Parts Ordered and Fit Checks

 I've taken some time away from working on my project to get some small medical things done and get a little recovery time. I've spent some time to get the McLeod hydraulic clutch throwout bearing ordered. And then I ordered the PiMPxs system. That includes the expansion harness to take the inputs from the PyroPete crank trigger and cam sync as well as the coil-near-plug system and the injectors. 

So when I'm ready to do some shop work again I can fit the clutch and throwout bearing and continue on with geting it all into the car to work out the final fit. 

19 Feb 2026


I decided to do a fit check with the transmission and bell housing, so I pulled the engine and wrangled the transmission into the tunnel. I had already created clearance with the frame cross member where the transmission mount will go so I can get the transmission closer into the position where it needs to be. But, there's a protrusion on the transmission/output shaft housing that interferes with the RH side frame rail just ahead of the mount crossmember. It is slight, like maybe half an inch, but it's a real rock vs a hard place situation. I'm not sure what to do with it quite yet. But in order to get the transmission to be centered and vetical in the tunnel then it's going to take something to give. With the transmission set as it is in the photographs it is very close to the design centerline - which is good. 

The transmission could come forward a little bit until it comes off the frame - and that might be a comprimise.

I could also angle the engine slightly to the passenger side (RH side) but I'm not sure that would help.

22 Feb 2026

I can't get the engine/transmission into a forward enough position to clear the frame. I've removed material from the transmission but it's also not enough. So I've resolved to cut a notch into the frame tube and re-weld it by reversing the cut piece. It will reduce the torsional rigidity of the tube a small amount but since it is near the mounting bracket the loss of rigidity will be minimal. I will take out a 1/2 inch section of the tube, add a small end cap on the cut piece, flip it inside-out and then weld it back into the cut area. The caps will help give me a place to tack-weld the piece in position and then lay a fillet down the length of the cut sides. I just hope that there's room to maneuver my cutoff wheel to make a clean lengthwise cut in the frame tube.

28 Feb 2026

I'm finally happy with the positioning of the transmission after trimming more away from the crossmember along with the cutout of the frame member. Now the transmission plunks down solidly onto the 2x4 that I have positioned as a temporary support for the transmission tailshaft extension mount. 

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