'56 series 62 heater blower ducts

[Cadman-iac]

  From the look of the top of your oil pan, it appears to be the (as near as possible) rear sump pan from a 77-79 425. Those didn't drop straight down from the rear main cap, but rolled forward slightly before dropping to the sump. That's what I used the sump from on mine, but I don't remember what I used for the top now. I'll have to look at it again and see if it jars my memory.

Not sure I'd trust a rack and pinion on such a heavy car. Plus, how would you even mount it?

The biggest problem with the newer Saginaw box is the shape of the original 56 pitman arm and that the center link sits on top of it instead of under it like the newer box was designed for.
But stretching the pitman arm fixes that issue.

I haven't put the column in yet, I was still working out the engine fitment and the Hydro-boost and related plumbing when I had to halt work on it.
The wire from the column to the box is your ground circuit if I remember correctly. I'd have to take another look at the schematic.
I don't know yet if the column will fit with the new steering box, I think it will, but until I test fit it I won't know for sure.
I'm definitely using the original column though, I want that gorgeous steering wheel and horn ring in it.
I did have to modify the shift detent for the TH400. That was a bit of work to get right.
I used a piece of pipe and cut it into the right shape so the shift tube will lock into it in the right pattern, PRNDL2L1, instead of PNDLR.
I still need to figure out what to do about the shift indicator on the cluster. The needle is no problem, it's the lens and lettering.

 I couldn't see your motor mounts in any of your pictures. What did you use?
 I wanted to use the ones from the 77-79, as they used a typical GM clamshell type mount fitted to the Cadillac brackets. But it was too big, and I didn't want to modify the frame too much.


  Rick

[JungleCadd]

ok maybe it is the stock pan? it looks chopped right?
hopefully i can get it yanked this weekend.

I'll get some better shots of the motor mounts but its pretty brutal. i think the frame is notched and plate is tacked in.

 I've got PRNDL12 going mcmaster carr has all the threaded rod fittings,clevises, ball joints and stuff for the linkage shift/gas. still havent been able to find the bracket that attaches the shift pointer been looking for forever. also still have get some plexi routed out for PRNDL like you said. for the Speed display i gouged out all the paint and repacked it with glow in the dark UV activated paint and buried UV LED behind the cluster so i can kill the instrument display lights after the paint is charged and only the speed range and needle glow lol. plan to do same with shift indicator.

i agree column is sweet and wheel is nice as well   really looking forward top getting the wheel spanked soon.

i tore apart the column and rebuilt the ground ring that had disintegrated that connects the horn wire to the Neutral Saftey Switch but now i lost continuity after installation. bummer. i think cadville has them new but probably 300 bones lol. i think i ground out some copper pipe for that

ive got micro switch mounted on tranny pan for reverse and a toggle switch to starter for lock out right now.

just hooked up a four pole relay that i ran to the all the turn signals and pulls from the flasher from a toggle switch so i have hazard lights now.

not sure how the rack steering system would work have seen in in a few discussions i think in the lasalle forum.   

[Cadman-iac]

I had a whole reply ready to post but I was logged out when I hit post. I don't know how that happened, as the normal screen was still showing up til then. That's the second time it's happened too.

Anyway, I think your pan was modified, I just can't tell what they used to start with as your pictures won't expand enough on my phone.

I like your idea of using the glowing paint on the lens numbers. Pretty cool.

  I haven't tried to install the column on mine yet. Not sure what it'll take to hook up with the gear box, and no idea yet on the shift linkage.
I had to stop working on it to do some other more pressing things, and I just haven't gotten back to it yet. Still working on the daily driver right now.

Every car needs 4 way flashers.  I used an aftermarket unit and when I made the new wiring harnesses I incorporated it into them. I think the knob blinks when you pull it out to turn it on. Gotta look at it again to refresh my memory.

I honestly can't remember what I did for a neutral safety switch. That's another thing I'll have to look at.

I did a lot of this before I got my smartphone, so I didn't get pictures of a bunch of things.

I went through all the electric motors and rewired them, heaters, windows, air conditioning blowers, and even found an electric wiper motor from a Chevrolet. But now I'm not sure I'll be able to use it because of the air cleaner clearance. I didn't realize it sat so close to the firewall. I might have to rebuild a vacuum motor for it.

I found a couple articles on putting a 472/500/425 into a 50's Cadillac. I'll have to see if I have a link for them somewhere. I've also got a few magazine articles on the same subject.
The problem is that nobody shows all the things you have to do to get one to fit. Or they don't explain it very well. And none have enough pictures.

Rick

Edit: your pan almost looks like they made the bottom angle one way or the other, I can't see the whole thing to know which way it goes.
 Can you post some pictures from the side that shows more of it?

[Cadman-iac]

  Here's what I did for a neutral safety switch. I used a 55 horn contact in place of the original 56 because it's a stand-alone contact, and I modified the column outer housing for a later model switch, and I made a hole in the shift tube so it would rotate with the shifter.

You can see the retainer clip from the 55 for the contact to keep it aligned in the hole, that's the one under the contact, and the bracket I had to make to keep it from coming out.
I used a late 60's/ early 70's safety switch, and it's got an extra set of contacts on it. I forget what those were for originally, and I don't remember if I had wired anything to it on the new harness. I won't know that until I'm ready to put it back together.
Here's the spare column from the parts car.

I mentioned earlier that I thought I had modified it as well, but after looking at it tonight I can tell it's all original, I just rebuilt it and painted it. Plus I had taped a note to it with the shift pattern on it, it's original. You can see the original style neutral safety switch with the horn contact incorporated into it.
I think I had to use the newer switch on the modified column because the original switch was broken.

I had to use a flashlight to get the pictures so I hope you can see the details.

Rick

[Roger Zimmermann]

Cool! Thanks a lot Roger!! Your always so helpful & very much appreciated.

Erik, do you want it or not? I also still have the seat nut you were once interested...
I don't mind if you don't want both parts, I just like to know.

[JungleCadd]

Oh. That crossed my mind yoirs looks good!. If i come across a used NSS thats toast ill see if i can reconfigure the contacts.

Im still messing with the oil pan. It's definitely not going anywhere with the steering linkage in yhe way and may not w/o. Cant tell for sure. Wrestling with the pitman nut hoping to break it loose this week. I took a peak inside and think I might have found where there might be rubbage. Looks like the rusted spots. Pick up is pretty firmly landed. Not sure if ibdumped those screws in the sump or not lol

Think about electric wipers also but my vacuum good and have the real-estate.

Looks like I'll have to notch out the air hoods I won't be able to get them out unless I can lift the cast covers over the valve train lol. Shouldn't be too bad though.

[JungleCadd]

Erik, do you want it or not? I also still have the seat nut you were once interested...
I don't mind if you don't want both parts, I just like to know.

ROGER ! sorry ive got another pair of the hoods I am mangling right now. Thanks again for your generous offer - that was quite kind and i humbly appologize for my short attention span.  I would love to have the seat nut! Just let me know the damage.

[Roger Zimmermann]

No problem, Erik! I just like to know if I had to keep the part in my garage at home or if I could take it back to my store room.
The solenoid is at home; I offered it to you for $ 40.00 plus shipping. I'm sending a PM to you about that.

[Cadman-iac]

  So why exactly are you dropping the oil pan?

 It's definitely been reworked, very obvious on the inside. It still looks to me like the bottom of the pan slopes downward toward the rear in your picture. Does it, or is it just the way the picture was taken?
 

[JungleCadd]

So why exactly are you dropping the oil pan?

 It's definitely been reworked, very obvious on the inside. It still looks to me like the bottom of the pan slopes downward toward the rear in your picture. Does it, or is it just the way the picture was taken?
 

well ive got a pronounced thumping that i can feel at the back of the pan -  hoping its interference with the rotating assembly rather than a spun bearing or what have you. i think maybe a connecting rod is nailing the side of the pan where the rust spots are running vertically. its definitely sloped to the back. i dont have much wiggle room to get the pan over away from the passenger side so i was hoping to get it on the bench and see if i could ding that area out away from the rod. i may just bolt it back and see if the sound changed.

[Cadman-iac]

  If your engine has sat unused for a long time before you installed it in this car, the wrist pins may be dry now. They don't have a pressurized oil source, just whatever gets splashed up there while it runs.
 I've had 2 engines develop a knock from just sitting, a 472 and a 425. I think part of the problem was not driving them but just running them in the yard. They don't get the high speed oil splashed up onto the pins, and after running at slower speeds they eventually wear to the point of knocking.
 So if you're not going to be able to actually drive the car if you run it, at least run it at higher rpms to get the oil up to the pins.
 I haven't pulled the 425 out yet, so I can't say for sure that's the problem, but the 472 is the test engine I'm using for making the motor mounts and oil pan in my 56.
 Once I pull it out to install the engine I'm going to use, I'll tear it down and find out what was making it knock.

 You mentioned that you thought that a rod was hitting the pan, but it would leave a nice shiny spot on the pan, not a dark mark.
 I hope you find the source of the knock, it's a real shame to hear that. Best of luck to you.

 Rick