Oldsragger

Needed to cut out for exhaust passage , i used steel in same thickness as the orginal one and welded it good around.

But im thinking if its nessesary to weld a solid plate on the top over the new passage hole on the tranny to make it stronger there, or will it be ok like it is? the steel plate i was think to use is about 7mm thick.. But i was very ready to install it now..

What your experience with this before? Its a th350 tranny that will be on top of it..

Octania

How about a bolt-on piece to go under the pipe
easy removal for exhaust work

It will likely be fine as it is now, but that depends on what happens to the car and how it is driven too.

joe_padavano

Removing that large a section of the crossmember significantly reduces bending stiffness. Think about it - would you drive over a bridge if the structural beams had a big notch like that? The right way to do this is to add material above the notch so that the bending stiffness is maintained. I realize that may be difficult given the proximity to the floorpan.

Keep in mind that this is not a strength problem, it's a stiffness problem.

Oldsragger

Have installed the crossover now, feels solid, its still good space between the floor and the crossover if i should weld it more, i didnt cut it so deep at least. Fits perfect for exhaust now.

Maybe i will bend a plate to go under the exhaust if it will not be to low.

Thanks for tip, didnt think about the stifness so much. But im driving fine and no rally or jumping anyway so

Oldsragger

Here is the plate im thinking to weld on the top

Can do that when i will replace the tranny

oldspackrat

I can't be the only one that that thought this was another write up about Bruce....

70vert

It will be fine the way it is. I've done that to quite a few street stock circle track cars and they take a hell of a beating and none of them ever broke.

RetroRanger

Bruce ??? no-one will catch that its Caitlyn now lol

Fun71

OK, this post helps me to understand a lot of the chatter I have been seeing online lately. I don't keep up with People magazine and such so I was totally out of touch with what was going on.

Although I now know what this all means, I still don't care.

Oldsragger

Bruce and caitlyn? Wtf y'all taking about lol.

70vert Thanks for info, feels a little safer since you have experience this. im not drive so rally or curvey anyway so i guess it will be fine.. but i will weld it stronger on top when i will replace the tranny anyway.

70vert

No problem you used a pretty heavy piece of c channel and the welds look good it will be fine.