gear lever welding - fitting 72 gearbox into 70 car

[abas]

Guys and Gals

On my 14 year project to get my car back on the road, I have finally got the engine and gearbox into the car. It is a 1970 car and I have fitted a 1972 gearbox. As is usual when putting a later gearbox in an early car I have now got to decide how to sort out the problem with the gearlever now being too far forward in the gearbox tunnel hole. As I have a spare gear lever I would prefer to cut the gear lever and weld in a section to move the piece that protruded into the car back into the right spot, but I do not know where I should cut the lever and how much I should weld in. Has any body done this and can give me some guidance or pictures.

Thanks in advance

Andrew

[HS30-H]

Hi Andrew,

Congrats on getting your engine and box installed. Did you do it from underneath in the end?

Nissan made a special gear lever for use when installing a 5-speed into the early 4-speed cars, and I'm wondering if this would do the trick for you?

Part number was 99996-E3030 ( I think it was a "kit" - with the 5-speed shift knob included ) and at least up until a couple of years ago it was still available in the USA. I don't know if anyone else can help you on that?

The bends needed are quite extreme, and of course you would also need to rechrome it. Maybe cheaper and easier to hunt down one of the ready made ones?

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Alan T.

[abas]

Hi Andrew,

Congrats on getting your engine and box installed. Did you do it from underneath in the end?

Alan

Yes I did. What a song and dance. I shan't ever suggest that any one does it the same as I did, without some very tall axle stands or a lot of friends helping out

Nissan made a special gear lever for use when installing a 5-speed into the early 4-speed cars, and I'm wondering if this would do the trick for you?

Anything official Nissan sounds expensive, but if I can come up with one at a reasonable price I would go for it. Thanks for the part number.

I was hoping that the cut section might be below the gaiter and as such a coat of paint might be enough so as to avoid rechroming.

The bends needed are quite extreme.

I am hoping someone here can provide a picture of how extreme the bends are....

Cheers,

Andrew

[HS30-H]

I don't have a 'nude' lever pic to hand, but I have a pic of one as installed in a Works rally car.

Maybe it will give you an idea of just how extreme these bends are. They are probably not far off 90 degrees ( twice ).

Cheers,

Alan T.

[Daniel]

Certainly bending some new metal over the tranny/cutting a new hole would be easier.Then all the rubber seals would line up correctly also. As for changing the shifter length, it makes me wonder about the change in force that is now applied to the shifter/tranny connection. It may not be a problem but it seems there would be more stress due to the longer shifter.

[Bambikiller240]

I installed a late model 4 speed gearbox into a early 71 chassis a while back. All I did (there maybe a reason you don't want to do this) was to enlarge the hole in the trans tunnel to match the hole Nissan used in late model chassis. Then you just use the late shifter, and rubber boots. If you want to do this, let me know as I saved the pattern I used to modify the trans tunnel.

[DJACEY(UK)]

Andy, Bambikiller240Z has exactly described how my 1970 has been modified for the 5 speed box. However, in order to fit the original centre console you still need to bend the stick a little, or change the centre console to a later type.

PS. Have you received the heater switch OK ?

[Bambikiller240]

However, in order to fit the original centre console you still need to bend the stick a little, or change the centre console to a later type.

Right. I forgot to mention that we were using a late model console in our installation. We were able to get a good price for the early console on eBay so that was an added bonus ($$$).

[Marty Rogan]

Adrew,

Follow this link: http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/AandBtranny.htm

It shows the part that Alan referenced and will give you an idea of the required shape.

Hope this helps.

Marty

[Walter Moore]

That is why the PO of my car cut the shifter opening of the transmission tunnel up. When I first removed the engine and transmission I noticed that the sheet metal had been cutout at the front of the shifter opening.

All they did on my car was to make two cuts on the side of the opening and roll the excess forward.

Be careful however, as somewhere in all of that the plastic piece on the leading edge of the console ended up cracked slightly. I suspect from hard shifts into third.

[Go240Zags]

My 1971 also had the hole in the tranny tunnel enlarged, as well as a small piece of the early console cut out. You can't see any of the changes with the shift boot installed.

[26th-Z]

Sunday October 31 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4500189320&category=34206