Clutch Ball Stud SBC Block Issue - Ideas???

[chevy_mike]

Hi all,

Well in my process of swapping my Saginaw 4 speed trans for an Asian AX15 5 speed, I found the previous owner hacked things together. The block is a '82 305 based on the numbers. The way it was rigged up is not going to work and shouldn't have been done to start with.

Apparently 305 blocks typically did not come with the casting boss for the forward ball stud mounting location. It only has the rear one (near the bell housing). The z-bar would line up perfectly if this mounting boss was there. Here's what I am talking about.

In the first pic, this is the typical 2 locations tapped in the block. Many times the forward one has the casting but is not tapped but could be.

In the second pic, if you notice there is no boss cast into the block and the PO drilled and tapped to a larger bolt, where the heat shield tin would bolt to in the block. Problem is, with all the leverage of the clutch, it allows this "fabbed" bracket to pivot destroying the threads.

An idea I had (marked in blue) was to drill and tap the mounting pad that would allow a tab outward. Then bring a piece of flat stock from the rear stud hole forward, welding the tab to it and allowing the ball stud to be in front of that, lining up like the factory would.

Any issues with that idea or any other ideas???

[mongocanfly]

There are several companies that make a pivot ball mount that comes from the 2 lower bellhousing bolts....AA is one..another is scoggy dickens....might give e you some ideas
If you fabbed a mount that bolted to those 2 bh bolts and and caught the bolt in the side of the block it should be rigid enough....I used the AA mount on my c30...it line up perfect for what I needed...

[geezer#99]

No problem building a bracket.
Early nova’s (64 or 65) had them from the factory. Some big blocks used two bolts on the tranny to attach a bracket to.
Inch wide flat iron should work.
Here’s some samples.
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=is...10.qHjx40U_wxk

[chevy_mike]

okay cool. Thanks guys, gives me a few idea. The bell housing mount I had seen but not installed so I was thinking it was too short to reach far enough forward. That would be the simple fix but I am using the stock cast iron bell housing and the lower bolt hole is about 2 1/2"" deep versus the upper ones at about 3/4" deep. Now I kind of wish I changed over to the other bell housing I had. Figured the cast iron one was stronger than the aluminum one.