Hello friends!
It has been some time since my last visit here, but I was busy working on my Lemans. Thanks to grandamman I got some important parts for the interior, but the tough work was the transmission.
The problem: Originally my car had a TH200C, swapped it for a 700R4 (blew that one due to various technical misscalculations) and finally fitted a new TH400 in. The troubles are caused by the original shifter, shift-cable, cable-bracket, equalizer levers since i want the car again in an original interior-look.
First issue to solve were the equalizer levers. Those of a TH200C didn't work, since the transmission selector wasn't located at the same place as on the TH400. Here's the original configuration:
To cut a long search story short, I ordered from Frank's Pontiac Parts the levers of a 1970 Grand Prix TH400 configuration, as the equalizer lever looked like it would fit perfect. However the lever had a minor angle that wasn't visible on the picture. Apparently the bent was needed back on the 1970 Grand Prix to get a nice alignment of all the hardware. I fired up the torch, hammered it straight and let the lever cool down slowly and installed it. The linkage and the new selectore lever worked perfectly and kept the switch on the steering column working as it should be. You may find the picture of these parts on their website: http://www.frankspontiacparts.com/engin ... nparts.htm (Piece of advice though: they may not seem very friendly or forthcoming, but the parts were in a top condition and quickly delivered to Europe for a reasonnable price).
The hard part was the bracket to hold the shift cable. The shifter needs to be stock and needs no transformation since the shift pattern of a TH200C is the same of a TH400. When the bracket is mounted to the transmission, the original cable won't connect to the selector lever (the action is too short). Don't bother looking for another "original cable" for a car with a TH400, as they won't fit the original shifter. Even those aftermarket cables didn't work out. The only solution: built your own bracket!!
First I needed to know the exact position of the clamp in relation to the selector lever. The picture was made afterwards when I worked on the new fluid pan. The bracket temporary installed is marked by a red line, the required emplacement. I made this while working under the car on the original oilpan.
Next step was the design of a template, done with a piece of iron and a TH350 bracket. Starting with a 3mm thick steelplate, I etched the basic template into the material and made a first cut with the hacksaw.
I heated up a blacksmith's fire, because the torch was not good enough for smooth heating and bending. The plate needed a consistent heating, otherwise the material would suffer flaws, and i don't like filling them up with a welder and polishing it clean with the cutting disk. I'm not entirely done yet, but the picture speaks for itself. Only needs two more holes drilled for the studs of the transmission pan and a coat of color.
A first attempt to fix the original cable went better than expected. Perhaps there's still some minor trim to be done later on, but that's negligible.
P.S. Just in case you're wondering why there is the word "COOKIE" hammered into the plate, well it was a test to fool later on the guys of our national technical control board. They hate almost everybody and especially oldtimers or tuned modern cars. So any part that does not have an original look will be an excuse for them to blackball the car, which means: no driving on public roads until you can prove them that the part is okay by european safety-standarts.
So, once the bracket is a perfect fit, the visible underside will get a hammering and these bastards will read GM TH400, just like on the floorpan 
It has been some time since my last visit here, but I was busy working on my Lemans. Thanks to grandamman I got some important parts for the interior, but the tough work was the transmission.
The problem: Originally my car had a TH200C, swapped it for a 700R4 (blew that one due to various technical misscalculations) and finally fitted a new TH400 in. The troubles are caused by the original shifter, shift-cable, cable-bracket, equalizer levers since i want the car again in an original interior-look.
First issue to solve were the equalizer levers. Those of a TH200C didn't work, since the transmission selector wasn't located at the same place as on the TH400. Here's the original configuration:
To cut a long search story short, I ordered from Frank's Pontiac Parts the levers of a 1970 Grand Prix TH400 configuration, as the equalizer lever looked like it would fit perfect. However the lever had a minor angle that wasn't visible on the picture. Apparently the bent was needed back on the 1970 Grand Prix to get a nice alignment of all the hardware. I fired up the torch, hammered it straight and let the lever cool down slowly and installed it. The linkage and the new selectore lever worked perfectly and kept the switch on the steering column working as it should be. You may find the picture of these parts on their website: http://www.frankspontiacparts.com/engin ... nparts.htm (Piece of advice though: they may not seem very friendly or forthcoming, but the parts were in a top condition and quickly delivered to Europe for a reasonnable price).
The hard part was the bracket to hold the shift cable. The shifter needs to be stock and needs no transformation since the shift pattern of a TH200C is the same of a TH400. When the bracket is mounted to the transmission, the original cable won't connect to the selector lever (the action is too short). Don't bother looking for another "original cable" for a car with a TH400, as they won't fit the original shifter. Even those aftermarket cables didn't work out. The only solution: built your own bracket!!
First I needed to know the exact position of the clamp in relation to the selector lever. The picture was made afterwards when I worked on the new fluid pan. The bracket temporary installed is marked by a red line, the required emplacement. I made this while working under the car on the original oilpan.
Next step was the design of a template, done with a piece of iron and a TH350 bracket. Starting with a 3mm thick steelplate, I etched the basic template into the material and made a first cut with the hacksaw.
I heated up a blacksmith's fire, because the torch was not good enough for smooth heating and bending. The plate needed a consistent heating, otherwise the material would suffer flaws, and i don't like filling them up with a welder and polishing it clean with the cutting disk. I'm not entirely done yet, but the picture speaks for itself. Only needs two more holes drilled for the studs of the transmission pan and a coat of color.
A first attempt to fix the original cable went better than expected. Perhaps there's still some minor trim to be done later on, but that's negligible.
P.S. Just in case you're wondering why there is the word "COOKIE" hammered into the plate, well it was a test to fool later on the guys of our national technical control board. They hate almost everybody and especially oldtimers or tuned modern cars. So any part that does not have an original look will be an excuse for them to blackball the car, which means: no driving on public roads until you can prove them that the part is okay by european safety-standarts.
So, once the bracket is a perfect fit, the visible underside will get a hammering and these bastards will read GM TH400, just like on the floorpan 
