What a #^%*%%$#@#$ pain this afternoon was. I was making progress and getting a few things figured out. I have the throttle/kick-down cable linkage mount in, as well as tranny hooked up, new pan fluid for it. Then it got ugly. I had to switch starter styles from the cross ways bolt on to the older style parallel bolt pattern. No problem, got a new starter and went to put it on and it would not fit. AFter a lot of fussing and trips to exchange, I went thru 3 different starters from O'Riellys (who I normally have great luck with) and none would bolt in. Both the original 81 block and 68 block used same flex-plate, and the oringal starter pops right in. The nose of the newer (well old design ) would keep hitting the flex-plate teeth and wouldn't mount. Finally before I went to get the explosives, I stared at them both again for the millionth time trying to figure out what to do, then I saw this. It looks like the mounting flanges on the parallel bolt one sit about a 1/2" higher on the starter, and drops the nose/gear down to hit things. Evidently something is goofy. O'Rielly shows one style starter for all automatics, powerglide and other automatics. I was looking at the AutoZone site and they lists 2 different automatic tranny starters, one for the power-glide and one for the turbo hydramatic. If there pictures are semi accurate, it looks like their starter will work. I plan on going by tomorrow and order the one.
Am I thinking right on this?? I am so tired and sore from bench pressing starters today!!
On the plus side some things are in place, so it does look like an engine again.