Fun with transmissions

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

I've had a "rumble" from the tranny shifter for some time now.. I 
recently replaced the shot OE bushing with a new Poly transmission 
mount.. thought that'd do it.. still has a little wobble.. so I chalk it 
up to a driveline vibration that's more noticeable at highway speeds 
(thanks to the 2" shackles in the back)..

I'm leaving work tonight, and I hear/feel "something" and the clutch 
pedal feels funny.. Hrrmm.. clutch was still working n' such, so I guess 
it's not a critical failure.. I got to suspect maybe I'd thrown off the 
clutch return spring or something.

I limp the couple miles home with this funny clutch.. and pop the hood 
expecting to see the clutch spring missing... Huh?  It's still there...

Now I crawl down on the sidewalk and poke my head underneath but not too 
far - for fear of jabbing myself in the head with.. MY TRANSMISSION 
CROSSMEMBER.  Wow.. lookie there.. the two bolts on the driver's side 
lost their nuts, and the crossmember (and transmission) is dangling from 
the passenger side bolts.. the transmission has dropped a few inches (at 
an angle) and that's what caused the clutch linkage to get screwed up and 
feel "funny"...

Scrounge in the garage and came up with a couple new bolts n' nuts.. the 
OE were Grade 8, coarse thread.. I think 1/2".. but I only had Grade 5 
fine threads handy.. I'll stop at the hardware store after my *exam* 
tonight and get some *fine thread* Grade 8 bolts and apply a generous 
amount of Loctite.. but for now, I'm off to take a test (fun, huh?  
Schoolwork is interfering with my hobby)..

I wonder what it would've been like had that popped loose on the 
Interstate.. maybe while towing... oh, say DOWN a pass.. ;-)

Whew.. better today than this weekend...

-Tom (who won't be collecting the Chevy '44 front for his racer this 
weekend.. it's cracked!)