas mileage out of it too (my Vista Cruiser would routinely get 17 MPG on the highway with a 455!!)
Gotta love old tech & no smog