Kevin in Wisconsin here again. Thinking about taking a hammer to my car now after trying to install this Gear Vendors unit today. Just kidding. Today did not go real smoothly though. I had beating my tranny tunnel to what I've heard is approximately the right height. Took the tranny crossmember and degreased it, wire brushed it, and then used POR-15 metal mask on it (kind of a natural silver look). It looked great. Then I tried to install it today. No fit. I jacked the tranny/gear vendor unit right up to the floorboards. I could not fit the trans mount between the GV adapter and crossmember. After looking at my frame, I wonder if at some point the frame has been bent. Both sides of the car where the crossmember bolts in are tilted up toward the underside of the car. Does anybody know off hand if these areas should be horizontal, or should they be on a tilt? I tried to fashion a home-made press tool out of 1/2" threaded rod to force the frame downward and get maybe a 1/2" of play for the tranny mount. No luck. It just won't budge. I then realized that the back side of the crossmember needs to be notched to allow fitment of the Gear Vendors unit itself. I had to grind out an area about 3/4" x 6" on the back side of the crossmember. That went ok. Finally defeated, I took the crossmember, beat then ends as much as I could with a mini-sledge to try to gain a little height. Not enough.
What I ended up doing is probably totally wrong. Here is where you guys come in. Let me know what you think. I took the crossmember over to the bench and ground down the areas necessary to allow the crossmember to ride UNDER the frame. Right away, this seems wrong to me. I enlarged all holes to 1/2", and used 1/2" bolts, with 1/4" steel spacers between the crossmember and frame (to allow for the shape of the crossmember), and of course lock washers and nuts. I used the impact wrench to tighten them thoroughly, as I do NOT want them falling out and wrecking my drivetrain. After installing the crossmember under the frame, I was able to use 1/4" spacers between the crossmember and trans mount and I now have a comfortable (perhaps 1/4"-1/2") clearance between GV and underbody. It looks fine. It hurt to grind up my freshly painted crossmember. I can SEE the two bolts on each side under the frame. Nothing that some black paint wouldn't mask a little. Please bring on the dangers of this installation. I really feel that the frame has probably been bent by jacking under it in the past or perhaps somebody beached it somehow. The car is not original, and not of serious show quality. No matching numbers... so if I deem this installation safe, I will live with it. I have also heard that GV offers modified crossmembers that sit a little lower, but all I've heard of are Chevy units. I doubt that they are going to have a Cutlass member in stock. I chose to modify my crossmember as it would obviously be the easiest thing to replace. I look forward to your input. Thanks Kevin D. Wood Rubicon, WI
