6 spd swap progress

swifter said

Just a note--Are you worried at all about the force of the t-bars twisting as the suspension loads and un-loads????? I know you tied in a brace over the top of the trany but there is alot of stress on the back of the t-bars as they load and un-load????? I don't know that's why I'm asking--Steve

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Yes, totally! I was and thought long and hard about a solution. First off the car already had frame connectors so they would have to twist along with the tbar crossmember. The replacement crossmember is made of 2x1/2x3/16" C-channel that I slid into the t-bar crossmember channels. Then I ran 1/8 plate in the C-channel up to the first bends on each side and then some 1" pieces in the top bends. That's all welded together solid. Then I made the crossmember tie into the frame connectors about 8" behind the tbar crossmember so that would have to twist as well. I'm not worried about it any more. If the car had to rely soley on the C-channel id be worried a little. I think its gonna be even stiffer than before. Try bending or twist a piece of that C-channel even without the plating. You would need a 10 ton press for that.