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When installing the convertible trans crossmember does the right side sit on top of or below the smaller side piece? The instructions say raise the member above the frame rail then insert the bracket, suggesting that the bracket is beneath the member. The two pictures however show the opposite. Any clarification would be appreciated.
Just as a side note, you can swap engine mounts with the engine in the car, but it sucks.
The crossmember assembly sits on top of the right side frame foot bracket.
I am having a figment issue with the convertible trans crossmember, on my 70 GTO with boxed frame. It is about 2" narrow and does not sit on top of the frame. I am unsure if this a difference between a convertible and hard top frame or if mine is that much out; the car has been wrecked, had the body removed, frame straightened and body re-installed, so unless the dimensions are in the GM manuals I am unsure if I should pull the frame rails in or modify the crossmember.
I am having a figment issue with the convertible trans crossmember, on my 70 GTO with boxed frame. It is about 2" narrow and does not sit on top of the frame. I am unsure if this a difference between a convertible and hard top frame or if mine is that much out; the car has been wrecked, had the body removed, frame straightened and body re-installed, so unless the dimensions are in the GM manuals I am unsure if I should pull the frame rails in or modify the crossmember.
Pictures would be helpful. Do all the body mounts line up? I believe there is a mount right in the middle of the frame rails on both sides. Are those lined up?
upside down image of the frame detail
It appears the factory boxing on the convertible extends the inside edge out as compared to the hard top. There is a dimension given in the service manual I am going to check now, so it looks like modifying the crossmember will be the correct fix.
Wanted to get some more information on the crossmember for the 4l80E, with all the other swap pieces (headers, engine mounts...) How much different is this than the stock crossmember (except for obviously being a way way better looking piece) I am having some trouble with the stock crossmember. Its hitting the exhaust (x-pipe is now right underneath the crossmember) and according to where it sits with where the holes will be drilled in frame, the 4l80 will be sitting directly on top of crossmember, (not the pad) and assuming once I get the correct poly mount, it will bolt through the single hole in crossmember, which seems a little odd.
Since I don't know exactly what you're up against, maybe this image of a prototype of the Hooker Blackheart crossmember being used to mock-up a 4L80 install in a 1968 A-body will help answer your questions 461rat.
I have a question about the Vette ACC drive with the Holley set up, I purchased a used ACC drive from a member on here, its from a 2009 vette, but it did not come with the A/C compressor or bracket, I for some reason thought a truck compressor and bracket would bolt up and picked one up from the pick and pull. Since that obviously won't work, I see that Holley offers a low mount kit, will that work with my existing vette FEAD? From the website it seems like it works with the vette FEAD, but just wanting to make sure, or if there is another option for A/C with my vette FEAD.
Yes, you can use the Holley low-mount A/C set-up with the Corvette FEAD on your A-Body if you are using the Hooker forward-bias engine mounting brackets.
I wanted to verify if I would be able to use the 2.5 inch (70501353-RHKR) with the stock cross member? I was really hoping to be able to try to use my exhaust, but from the headers to the x-pipe is no where even close now, I see that the headers tuck up really close and almost point directly at the cross member, which I'm sure that no other brand (MagnaFlow for instance) would work, due to needing to jog slightly downhill. It would be nice if I could just buy pieces that connect to the headers and x-pipe. I would be able to make the rest of my exhaust work.
Thanks again Todd, this build has been so much smoother, due to the design and fitment!!
The Hooker Blackheart A-body exhaust systems are specifically designed to clear the geometry of the Hooker Blackeart A-body transmission crossmembers, but the likelyhood that the 2.5" version will also fit with the stock crossmember is good due to the fact that the arch locations of the stock crossmember are in a similar location to the arches of the Hooker Blackheart crossmember. I cannot absolutely guarantee this to be the case as too much time and too many other development projects have past since I wrapped up the A-body project.
Hey todd. Hard to believe how old this thread is getting! Alot of good info here. Its lead me to purchase the 302-3 and the forward bias mounts myself. Reading through all the posts, i cannot find any good info on ground clearance with the blackheart longtubes. Does anybody have a good pic of the hang down? My goat is slammed for autocross and just wanna see if i had to get the mid-lengths.
Yep, time really flies by. You can find the images you're looking for in post #45. As a point of reference, the headers are installed with a 4L60E transmission in those images and the collectors are even with the bottom of the trans pan. If you were running a 4L80E or T56 transmission, both of them would hang lower under the car than the headers do.
1968 gto ls1/t56 fbody pan with hooker Blackhearts and holley transmission crossmember. my car is very low for autocross and since I installed the black hearts I no longer have header clearance issues
I don't have any noticeable driveline vibrations and don't expect any. Thus far, in short test drives, I have only reached a max speed of 42 MPH - no license plate on a short rural road. There was no noise or harshness at all. My biggest concern that had nothing to do with any Holley / Hooker component was no shifting but that was solved with a new Vehicle Speed Sensor.
I have a question regarding the El camino boxed frame, the stock crossmember, Hooker ..006 forward bias mounts and a 4l60e. The instructions say to put the one spacer under the trans mount and the 2 spacers between the frame rail and crossmember. Does this apply to the boxed frame same as regular chevelle c channel frame?
In theory, it should work the same, but a dry-run was never carried out to test the possibility of using the stock El Camino crossmember to install a 4L60-4L70 transmission into those cars as there was no stock crossmember on-hand to do so.
06-07-2018, 12:48 PM
