1986 442 project (street and strip)

[bfurches]

Brand-Used Parts!

Picked up a couple things. My buddy was kind enough to give me a 8.5 posi chuck from a Grand National for free (it was a take-out when they swaped to spool and axles for a customer.) Its in good working order...and it was FREE lol...

Also picked up a pair of magnaflow glass-packs. Will probably be a little agressive on motor, but once the tubro is mounted, should quiet them down a little lol

 

[digimurda]

Great job!
i'm sorry but ima have to play copy-cat on your shifter, lol
any chance you can tell me exactlly what parts did you buy and what steps did you take to get the whole shifter thing going?
i would really apreciate it, i got a 85' 442 and the last guy who had it did what i would call a hack job, check out the photo,
let me in on any ideas, please.

 

[bfurches]

Great job!
i'm sorry but ima have to play copy-cat on your shifter, lol
any chance you can tell me exactlly what parts did you buy and what steps did you take to get the whole shifter thing going?
i would really apreciate it, i got a 85' 442 and the last guy who had it did what i would call a hack job, check out the photo,
let me in on any ideas, please.

Thanks...

Here is a quick run down of how I set it up:

B&M Hammer Install

After removing the stock shifter, I cut a piece of 1/8" aluminum sheet to the same length and width as the base of the OEM shifter. I used the stock unit as a template to drill the mounting holes so it would line up with the existing locations on the transmission tunnel. Now I had a solid mounting plate that was slightly elevated (due to the factory shifter stands being raised), and this allowed me to mount my new B&M shifter centered wherever I wanted, within the constraints of the console of course.

The console opening where the factory shifter protrudes needs to be modified as well. Alot of consideration should go into this part! You need to factor in the overall throw of the shifter, as well as any moving parts that may interfere with the console structure and height!

I found it easiest to use a small die grinder with a cut-off wheel to cut a window large enough for the shifter in the console (another tool I have had great success with in the past is a small air body saw). While cutting, be very careful to not go to far, consequently removing the holes that the top console trim piece would normally clip into! This part is important if you want to keep an OEM appearance....less is more....

Once all the final trimming and etc is complete of the console frame, I cut another window in the factory shifter trim top-plate and mounted the shifter cover that comes with the B&M Hammer shifter.

---------------------------------------------------------

Hope this helps you guys with any questions you may have had....

 

[brettlaage03]

I like the shifter install, but it sounds like you cant go back to stock later if you wanted without replacing the console? Are you cutting the actual console or just parts that are attached to it? Thanks. I like your progress so far.

 

[bfurches]

I like the shifter install, but it sounds like you cant go back to stock later if you wanted without replacing the console? Are you cutting the actual console or just parts that are attached to it? Thanks. I like your progress so far.

You are correct, if you wanted to go back to stock, you would have to replace the console. I do not plan on going back to stock, so this is not an issue for me. If you plan on installing a ratchet shifter in these cars, there is no way to do so without cutting the console....

 

[digimurda]

Great job!
i'm sorry but ima have to play copy-cat on your shifter, lol
any chance you can tell me exactlly what parts did you buy and what steps did you take to get the whole shifter thing going?
i would really apreciate it, i got a 85' 442 and the last guy who had it did what i would call a hack job, check out the photo,
let me in on any ideas, please.

Thanks...

Here is a quick run down of how I set it up:

B&M Hammer Install

After removing the stock shifter, I cut a piece of 1/8" aluminum sheet to the same length and width as the base of the OEM shifter. I used the stock unit as a template to drill the mounting holes so it would line up with the existing locations on the transmission tunnel. Now I had a solid mounting plate that was slightly elevated (due to the factory shifter stands being raised), and this allowed me to mount my new B&M shifter centered wherever I wanted, within the constraints of the console of course.

The console opening where the factory shifter protrudes needs to be modified as well. Alot of consideration should go into this part! You need to factor in the overall throw of the shifter, as well as any moving parts that may interfere with the console structure and height!

I found it easiest to use a small die grinder with a cut-off wheel to cut a window large enough for the shifter in the console (another tool I have had great success with in the past is a small air body saw). While cutting, be very careful to not go to far, consequently removing the holes that the top console trim piece would normally clip into! This part is important if you want to keep an OEM appearance....less is more....

Once all the final trimming and etc is complete of the console frame, I cut another window in the factory shifter trim top-plate and mounted the shifter cover that comes with the B&M Hammer shifter.

---------------------------------------------------------

Hope this helps you guys with any questions you may have had....

cool, so did the B&m hammer bring everything you needed? besides the aluminum sheet ?

 

[bfurches]

yes sir...right down to the shift cable...

 

[digimurda]

yes sir...right down to the shift cable...

ok, if you look at the picture of my center console, in order to get the look you have, will need to
get a new center console? being that mine is completelly cut out.

 

[bfurches]

yes sir...right down to the shift cable...

ok, if you look at the picture of my center console, in order to get the look you have, will need to
get a new center console? being that mine is completelly cut out.

Judging by your photo, yes you would need a new console to mount it the same way I did...however....if you get creative I am sure you can make it work 😉

 

[bfurches]

....So I am going to eat my words....

I absolutely hate to do this, because if I set out to do something I finish it...but unfortunately its not going to happen...The 307 is not going any further, and with that being said...I apologize.

This weekend I was working on the motor and removing the air tubes from the heads. Everything was going smooth and they all came out except for one on the passenger side head. I heated it up and tried to use an easy-out after the nut on the tube snapped off...and I cracked the cylinder head (up to the valve-cover rail, and down towards the head bolt).

After looking at my options (swing a junk yard 307, swap the heads, remove weld and reinstall the damaged one, etc...), I decided none of those options interested me considering what would need to be spent.

It would be one thing to turbo the 307, and I really feel it would be awesome and run some numbers....but not at the added expense and complication I have made now. For the time money and effort its going to take, I am not going to stick with that motor.
-------------------------------------------

After talking to a few guys locally about what was out there, I came across a 1973 455 complete from carb to pan, alt to flexplate for peanuts. I am literally grabbing the motor for what my buddy wanted for a 307 he had on the floor, so like I said...it just makes more sense.

Musclepalooza is next Sunday at Lebanon, so I am going to try like hell to get the motor swapped in and running this weekend so I can jump into the event for some racing....

Sorry guys....let the flaming begin