Floor shift conversion and motor/trans pull

[Stephen717]

Ok so I have a couple of questions about these topics. I have the front of the 69 tore down and am ready to swap the motor and trans from the old frame to the new one. This has brought up several questions for me. The first one is, when I pull the 250 and Saginaw I know I have to disconnect the linkage and unbolt the old motor mounts. Do I have to unbolt anything from the cross member or is the trans just sitting on the cross member. My second question is a 2 parter. The first is that I want to switch to a floor shifter and I'm looking at the hurst mastershift floor shifter. Do I have to get the new linkage or can I make the old 3 ott linkage work? Just asking to know if I can save a bit of money. The second part would be when I do the swap can I switch the collar on my column from the column shift collar to a floor shift collar or is there something in the column that prevents me from doing that?

Thanks to everyone on this forum. You've all been more help than you know

[geezer#99]

You need to unbolt the bellhousing too. It bolts to the crossmember.
And unfortunately you need the new linkage and kit for your new shifter.
I’m not sure what you mean about the collar.

[Mantruck]

and unhook the speedo cable...and all wiring

[Stephen717]

Thanks for the quick replies. Almost all the wiring is unhooked and I'll be getting underneath it today for the cross member bolts and the speedo cable.

[geezer#99]

If you have a spare yoke put it in the trans. If no yoke put a baggie over the tailshaft and tape it into place.
Saves pouring trans fluid on the floor.

Does the new frame have a bellhousing crossmember already?

[Stephen717]

When I got the frame it had a locked up 350 with a th350 behind it. I have the cross member for that trans but I don't have a bell housing corss member. Honestly until you guys mentioned it I didn't even know there was anything like that. So I will most likely have to drill out the old rivets and clean up that cross member to use on the new frame

[geezer#99]

That’s good.
There is a remote possibility your trans has the mount on the tailshaft so you can use a rear mount like the turbo 350 had.
A pic of your tailshaft would help.

[Stephen717]

Thank you so much for that comment geezer. I looked underneath there and there is a cross member mount on the tail shaft. You just saved me so much work. If you still want a pic I can get one.

[geezer#99]

Yup!
Pics are nice.
Then we can see the mount and where your new shifter mounts.
Another potential quandary is speedo cable hook up around the new shifter shift rods. Something to look at when you install the new shifter.

[Stephen717]

Here's pics

[Stephen717]

That's the collar on the column I'm talking about. Can I switch that when I swap the linkage so I don't just have a column shifter or a hole where it used to be. Sorry for the mess. She's a work in progress but she's slowly coming together

[geezer#99]

Oh that collar.
I suppose you could remove it but it serves a function besides having the shift arm on it. It also activates your reverse lights.
The ones I’ve done I took the lever off and mounted a tach on it.
Or you could just find a column from a 4 speed truck that will have smooth collars already.

[Stephen717]

I'd thought about doing that as well and just selling the 3 speed column. I refuse to sell my 68 wheel though. It's one of the reasons I fell in love with the truck