I have a 1962 Buick Wildcat, 42K on the odometer, and just restored. I installed a 3:42 posi from a 64 Rivy, and that made a difference, but now I am installing a T-400 into my car and thought pics for the novice would be great. I did this swap about 23 years ago and had people telling me it couldn't be done since the crankshaft had a dynaflow and the flexplates wouldn't match up and so on.... well, after them telling me that, I thought I should pull it out of my car (a 1962 LeSabre) but I figured well, if it works, then maybe they don't know what they are talking about, and continued to install them in other people's vehicles.
What I originally did was use a 1964-1966 flexplate, grind the innards of the flexplate so it would go over the machined part of the dynaflow crank. I used 2 of the triangular stock flexplates. I took a lathe and cut out the center part of the flexplate just to use the bolt area and about 1/4" outside the bolt holes as spacers. I used chevy flywheel bolts from a manual trans since they were longer. Then bolted it all together. I took a trans from a 64 fullsize, as well as the flexplate, crossmember and driveline. The reason why I used a 64 is it was the first year of the t-400 and the last year of the "X" frame. So, everything bolted right into my 62 with no driveline resizing or crossmember narrowing! I used the original 62 starter and drilled 4 holes into the frame where the new crossmember went. That was it. No kits, no headaches, nothing.
Now, EELCO (marty) made a new flexplate for the early cars like my 62, and I didn't even have to grind anything! He dropped one of at my shop last week, so I figured since everyone is slowing down for the winter, I figured why not rebuild a 66' switch pitch I had on the shelf, and install it with pics for all to see. This way people can see it does fit, and how to do it too. Enclosed is the pics of pulling the original unit and installing the t-400.
The trans is a 66' t-400 sp with a stage 2 kit, rebuilt by me. (I rebuild these and sell them on Ebay when I have time):shifter:
I cannot seem to put more than 5 pics on this damn website so if anyone needs help on this swap, Email me and I will send you pics!
mr62buick@yahoo.com
Steve
What I originally did was use a 1964-1966 flexplate, grind the innards of the flexplate so it would go over the machined part of the dynaflow crank. I used 2 of the triangular stock flexplates. I took a lathe and cut out the center part of the flexplate just to use the bolt area and about 1/4" outside the bolt holes as spacers. I used chevy flywheel bolts from a manual trans since they were longer. Then bolted it all together. I took a trans from a 64 fullsize, as well as the flexplate, crossmember and driveline. The reason why I used a 64 is it was the first year of the t-400 and the last year of the "X" frame. So, everything bolted right into my 62 with no driveline resizing or crossmember narrowing! I used the original 62 starter and drilled 4 holes into the frame where the new crossmember went. That was it. No kits, no headaches, nothing.
Now, EELCO (marty) made a new flexplate for the early cars like my 62, and I didn't even have to grind anything! He dropped one of at my shop last week, so I figured since everyone is slowing down for the winter, I figured why not rebuild a 66' switch pitch I had on the shelf, and install it with pics for all to see. This way people can see it does fit, and how to do it too. Enclosed is the pics of pulling the original unit and installing the t-400.
The trans is a 66' t-400 sp with a stage 2 kit, rebuilt by me. (I rebuild these and sell them on Ebay when I have time):shifter:
I cannot seem to put more than 5 pics on this damn website so if anyone needs help on this swap, Email me and I will send you pics!
mr62buick@yahoo.com
Steve
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