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#1 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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Throttle Rod To Cable Conversion
I'm going to convert my throttle rod setup to a throttle cable type from a '71 that I got from the boneyard today. I noticed that the square hole for the cable is about 1 5/16" on center directly below the hole for the plug connection for the tail light/brake light wiring, but I neglected to measure where the mounting for the accelerator pedal is.
Can one of the fine members of this board take a measurement for me, using the center of the plug connection hole as a reference? So, if you were to drop a perpendicular line down the center of both holes (plug connection hole and square hole), how much down and right (facing firewall) does the lower hole of the pedal attachment need to be? In the attached photo, my existing hole is about 1/4" to the right (dotted line) of center, and about 4 5/8" down from center. Also, the rubber bushing that secures the cable to the cable bracket at the carburetor was split, meaning that the cable won't be secured in the bracket. Is there a fix for this, or do I need to replace the cable? Are they still available? Thanks! |
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#2 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Hampton, Ga, USA
Posts: 217
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I made an adapter and used the existing bottom hole for the cable setup. You may want to use search function under "throttle cable" a lot of discussion.
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68 Short Stepside, 350, quadrajet, 700r4, 3:73 posi, power front discs, HEI, Factory Air, Tilt, Tach, accelerator cable instead of rod, sway bar. 96 Impala SS 97 Monte Carlo |
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#3 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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Don, I read your instructions on how you made the swap:
http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...throttle+cable but to be honest I couldn't understand what you were trying to say. Would you mind rehashing this again? My plan is to go back to the boneyard this Saturday with some poster board and make a template. One surprising thing...the bump on the floor where the old pedal used to mount is still there, even though the pedal isn't. Oh yeah, I do have a digicam...maybe we can work together on documenting this... |
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#4 |
67-72 Addict!
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: The TAX State!
Posts: 7,857
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That bump on the floor is a threaded stud if I remember correctly.
__________________
Jim 1970 C/10 Fleetside w/Ghost Flames Lowered 4.5" front and 4" rear (Raked) 355/350 Turbo w/shift kit 10" Redneck Performance Verter w/2500 stall Hooker Super Comps part#2808-1 Performer RPM Air-Gap 12 Bolt w/3:73 gears- Eaton Posi Comp Cams XE262 with 1.6 Crane Energizers, Road Demon 625 and Brodix IK 180 heads |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Ohio
Posts: 127
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I installed a cable throttle in a I6 to v8 swap, I used cable off the 1980 . I put isquare hole with die grinder for cable that was easier
than i thought. I used the pedal assembly of of the 80. took awhile to get right position then i just drilled thr 3 holes and bolted it to fire wall. the flat spot is a little tight so you have to compromise a little. will post pic later today. not factory but it works pretty good. |
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#6 | |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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Quote:
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#7 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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The Bump Continued...
Actually, what I mean to say is this...the donor truck came from the factory with an automatic, but it still had the clutch rod hole that has a patch screwed over it. The bump is still in the floor, even though the floor mounted pedal was not. My conclusion is that the cab (and hence, the firewall) is the same, at least between 1970 and 1971. Others have expressed the opinion that the firewall may be different in the area that the accelerator pedal is mounted to, but it doesn't appear that way to me. Why would they change the tooling for the firewall yet leave the bump and clutch rod hole?
I welded a patch in my clutch rod hole and have yet to finish it smooth with some filler, waiting until I weld up the hole where the original accelerator pedal passes through as well. My plan at the moment is to make a template of that area of the firewall from the donor truck this weekend and see what the differences are. If needed, I will grind, drill out, or chisel off the original weld nuts, fill the holes, and relocate the pedal in as near stock position as I can. The cable throttle is a great improvement over the throttle rod, IMHO, and worthy of the effort it takes to get it there...but I'm looking for ideas on the best way to do this... |
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Boston
Posts: 311
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So Stepsides, I have a Q for you...........
I just bot a 69 blazer and it has the rod type accelerator.....it is a bit stifff and not too linear, also has a very short throw.... I think I'm looking for the same thing as you.........does the 71 and up cable setup give a more linear and smoother throttle actuation? Anybody done this that did not like the results? |
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#9 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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Well, I don't think you can find too many vehicles these days that DON"T have a cable-type throttle. There a fewer disadvantages with a cable system than a mechanical system, and many more advantages. One of the major advantages is a flexible, nearly friction-free system that is far more forgiving about alignment issues.
Another significant advantage is that the pedal is suspended off the floor, which makes it easier to keep the area around the accelerator pedal clean. Have you ever noticed how, when the pedal is mounted to the floor, it seems to collect all the dirt and debris around the base of the pedal? And have you ever had anything lodge behind the pedal when you were driving? Much more likely to happen with a floor-mounted pedal... |
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Penelope, Texas
Posts: 393
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I went out and took a measurement off my cab it looks like 7 inches here is a photo if this don't help let me know the cab is right outside my door I can take more measurements if needed.
Last edited by Orange70chevy; 09-06-2004 at 08:55 PM. |
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#11 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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Orange70chevy...
GREAT JOB!!! Now that is what I wish I would have done (with the tape measure). I will take another picture tomorrow.
While you can't see it in my photo, your photo clearly shows that the factory has moved the hole for the plug connector up so that it is almost on the same horizontal line as the firewall grommet at the upper edge of your photo. Judging from that reference, as well as the indented areas at the back of your firewall to the left of the tape measure, the square hole for the throttle cable, at this point, looks like it shoud be above the plug connector on the pre-'71 trucks...at this early stage in the game, roughly about where the firewall retainer plug goes through the firewall above the plug connector in my picture. So the common locating point can't be the plug connector hole, because it has been moved. The hole from the firewall grommet and the indented areas are in the same location, so they are the new reference points. It also appears that the upper mounting hole that is partially hidden behind the tape measure is about 1/2" to the right center of the square hole, which is in keeping with the way the throttle arm is offset in the nylon block. Tomorrow I will try to duplicate your setup and post a revised picture, using the center line of the indented area as a reference point and measuring up from there about 2 7/8" for the center of the 1/2" square hole. Thanks for your help, amigo!!! Last edited by Stepsides 4Ever; 04-21-2004 at 04:52 AM. |
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#12 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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Ok, here's what it looks like to me. I took the center of the indentation to the left on the firewall and measured up about 2 7/8", which puts me right on center of the firewall insulator pad hole above the plug connector hole. It also is 6" above the lower original accelerator arm mounting hole, so the lowermost hole on the new throttle cable would be 1" lower, at 7".
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#13 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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...and the throttle arm where the cable attaches is pretty close to being at a 90 degree angle to the bend area where it pivots, which looks to be about 7/8" to the center of the mounting hole at the upper right in the attached pic. Sooooo...without bending the arm either left or right, the bracket should go about 7/8" offset to the right of the center of the square hole in your picture, which, if your tape measure is 3/4" wide, looks to be about right. The left-right offset is not really critical, as the arm could be bent to adjust.
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#14 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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...and here is the stock (I6) throttle arm for reference. Notice that the intended throttle cable location is slightly lower than the lower hole (not shown) in the arm...not that it matters, but just another point of reference.
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#15 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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Orange70chevy...
...if you have a picture of the accelerator pedal from the inside of the cab looking straight on so I can get an idea of where the pedal rests against the floorboard, it would be very helpful for me to find the left-right location, especially if the cab doesn't have carpet or a mat!
Thanks! |
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#16 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 2,181
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Re: The Bump Continued...
Quote:
Brian |
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#17 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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Here is where our accel pedal rests. Note that the pedal arm rests on top of the firewall insulator mounting washer, making it impossible for the arm to go all the way to the floor. also, the pedal matches the angle of the bend in the sheet metal on the right as it makes the transition to the floor board.
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Penelope, Texas
Posts: 393
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Here it is from the inside hope this helps. Again I will be happy to post more photos if needed.
Last edited by Orange70chevy; 09-06-2004 at 08:56 PM. |
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#19 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: NH
Posts: 2,266
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I just replaced my rod setup with one out of a 79, I also pulled the throttle cable from that units as well and it had a I6 engine in it and the throttle cable is real long. Anyone with a cable setup could you post the length of the casing from the dash to bracket from any year would be helpfull. I need to do something about this, it looks like $hit. I would think the V8 cable might be shorter.
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1967 C10 - SWBSS Pro Street 427sbc, 700R4 & 4.10 Gears 1948 Chevy FleetMaster Coupe, LS1, (almost done) 1950 Chevy StyleLine Coupe 250/6 3x2 Dueces 2009 Toyota Tundra 1996 Harley RoadKing "I maybe getting old, but I can still burn rubber with the best of them" |
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Boston
Posts: 311
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Wow! Bowtie that is some fancy looking mill in there! 413 cubes! Your truck must Rip!
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#21 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Boston
Posts: 311
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Orange70, thanks for the pic! That is very clear.....I'm doing the same thing as Stepsides....very helpful......
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#22 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
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Bowtie67, the cable casing out of a '71 with v8 measures 11" from firewall to bracket. The free travel length is about 3" if you use the stock bracket. There is an excellent thread on making your own custom length cable here.
Orange70chevy, again, thanks for your help! Notice that the bottom hole of the throttle mount is in line with the bottom of the clutch rod hole. Today I will try mocking up the throttle pedal so that the lower hole is down 1" and over 7/8" to driver's side and see what it looks like in comparison to the stock floor-mounted pedal. |
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#23 |
Stepsides Are Bedder
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Norco, CA
Posts: 238
|
After mocking this up in the 1" down x 7/8" left position, I was unhappy with the accel pedal being too close to the brake pedal. If I moved the assembly further to the right, the upper arm was misaligned with the intended cable hole. I could not move it far enough to the right to make the cable pedal align with the existing floor-mounted pedal...the offset between the intended cable mount hole and the pedal is too much.
Plan B: I have an cable accel pedal out of a mid-70's Chevy truck (see attached pic). Note how Chevrolet resolved this problem by bending the pedal arm. This pedal comes closer to what is needed, but I will still need to heat and bend the arm that attaches to the cable to the driver's side to get it to align with both the intended cable hole and have the pedal in the same position as the floor mounted pedal... |
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#24 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada
Posts: 8,855
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do you guys know if you are able to cut down the existing inline 6 throttle cable to fit a 4 barrel on a 350 that is in the I6 position?
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My name's Tim and I'm a truckaholic My 56 Chevy shop truck build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=562795 |
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#25 |
Fabricate till you "puke"
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Ill
Posts: 9,403
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Dubie, I have cut those cables down.....but its a bunch of work! If you look at the 73 up trucks ,with a 4brl sb, i think you will find a very short cable that will work for you. Good luck,crazyL
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69 longhorn,4" chop,3/5 drop, 1/2 ton suspension/disc brakes,1 1/2" body drop,steel tilt clip, 5.3/Edelbrock rpm intake/600 carb, Hooker streetrod shorties,2 1/2" exhaust/ H pipe/50's Flows , 6 spd Richmond trans,12 bolt/ 3.40 gears.... |
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