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Gearvendor install on an E body
#1712917
12/19/14 09:52 PM
12/19/14 09:52 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 463
Rescue CA.
joes68340s
OP
mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 463
Rescue CA.
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Has anyone installed a Gear vendor in an E body. If so what were the problem areas. I have a friend trying to have it installed on an A body and its a mess. So bad that I don't think its worth the effort. I saw an install on a 70 B body seemed almost trouble free.
Last edited by joes68340s; 12/19/14 10:19 PM.
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Re: Gearvendor install on an E body
[Re: joes68340s]
#1712922
12/20/14 11:52 AM
12/20/14 11:52 AM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
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Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
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I went the other direction on my Rampage.. I used a 518 but I took off the lock up portion.. still has the OD... but to use this you would have to re-work the trans tunnel.. since I was making a floor pan it didnt matter to me.. but it was MUCH cheaper.. I have $450 into the trans and a rebuild kit VS $3000 for the GV 
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Re: Gearvendor install on an E body
[Re: joes68340s]
#1712924
12/21/14 12:34 AM
12/21/14 12:34 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 760
Southington Ct.
turbobitt
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 760
Southington Ct.
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I installed one in my own car and installed one prior to mine. I started with the shorty kit because of the know issues and thought it would be a complete bolt-in but found out it was a complete waste. The rear flange clobbers the trans X-member and would need extensive modifications I was not willing to do. The regular kit needs some floor clearancing near the speedo output and above the GV unit but can't remember exactly but far less than the shorty unit.
AG.
1970 Challenger w/572 Hemi street car and my pride and joy.
1986 T-Type with 272 Stage 2 Buick V6 engine - True 8 second street car. Just updated the engine and put down 928 HP @ 35# boost to the ground on chasis dyno.
1976 Cee Bee Avenger Jet Boat - 460 Ford powered.
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Re: Gearvendor install on an E body
[Re: joes68340s]
#1712926
12/22/14 07:31 PM
12/22/14 07:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 701
Southern Maryland
preddy
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 701
Southern Maryland
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Quote:
I saw an install on a 70 B body seemed almost trouble free.
I installed one in my 69 RR this Summer. I love it. It was a pretty simple install. My S-60 has 4.30s and with the GV it's a whole new ball game. It's life altering - I went from being that guy stuck in the slow lane to cruising at 65-70  I also raced at 2 events with it, running 10.60-70s, and I didn't even notice it was there.
Most of the possible gotchas in an E body I suspect will be in the tunnel. You may need to use an air hammer and make a little space. The GV people told me you can also safely remove material from the flange on the GV if needed so that's an option. I decided to massage my tunnel with an air hammer. I needed about 1/8 of an inch of clearance in 2 places where the flange touched the top of the tunnel. It took me about 10 minutes to make the needed clearance. That part of the tunnel is covered by the carpet and console in my car so the mods are invisible.
I helped a friend install one in his 67 Impala. THAT was a pain in the budunkus. He had to fabricate a special cross member and beat the snot out of his tunnel. We also had to cut 2 rectangular notches out of a brace in the tunnel. It was much more effort to install it in that Chevy than my car was. Hopefully your E-body will be like mine.
Oh, one other thing... I had a US Car Tool drive shaft loop before the GV. That will not work with the GV installed. So I fabricated a new loop from a Jegs generic loop and used the seat belt bolts (replaced with longer grade 8s) to hold it in place.
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Re: Gearvendor install on an E body
[Re: joes68340s]
#1712928
12/22/14 09:10 PM
12/22/14 09:10 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 701
Southern Maryland
preddy
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 701
Southern Maryland
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Quote:
The thing that bothers me the most is the short driveshaft. Im already starting out shorter than most at 108 wheel base. I can handle the massaging and the fabbing but that to short shaft scares me. By the way I would never have thought of using an air hammer that is a handy tool and to think I used one all the time working in the Airline industry. Thanks
Yep, the short drive shaft does look weird. I think mine is about 36" inches long. However, I honestly can tell no difference when driving the car - except my RPMs are _much_ lower. I *think* my final drive ratio is 4th is 3.36:1 - I have not done the math but that's what the GV people told me it would be and it feels about right. I ended up getting a new drive shaft. It was about $250.
I used an air hammer with a blunt bit. It looks like an inverted, thick, intake valve. It really wasn't a big deal. I think it took me about 4 hours to install it. Most of that time was messing with the tail shaft on the trans. Make sure you have the right snap ring pliers to get the old shaft off and new one on. It will make it much easier.
I also added a couple of degrees of pinion angle with some aluminium shims from Mancinis.
I never used to worry about getting a speeding ticket on the highway since I was always in the right lane going slow. Not any more... My car wants to fly now. One other thing, if I find a stretch of road and I step on it and hit 3rd and then, while I'm still on it, hit 4th, it's pretty darn scary. I don't know what the top speed is now but it is a lot faster than I want to go 
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Re: Gearvendor install on an E body
[Re: jose jones]
#1712930
12/23/14 01:00 AM
12/23/14 01:00 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 701
Southern Maryland
preddy
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 701
Southern Maryland
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Quote:
Hey Preddy, what are using for the transmission mount using a gear vendor on a 69 B body?
I'm using the stock transmission mount and cross member.
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Re: Gearvendor install on an E body
[Re: joes68340s]
#1712931
12/24/14 01:15 PM
12/24/14 01:15 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,485
Candler,NC / Myrtle Beach, SC
JDMopar
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,485
Candler,NC / Myrtle Beach, SC
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I installed a GV in my 71 Challenger, and there wasn't much to it. Just had to do the same as G Bob, and beat the clearance into the trans tunnel with a BFH. I used the stock trans mount, and had zero vibration problems. My car was a column shift automatic, bucket seat car. You couldn't look at the point between the seats that I had to  the tunnel, and even see that anything was different. Good luck.
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Re: Gearvendor install on an E body
[Re: JDMopar]
#1712932
12/24/14 01:29 PM
12/24/14 01:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,270
Morrow, OH
markz528
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,270
Morrow, OH
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How do you put it in overdrive? Do you need a special shifter?
67 Coronet 500 9.610 @ 139.20 mph
67 Coronet 500 (street car) 14.82 @ 94 mph
69 GTX (clone) - build in progress......
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Re: Gearvendor install on an E body
[Re: markz528]
#1712933
12/24/14 02:40 PM
12/24/14 02:40 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 701
Southern Maryland
preddy
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 701
Southern Maryland
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Quote:
How do you put it in overdrive? Do you need a special shifter?
Nope, no special shifter needed. It has 2 modes. Manual and automatic. For manual mode, you can do it one of 2 ways. It comes with an extra floor bright light switch or you can use a small electronic button switch that mounts on your shifter handle. I used the floor bright switch and only use manual mode. I installed their switch further up on the floor and connected my bright light wires to that. So I have 2 switches. I have a 727 with a reverse manual valve body so I have to manually shift all the time anyway. I also have a TurboAction shifter that has a button switch already dedicated to my line locks so the floor switch seemed the best approach. So what I do is shift manually and when I hit about 45 mph, I use my left foot and press the bright light switch which puts me in 4th. The GV is integrated into your speedo cable so when I slow down or come to a stop, it automatically disengages. It's seamless. I could use automatic mode where it shifts into overdrive on its own (I *think* at 47 mph) but I prefer to shift it myself. Some of my friends who also have it installed only use auto mode.
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Re: Gearvendor install on an E body
[Re: joes68340s]
#1712935
12/24/14 07:54 PM
12/24/14 07:54 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 860
lancaster,california
johnnycuda
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 860
lancaster,california
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Hey joes68340, I have a GV in my '70 Cuda, for about 2 years now, no problems, as said above, some floor clearancing, stock crossmember and mount, driveshaft is kind of short, but a couple thousand miles so far.
My trans has a reverse manual valve body, so I don't have the speedo cable hooked up, I activate the unit with a toggle mounted on my Pro Stick housing. I have a 4.56 gear, 295/60-15 tires, and cruising at 70, rpm's are at 2800.
1970 'Cuda,Lime Light,499 Indy S/R's 10.70's @125,street driven ALOT!
1966 Barracuda 360,now a 5spd,Hemi Orange,Hot Rod Air,
New daily driver-2003 Ram 2500 Cummins 5.9
'69 Valiant 2-dr, sleeper!
New project---1938 Dodge truck, plan is a 360 with a A500, AC, Calvert rear susp., rack and pinion front with coils.
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