The Stovebolt Site Forums Project Journals Completed Journals 1966 Chevy C-10 Short Stepside -- Step by Step

Now that the engine was up & running, I decided my next goal was to get truck running under it's own power & able to be moved in & out of shop if & when needed.

When i installed the bellhousing, prior to installing the M20 4spd, I had cleaned up & re-installed the original clutch/throw out bearing arm. Along with a new , re-pop rubber boot. I had all of the original clutch linkage, but upon closer inspection realized it was all completely worn out. I ordered every part from the clutch arm (In the bellhousing) back up to the clutch petal swing arm/pivot . Luckily all of it was readily available & installed easily. The SD clutch pivot bracket that I posted a pic of earlier worked perfectly. (This bracket was for Gen V & Vi BBC & some LS engines that did not come with the traditional clutch linkage boss cast in the block).

Once clutch was resolved, I tackled the mid '60's Corvette Hurst shifter that came with the M 20 Muncie 4 spd . This shifter had the old, original style shift lever that was a permanent part of the shifter rather than the more modern shifters that had the two bolt mounting system where by the same shifter could be used in different applications by using the correct lever which is held on by two bolts. My shifter had had the original lever cut short & the mid 60's Vette lever grafted (welded) on. I used my trusty 4 1/2" grinder & ground off the welds so I could remove the Vette shift lever. Once that was done, I had about a 3" long stub sticking up to work with, similar to how later model Hurst shifter. I had read internet posts that Hurst made a lever for '66 c10'swith bench seats, but the closest I could find for my application was a 55/57 Chevy car bench seat shift lever. I made a bracket out of 1/4 inch flat steel that bolted up to the stub on my shifter & allowed me to mount the Tri5 shifter far enough forward to clear the bench seat. I wanted shifter to clear the seat in all positions & still be easily reachable. Later on, I'll replace the steel bracket with an aluminum piece, but for now it seems to work well.

However, the shifter extends thru right where the low hump floor board meets the higher hump under the seat. I made a couple brackets that taper down from the high hump under the seat to the low hump & allow me to use a Hurst super boot to seal up the area. It works better that it sounds LOL.

Next I installed thepower steering pump & brackets along with the remote reservoir from the RV donor. Had local hyd hose shop make up the hoses needed.