That is excellent to hear! How easy to reach is the shifter @2BFAST ? One of the main killers of floor shifters for me is having to lean slightly towards them to use it. I like to be able to sit back in the chair and operate everything. If it sits nice I may just go that route instead! Would save a ton of money instead of rebuilding/replacing the old column to keep the column setup. I really do appreciate everyone's time and experience, you've got no idea how hard it is dealing with a completely stripped bare chassis and trying to visualize where everything will end up.

 

Im a bigger guy (6'1 260" and I can sit in the seat and not have to lean over at all. In fact, I have 2" seat extenders that move my seats back 2" and im still right there.

 

I know exactly where your at. My RS/SS clone I did the exact same thing

 

It's almost unbelievable how misaligned some of these body panels are from the factory! Like somebody was doing the assembly blindfolded. I'm restoring virtually the entire body, save for the a-pillars. This poor car was abused, hacked, raced, and then left to rot. Once I get home tonight, I'll check out the shifter setup and more than likely end up getting it.

 

Muscle car panels and gaps were never perfect from the factory. I never get too caught up on how perfect mine are. Dont get me wrong, I dont have a hot dog through a hallway on one and end almost touching on the other. But I definitely dont spend hours upon hours on panel gaps

 

Well, I finally got the Sonnax drum yesterday. I've got it loaded up dry, with release springs installed in 3/4. I swapped a friction in the center of the 3-4 pack to get .025 clearance, feeler gauge slides without forcing it. Same in forward clutch, clearance is .035. This drum is so easy to assemble with these blue pistons, and their special overrun piston! Barely even needed to roll their lip seal into the fwd piston, and the o-ring center seal just glides over the reinforced sleeve. Air checks better than any drum I've ever built. It's expensive, sure, but it definitely is nice to match the price. Do those clearances sound good? Next up is the servo pin clearance, I hope I don't have to adjust it much.

 

They should be good . they will open a bit after applied a few times, You can even do it yourself with like 150 psi air applied multiple times you will see it opens up and of course a bit more after a few running applications. As long as you can freely turn one of them you should be good on the 3-4 as for the forwards hold drum horizontal as long as you can grab the sungear and turn easily with hand it will be fine..

 

Installed everything wet, applied the clutches several times each. Forward is now .039, and 3-4 is only about .030. I can rotate the sun gear with only slight effort, and the top (shaft facing down) 3-4 clutch spins completely freely. I think I've got this drum beat! The 3-4 should open up more once it's actually in the vehicle, right?

 

Yes after a few running applies it will open .015 to .020 more has been my experience

 

Good good, now to wait for the valve body to arrive. My servo pin adjustment is at .060, I checked this by installing the stator and using two bolts to keep it from rotating. Installed servo assembly and retainer without seals and put a dial indicator in the center of the cover.

 

I also always turn the output shaft not in park just to double check , its should turn by hand in both directions, oNE WAY WILL BE LITTLE TIGHTER and it may squeal but that is normal just to be sure,