Re: [Amc-list] Looking for a torque tube T-96 trans w/OD

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

My comments interspersed with yours:
---------
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 18:52:19 -0400
From: "oldcars@xxxxxxxxx" <oldcars@xxxxxxxxx>

Jim:
 I am amazed that they modified the case of the T-96. I was hoping to
avoid having to move the guts over to the 62 case since I have no idea of
how badly grenaded it got. 
I am fairly sure that someone did not know that 1st was non-synchro and
tried to powershift it down into 1st -- it seems jammed into 2 gears at
once, but there is no way to move the shifter arms even with large hammer
blows. 


Frank:
Yes, had to mod the case to strengthen the engine/trans unit for the new mounting system that everyone was going to. Ford used the T-96 behind their small sixes, and Studebaker did too (and was still producing in 63). AMC used the T-96 through 1972 in the Gremlin and maybe Hornet with 199 or 232 -- the last manufacturer to use it as far as I know. 


Jim:
   I do know that the 199 should bolt right up where the 196 is, in terms
of bolting up to the bell and for that matter the flywheel, although I
suspect that the 67 flywheel should be pretty darn similar. Of course, this
is useful only if the gearbox from the 67 will bolt up to the 62 clutch
housing. 


Frank:
The 199 will bolt up to the 196 bell, but the 67 trans won't bolt to the 62 bell housing. As mentioned before, you'd have to swap cases. 


Jim:
    Interestingly enough, I did notice that the crossmember which runs
beneath the middle of the engine should just about line up with the
middle-of-the-block mounts on the 199, and in fact there are bosses stamped
into the crossmember as though they were planning on mounting an engine
using that crossmember instead of the front crossmember. 


Frank:
Those bosses are probably for the V-8 mounts. A piece bolted between the suspension crossmember and front engine crossmember to mount the V-8, which had side mounts instead of front mounts. The mounts are between the suspension and front engine mount crossmembers. The suspension crossmember is definitely strong enough to support the engine though. It's built the same as later model crossmembers. You'll have to lower an engine in place to determine how to fab and where to weld or bolt on a perch for the engine though. I typically use pieces of rectangular tubing bolted between the crossmember and engine cushions to put later model sixes in 196 powered cars (with three point mounts -- the 196 mounts are low enough on the engine that perches aren't needed on the crossmember). 


Jim:
    I will have to have a REALLY good look at the clutch housing from the
67 to see whether there are any kind of extra bolt holes on the sides where
the 62-style mounts go.


Frank:
You won't find any extra holes. You'll have to remove the mounts from the 62 clutch housing and drill the 67 to match. The 67 housing is just thick enough to support drilling and bolting the old mounts to. You may have to bend or trim the old mounts, or get some flat bar steel the correct width and bend new ones to fit. I don't recall doing more than making some minor bends when I did this years ago, but it WAS years ago!! 


Jim:
    With the 196 in place, there is about 3 to 4 inches of clearance
between the fan blades and the radiator. It would be a tight fit with the
stock radiator, but I think something could be done to mount it further
forward. Never saw a "Long" brand radiator before, always saw another brand
which these days is a closed investment trust. 


Frank:
Moving the radiator forward is typical. IIRC the mounts have the flange toward the front of the radiator. The mounts on each side can be removed and reversed side to side, moving the flange about 2". You'll need to make sure the radiator clears the upper crossmember, and make a new filler panel between the hood latch and radiator area. 


Jim:
    With the Torque Tube, how does the rear suspension move? Does it depend
on any degree of movement in the engine/trans? Sorry but I have only ever
had one other TT car and that was 25 years ago, and I didn't really work on
it much. 


Frank:
The flange that bolts to the transmission isn't welded to the tube. The tube is flared just inside the flange and there's a thick rubber cushion between the flare and flat of the transmission adapter. The engine and trans really don't move, just the tube. The mounts on the engine/trans do wear a bit quicker in TT cars because there is some pushing and pulling on them, but they still last 20 or so years. The shocks limit downward travel, the panhard rod sideways travel. I suppose I might add that the springs and body limit upward travel....  The TT doesn't move much at the trans because of the length of the tube -- the axles moves a lot because it's on the long end of the arm.

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
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