Frame rail z-bar pivot / ballstud bracket installation

[hemi68charger]

Hello all,
I am revisiting the thought of swapping out the 727 in my 69 Charger Daytona with a 4gear/overdrive. One sticky point, the installation/welding of the z-bar pivot bracket on the frame rail. Can it be done without removing the complete drivetrain?

[A383Wing]

yup, it would be accessible through the left front wheel well

[hemi68charger]

yup, it would be accessible through the left front wheel well

Accessible yes, but what about welding tools..

[c00nhunterjoe]

I installed mine with the complete drivetrain in the vehicle to include exhaust. No problem with the mig tip getting a good weld.
   I did everything from inside the engine compartment laying on the fender. There is no way to do anything through the inner fender access hole.

[birdsandbees]

Let me know if you want any close ups and measurements from a reference. Easy for me to do tomorrow or Tuesday.

[Old Moparz]

I installed mine with the complete drivetrain in the vehicle to include exhaust. No problem with the mig tip getting a good weld.
   I did everything from inside the engine compartment laying on the fender. There is no way to do anything through the inner fender access hole.

Not to derail the topic, but was this a new installation for a swap from automatic to standard? 

I'm asking because the original bracket on my Road Runner is mangled & I have to remove it to put the new one on & I just can't see getting in there with a grinder or whatever else to get the mangled one out & clean up the frame rail for the new one.   

[hemi68charger]

Let me know if you want any close ups and measurements from a reference. Easy for me to do tomorrow or Tuesday.

Measurements would be great. Got some good pictures from Mike over on moparts, but not actual dimensions related to other parts of the framerail.. Not sure if there's already a guide hole or mark on the framerail. But, the tech's installing it originally had to have some sort of positioning template.

[Troy]

There's a mark on the frame rail. But in a pinch, just line it up with the maintenance hole in the inner fender.






Troy

[birdsandbees]

I'm off to the shop in a minute. Will get some definite measurements.

That said, I'd put the clutch torque tube together and in place with both pivots and place the mount, then weld. What I did way back when I was 16 (1978) and put a 440 x 4 speed in our old '69 Fury II.

[cdr]

I would go with a hydraulic clutch ,but that would not be oem 

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Do they reproduce the bracket?

[Troy]

Do they reproduce the bracket?

The z-bar bracket on the frame rail? Yes. That's what's in all the pictures I posted.

As for welding with the engine still in place... it probably can be done. You only need a few small welds (not a continuous bead all the way around) but it's much easier with stuff out of the way. You also still have to clean and paint the area.

Troy

[birdsandbees]

I measured the distance back from the inside edge of the rail and then taking another shot realized it was irrelevant as, as is shown in Troy's shot, the bracket is pushed back tight to the frame "lip" at the forward corner of the bracket (and mine is even welded to same).

The brackets pivot slot center line is 9 3/4" back from the cam "ears" on the rear UCA mount, or measuring from the other side I found it to be 14.5" from C/L to the edge of the LCA bump stop bracket.

[Troy]

The factory put a locator on the frame rail.

Troy

[c00nhunterjoe]

I installed mine with the complete drivetrain in the vehicle to include exhaust. No problem with the mig tip getting a good weld.
   I did everything from inside the engine compartment laying on the fender. There is no way to do anything through the inner fender access hole.

Not to derail the topic, but was this a new installation for a swap from automatic to standard? 

I'm asking because the original bracket on my Road Runner is mangled & I have to remove it to put the new one on & I just can't see getting in there with a grinder or whatever else to get the mangled one out & clean up the frame rail for the new one.   

New install, however, mine was heavily undercoated and you still have to grind the paint off before you can weld. I had room for a small air angle grinder.