updates, Aaron? you still looking for a clutch pedal? is that all you need? or do you need the z-bar and linkages too?
Decided to go with a hydraulic throw out bearing so I am using a after market pedal, I have everything just slowly in the process of completing it. pulled my LCAs and trying to get my new motor mounts on, I broke a bolt holding on a shock so I have to deal with that. I am also replacing the lower ball joints. I pulled the oil pan on the 455 to change the gasket and found some bad stuff in the pan. There is no shimmer or metal pieces just a bunch of big pieces of plastic. far to big to fit through the oil pickup screen and I cut open the filter to check and there was no signs or plastic or metal in that either. I will upload some pictures, I cannot figure out where it came from. I had the motor running on a stand and it sounds healthy with no odd noises like something catastrophic or a stuck rocker. The main thing I am having problems with is finding a place to mount the pedal with the master cylinder attached to it. the brake booster is huge on the firewall side so it doesn't leave much space for a master cylinder. There is plenty of room under the dash so I might just have the entire assembly under the dash which isn't a big deal just a pain. I am going to have to fab up a custom bracket to mount it and that is going to take the most time. Looking inside the engine with the pan off the cam looks to be in good shape with no wear visible on the lobes and it looks like there is no major wear inside the cylinder walls.
That stuff looks like old timing gear. Does it have a aftermarket gear on it or a plastic/ fiber covered one?
Yup, classic timing gear failure and repair. Gear breaks, pieces fall into the pan, owner/mechanic swaps on a steel gear'ed timing set, bolts it back together and back on the road. Meanwhile pieces are hanging out in the pan, often with little or no effect, and occassionally an issue.
They are way to jagged I think to be the buttons I have not taken off the timing cover yet to check and see what they are made of, I am glad that at least I know what it is now. Some of the guys at my work were coming up with crazy theories about it being the caps of oil bottles to plastic dipsticks breaking off in the pan. It definitely takes some stress off knowing that it is a known thing and not random plastic.
I've been looking into stiffening up the suspension on the car and what I remember Dan mentioned that our front suspension is close to or identical to the 1970-1981 Camaro, is this correct? I've been looking into a adjustable coil over set up for the front Something like this. Would this work in our setups?
After re looking at the pictures that The Silver Buick posted about his engine mounts I discovered that I have been trying to put them in the wrong holes I found some that fit on the drivers side but not nearly in the positions they should be (or close to yours) so this weekend I will try to get them to fit properly. My friend was telling me that there is a chance that I have different holes drilled in my cross member than the earlier years but we had the same engine options and I don't think that its the case.
I finally managed to find and win a set of pedals and linkage! I got them for a really good deal too. Now the issue is I have no idea where or how the Z bar attaches to the frame and engine. He forgot to send me the screws and the pivot ball but he sent them out the other day so they should be here soon.
Nice! The plate attached to the z-bar that bolts to the frame is easy to locate as the holes are in the frame already! However they are likely not tapped/threaded. iirc there are three holes for the plate, so you just have to tap the three holes for a bolt of the appropriate size (5/16th?) and bolt it into place. I jacked one of the holes up and ended up just welding the plate to the frame. I've already sent you the pictures I had, so don't have much to add to the mount part other than to re-iterate that I had to oblong one hole on the driver's side, and the rest of the bolts had matched up holes all ready.
hey guys just a quick update (mostly frustration) after 3 long nights of trying I cannot seem to get one of the motor mounts to line up with the frame pad, the picture attached is the closest I got it at one point, but I made one slight adjustment and it went completely off kilter again, I can get the bolt through the front hole, through the frame pad and hitting the back side of the mount, but no matter what I try (prying, loosening the motor mount and trying to adjust it) I just cannot get it in. when I installed the frame pads I measured the distance between the two on the front and back side and they were even so I am not sure whats going on. I even tried a screw driver in it to straighten it out and trying to push the bolt through. Other than that, I got the z bar mount secured to the frame, and the pedals are in and look great, slow progress and a lot of frustration.
You said they were even, which I guessing you mean the sides facing each other are parallel. The mounts are staggered a bit though right? You can see the driver's side mount is a bit more forward than the passenger side. Making sure you didn't square up the front of the mounts, because that would require the engine to be angled slightly one way or another and cause the mounts on the engine to not squarely seat.
its been about 20 years since I dropped my 455 in, I really don't remember how I did it. I think I dropped it in first, lined it up with one or 2 holes than drilled the 3rd hole because it didn't line up with any of the pre drilled holes.
Noraam! Hey I live in Tacoma and have a 78 Skylark with a 350 in it. We have to hook up sometime. I am willing help out with the build. I am thinkin about bumping up to a 455 as well. Here is a pic of mine.
Okay, I tired to do everything without posting because I wanted it to be a surprise to have everything done, but I am having an issue with my transmission. I have a Saginaw 4 speed from a GM with the 10 tooth spline shaft, exedy 04049 oem clutch, and a bop bellhousing. with the car off I can shift into every gear just fine, but with the engine running it will not allow me to go into any gear with the clutch pressed to the floor. If i turn the car off, put it into gear then start the car with the clutch to the floor it act like a normal clutch and as I let out the clutch it will start to roll. but I can't shift out of gear without extreme force. I have adjusted the clutch many times, even over adjusting it to where the pedal wont go any further to the floor. the car does not roll at all when the engine is started with the clutch to the floor and in gear, so it feels like it is fully disengaging. I have also readjusted the linkage to make sure everything moves exactly how its supposed to without any binding. any thoughts would be appreciated.
first off, congrats on getting this far. I wish I knew anything that could help with the transmission. maybe ask this question in the transmission section, or street/strip, it will get more views.
I asked in the Transmission section and it seems that I already got my answer, I am quoting it here just to keep everything in one log.
I'm waffling between pilot bushing and shift linkage. I had the same issue one time with my TKO, where the INTERNAL shift linkage can get an alignment issue if the trans is laid on its side while it's out, and it behaved exactly like that. But it did "cure" itself when I put it in gear and rolled the car back and dumped the clutch it worked fine after that. Being your's is EXTERNAL linkage, I'm not sure what to check. Like mentioned, I can see a tight, or crooked pilot bushing doing that too.
