Good Morning yall,
I've got a quick question about a shifter installation that was done wrong the first time... I've got a 71 nova with 350sb and a muncie rock crusher, the guy I had working on it while I was doing army stuff did an altogether sh*tty job and I've been re-doing most of his work since, but he's got a used hurst t-handle grip shifter that doesnt have the mounting bracket on the transmission (just two bolts holding the assembly on).

I'd been driving it here and there before I'd known it wasn't on there correctly and it ended up vibrating off to the point that it now has lock-tite to keep the 2 bolts from slipping again. I know i need another bolt and that mounting bracket, but I don't need the whole kit with the shift linkages and all, any idea on where I can get just the mounting bracket? Or should I just suck it up and buy the kit? Or should I (or can I) mess around with the lock tite and just get a new shifter assembly?

My main thing is not having to buy another tailshaft because of those bolt holes and threads.
Thanks for your help,
John

Hello there John, I just put a muncie in my nova, and had the same problem with the mounting bracket, the "install" kit is $100 bucks, but you can get the bracket you need by itself on ebay for cheap, like I did, five bucks plus shipping,
Also, the muncie, and the saginaw tranny use a similar bracket, like I said though, hit ebay motors, parts section, type in muncie and your bound to find it.
later, scott

Thanks for the info man, just out of curiosity did you have the same problem with the stripped out bolt holes on the tailshaft? I'm a little paranoid about "getting on it" with the current set up.

Hey man, Yeah I did have the same problem, my best guess is that people were used to the iron cases and cranked the bolts in too tight, on mine, the bolt threads actually cut the case on the seam up on top, so it sweats gear oil. anyhow, sorry to ramble, I hate to admit it, but the best solution I was able to come up with was to J.B. weld INSIDE the bolt holes, tough to do without filling them in, let it set up, and chase them out with a tap. A thread repair kit might work, I was just too worried about wrecking the tail housing drilling into it, I kind of working on a budget.

If you don't mind my asking, did yours come with 6 or 8 cylinder, the reason I ask is because I had to change the frame brackets and made the mistake of getting them from year one, lots of problems, Again, sorry for leaving you this "book" of a post, long story short, after many sets of motor mounts and lots of fighting the car, it turned out year one sent me the 396 frame brackets not the 350 ones I needed, big width difference. they do work though. I put the 396 motor mount on, and the 350 sits down in the frame more, great for air cleaner space, and lower CG.

later scott

whats up,
Yes I definately know what its like to be working on a budget, wish we could just throw it all down at once and have a mint little nova, but the build process builds character, or so they say (haha). I had the grocery-getter platform to begin with, straight-6 with the automatic column and I ended up getting a new motor mount but used a refurbished sb frame bracket. I stay away from Year-One, they're altogether too pricy for me. What's your motor set up? and what state?
later man,
John

Hey John,

I agree with you, it would be great to have the cash to just build the baddest novas we could dream up. It's true though, I wouldn't have learned half of what I know now about if it weren't for the work on it. Oh yeah, Year One is the Devil, I won't give you eye strain with the stories about them I have and friends of mine have. I'll just say it added to the wealth of info. I got working on cars. Anyway, at the moment, I'm running a sb 350, 4bolt main, bored .030 over, with a set of heads I had built by Mid-West motorsports, if you want I can give you details on what's done to them, I didn't right now cause I wasn't sure if you wanted them, a wiend x-celorater intake, and a holley 750 4 barrel. It's the third motor combo I've had in the car since I got it, 5 years ago, luckily the only one I actually had alot of money in was the first, and it met it's "end" at the hands of my over anxious father when I go it running. By the way, what state as in location, or state as in build up? I'm in Indiana, anyway, and the car runs, but I have to get new shifter linkages so I can drive it.

Hey Scott - n - John

I read the posts and had an idea, maybe it will help. The JB weld in the threaded hole is a good idea, another is use a heli-coil, if there is enough meat on the bosses to make that threaded hole bigger. If there is, you get the advantage of a bigger threaded hole in the aluminum, which is stronger, plus now your bolt goes into the steel helicoil instead of aluminum threads. Again, this works if the threaded bosses are beefy enough. I haven't had a muncie in a while and can't remember, Just getting back into cars again after a decade plus :sad: . Worst case you can get a replacement tail housing from tbtrans.com for $175. I know that's some $$$ but then you are done :thumbsup: . Good luck John:beers:

if it helps at all... click on my siggy area... i have pages from Hurst saved. you can look up all applicable info and check part numbers etc... lots of info.


i agree with looking for replacement parts on E-Pay, sometimes it can save ya some bucks... important thing is to verify and confirm ya get the right part for application...

again, i hope i helped ;)

Thanks for all the info. This site and yall are definately clutch.