I've done 2 of these & have used the original cross member mounting holes. It
all depends upon engine location. With the Camero or Firebird T-5, you will have
to make an adapter to compensate for the angled pad on the transmission where
the original rubber mount was fastened. If your drive train is in place, support
the transmission on a jack stand, or pile of whatever, bolt the cross member in
place, & fab your adapter to fit. I would cut away the original extensions that
bolted to the MG transmission & drill out the drain hole in the cross member,
then install the rubber trans mount before bolting it in place.
The trans adapter is usually 2 pieces of steel angle welded together. The
distance between the centerlines of the holes in the transmission pad & the
holes in the rubber trans mount is the inside width of the steel angle you will
need, plus or minus. This assumes you would like to drill the holes in your
adapter in the center of the angle. Drill holes in 2 pieces, & trial fit with
the undrilled legs against each other, cutting away the excess until you get a
fit, then mark & weld.
If you have an adapter already & have to move the cross member, look carefully,
you will see a third hole, drilled & tapped, & you may be able to use that.
Otherwise, you will have to drill new holes in the frame rails. Inside the rails
are plates, tapped for the cross member bolts. Those plates are loose, & can be
relocated a small distance using a bent piece of stiff wire. If they will not
move far enough to meet the new frame holes, it will be necessary to cut open
the outside of the frame rail to relocate the plates & weld the rail closed.
Confused yet?
Jim Stuart
Bruce wrote:
> With my 74 1/2 MGB I am now taking a look at the tranny cross member. It has
> been suggested that I would be able to use the original crossmember, and
> with a little modification, drill another hole (in the frame) to the rear of
> the existing holes which would allow the cross member to line up with the T5
> tranny mounts almost perfectly. If I do drill a hole further back is there a
> plate there to tap new holes into or is it just going into sheet metal?
>
> Bruce
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