64 "Large Marge" LWB-SWB / Build thread.

[4mulaSvaliant]

So, when I bought the truck Joker told me "you can have one of them 5 speeds as well"
He had two, one of which I actually gave him a few years ago. I had done my research and found that there was a "better" overdrive ratio for the taller gears I had in the rear.
Fortunately the one I had given him, was the one with the OD gears I wanted.

Looking at all the swaps out there, I had come across many ways to do it. Some WAY better than others, and ultimately I landed on Hot Rod Works site.
Link:http://www.hotrodworks.com/catalog/i...1983-cars.html

This is something I will advertise for them for a long damn time! It was an excellent product!
The instructions come with the applications you can find the clutch sets from as well.
This was literally a bolt together swap. The one modification you have to make is to cut the tube that fits over the input shaft. The dimensions are in the instructions as well.



You can see the cut retainer "tube" in this picture (near the splines)


All bolted in with the 1986 Astro van clutch set.


Important info regarding the clutch sets.

The Astro van has the largest diameter of the 3 applications you can get a clutch set from.
the three being:
Camaro
S10
Astrovan

All will work, but because the flywheel has so much surface are, I figured why not try to get the largest clutch as well. It is a truck I plan to USE after all!

The Camaro and S10 have clutches in the 9" range and the Astro is like 11-3/4" I think. Which is much better considering the original clutch is like 12" or 13".

The Astro Van throw out bearing went right in place and the clutch fork fit as it should with the bearing as well.