One wire lock-up, 4 spd automatic w overdrive into A-body.

Thanks Treblig! I saw that part cut off the transmission on your post early on in the project and cut mine off too. I spent a few hours this morning grinding down some welds, re-welding some that weren't good enough and welding some additional areas. under the car. I have to stich weld when I weld upside down to get decent results. Even then, contamination between the parts doesn't help. I wire wheeled and ground the areas to clean them, but it can't get everything. I'm lucky my car is so rust free. I'm also fighting some wind outside, so I turned up my gas pressure, which helps a little.

I did pound closed the factory gap near the stock shifter hole and welded it too.

I added the 1/8" plate over the hump in the inside of the car. it was just narrow enough to line up in the middle of the flanges of the crossmember. Because the hump is not symmetrical, I had to cut the plate and re-line the passenger side. It's a lot easier welding when your not on your back under the car. The sunlight shining into the back of the helmet makes it almost impossible to see what your welding. I wish I was doing this in my garage with better lighting. I tried using a towel to block the light, but the heat in the leather welding gear is brutal as it is.

I still have to get some thinner steel and fill the stock shifter hole and some holes where the stock shifter bracket tor the sheet metal when I removed it.

Over all though, with most of the crossmember welded to the floor, the reinforcements under and above the notch for the transmission and having subframe connectors and the factory torsion plates for the convertibles, I think it is pretty strong.

The real test will be to see how the bolt on cross member turns out. It can add a lot of rigidity to the structure if done right, as well as hold the rear transmission mount.

I'm calling this phase of the operation finished. I'll test fit the engine and trans tomorrow and pick up some 1/4" steel to make up the bolt on crossmember. I'll make templates for it and re-drill and mount the anti-pinch tube on the driver's side.

Treblig, what angle did you set-up your engine and transmission at in relation to the cars door sills?