how hard to do?

by Marshall.Pixley Sun Feb 06, 2011 2:24 pm

how hard would it be for me and a friend to swap out my bench seat and column shifter in my 1973 el camnio custom with a 350 th350 combo, for his swivel buckets and center console shifter in a 1976 el camino 400 th350 combo? also i need to keep my steering wheel in my car because it is matched to my custom gauges. is there any welding involved? major cutting? or is it a few holes and a couple dozen bolts? just wanting to know what im getting into before i drive 3 hours without the proper stuff. thanks for y'alls help

by Limey SE Sun Feb 06, 2011 2:45 pm

I would be there already taking it apart it a pretty easy swap just time consuming and you have to use his swivel seat belt seat mounts (a hint for these they are a PITA so soak them for days with PB Blaster top and bottom)

other than that everything else is a un bolt and then bolt back up in a round about way and the steering wheel is just held on by on massive retaining nut undo that and use a steering wheel puller and your good

by Marshall.Pixley Sun Feb 06, 2011 3:16 pm

ok, i have heard of there being some kind of bracket on the floor that is welded on towards the front of the center hump, is this true? and as far as shifting goes, how hard will it be to get it adjusted right?

by bigredlaguna Sun Feb 06, 2011 4:29 pm

Adjusting the shifter should be a non-issue. Just get the correct cable, make sure that the trans and shifter are both in park, and connect the cable. It either fits or it doesn't.

Yes, there is a bracket welded to the hump for the front of the console. I'm fairly certain that the screws are just self-tapping sheetmetal screws that hold the console to the bracket.

If you don't want to or can't find a bracket, I'm sure that you could shape a piece of wood to fit there and bolt it in from the bottom while using stainless wood screws to hold the console to the block

Remember that the linkage from the trans to the steering column is still there so the steering lock/ shift position indicator/ neutral safety switch is still operational. The switches on the column that are affected by the linkage are adjustable just as they would be on your current setup.

by 1973 454 MONTE Sun Feb 06, 2011 6:06 pm

you can see the bracket at the end of the radio antenna
how hard to do? 73floor

by Marshall.Pixley Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:05 pm

ok i see, and what all would i have to switch cause he wants bench and column shift, and i want buckets and center console shift, i have the bench and column shift, he has buckets and center console shift, is there much under the car that would be an issue?

by 1973 454 MONTE Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:13 pm

to be honest.
your better off puting them side by side. with no interior.

by Marshall.Pixley Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:24 pm

we would have them side by side, i just want to know what tools i may require that he wont have, like a welder i will have to carry down, and i am wanting to know if there is anything i else i may run into while doing this, he has the basics but any special things that we may need i kinda hoping to get a heads up on.

by bigredlaguna Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:54 pm

Measure twice, weld once.

WD-40 everything now before starting to eliminate or reduce complications due to rust.

Take a breather if you get frustrated.

by Marshall.Pixley Sun Feb 06, 2011 11:20 pm

very good plan.

by A_Tame76 Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:34 pm

I have an extra bracket I think that mounts to the floor just to the back of the shifter if you happen to be missing it.

by 1973montec Wed Feb 09, 2011 9:04 pm

1973 454 MONTE wrote:you can see the bracket at the end of the radio antenna

hey that floor looks like mine Very Happy

.
throught the years chris has tought me alot,and one thing thats really different is the floors.
the outer belts are different also,and they mount way different. you are going to need his trans bracket for the shifter cable.he is going to have a hole in his floor where the cable went.
seems to me that it would be alot easier to just keep the bench. Surprised

or cut out both floors and swap them and reweld them.

by pila Wed Feb 09, 2011 10:27 pm

Once the floor shifter is removed, a pattern could be made from that floor, to layout YOUR floor where it has to be cut for the shifter. Measure everything, to be sure, so that the shifter rods etc will have enough adjusting range etc. Don't get in a hurry.....

by Marshall.Pixley Thu Feb 10, 2011 8:32 pm

yeah i know, i just really like the look of buckets, and for the price i cant beat it. also he really wants a bench and if i get buckets the bench is almost useless.

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