Recently I came across a 68'GS 400 4 speed car. It is all there except the motor has been taken apart a bit. The car has been sitting a while but is straight and has very little rust. It has bucket seats, AC, four speed with consol and even a rare buick 8 track tape player. My delema is I need a four speed tunnel for my 71' Stage1 4 speed. Do I buy this car and part it out to retrieve this hard to find floor opening? It looks like there were roughly 1600 of these cars produced in 68 so its not as low as my 71'. If someone had this floor tunnel i'm looking for the answer would be easy.uzzled:
Could you just measure out the opening you need and cut the hole with a saw or a torch? The was a thread somewhere recently about the 4 speed cars having neatly cut or torched holes, and it seems people were reporting lots of both types in the 4 speed cars. edit: Check this thread for some help. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34723
I have 2 Wilmington built 4 speeds, '68s, neither have an extra 4 speed tunnel, one has consolette, the other does not. Floors are cut out, as far as I know the 350 is definitely and orginal 4-speed and it's hard for me to believe that the Convt isn't so I suspect they did things differently in the different plants. I have what I think may have been from a GS350 4-speed from Flint, it's a tunnel thing, that car had a consolette in it. But not sure, as I didn't take the car apart. Also had a '68 GS 400 HTP, that was parted out, and I don't believe that had a tunnel part either. I think someone posted some pics of their floor pan for the same reason, just recently on this forum. So you may want to to a search and check that out.
Thanks for the info Jim. The 71' is originally a four speed car but the problem lies in that the previous owner for what ever reason elongated the opening and then further on in its life a piece of sheet metal was fashioned and screwed in place. In order to get it back to looking original I will need a hump from a donor. As much as I hate to do it the 68' appears to be the candidate.
From what you describe, that car seems to nice to hack the floor up on. Why not just drop a motor in it and drive it while looking around for a more suitable donor to butcher? o No:
If what Roberta is saying is true then its possible this 68' with the console doesn't have the extra piece like the later model shown in the thread given by Jim. I know for certain that my 71' opening looks (whats left of it) like the photos in Jim's posting which tells me there was an extra piece riveted on top of the cut out so the shift boot retaining ring can attach to it.
Robert that is a very good question given the 400 is a complete car that has all its original components. But I'm anxious to get the stage1 back on its feet again and this hump problem, to me, is a road block. I have been looking for this particular part since August of 2003 and, until this 68', have come up with nothing but a hump out of a 72' automatic.
Wouldn't it be cheaper and less hassle to pick up one of the humps shown in the other thread to fix your floor? Then you wouldn't need to deal with parting the other car out.
The humps offered in the other thread is way off as was pointed out in some of the replies to that post, but thanks for the input.
This isn't such a complicated piece. It seems to me that it would be relatively easy to have someone fabricate a sheet metal piece versus buying a nice car and cutting it out. Then you've got to fabricate a replacement anyways. What am I missing? Talk to Skip, he's got a template right in front of them while they're working on my 71GS 4spd right now.
Thanks Mike this is the type of response I have been looking for. I really hate to part the 68' out. Can you give me some information on how to contact Skip?
Here's his user info, try his PM or email link http://www.v8buick.com/member.php?s=&action=getinfo&userid=69
Just wondering if you are not interested in the 68 to restore or whatever maybe you could post where its at and any other info you have on it so another board member could get a chance at it Thanks Ed K
Do not cut up the '68 just for the hump. If you look at the tunnel opening I wouldnt call it a hump. it appears to retain almost the original tunnel shape. I think the template idea is a great one. i understand what your saying about your tunnel being enlongated and modidifed but i think someone here can help you with a piece to fit in. In the U-shift em thread as this very conversation is going on there.
