'Cuda Pedal Box Swop

[Mopar Pete]

Hi there, guys and gals.

Firstly - apologies as I did not really know which Forum area to post this, as one could argue it was "Brakes", or even "Steering", but opted for "Transmission".

I have a 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda.

It rolled out of the plant as an Auto, but had a 4 speed installed very early on in its life.

I am putting it back to an Auto - mostly due to traffic conditions today, but also as I have a gipped leg due to falling off motorcycles!

When the 4 speed was installed, they sort of did it correctly - they swapped the Auto pedal box out and installed a 4 speed one.
That is now out, and that was not too bad a job as the captive bolts had been hacked off, creating more clearance. I got this out without taking the column out. All the dashboard is in place at the moment.

So... now onto the installation of the correct Auto Pedal box. This still has the long captive studs at the top of the box.

The Auto Pedal box is significantly different in design to the 4 speed one - it seems a lot wider, so I guess it wraps around the Steering Column.

It also appears to be a lot longer, and I imagine it bolts onto different pick up points higher up on the dashboard structure.

It looks like some bolts need to be removed to permit access and then bolt through the Pedal Box once it is in position.

It is obvious that the Column will have to be fully removed to get the Auto Pedal Box.

However, the reason for the post is to ask more experienced members what else needs to be removed to get the Pedal Box into its correct location.

Any advice, guidance, or pictures would be great - I have done numerous Web searches and have been unable to find any meaningful information.

Thanks again.

Pete

 

[DaveBob]

Hi there, guys and gals.

Firstly - apologies as I did not really know which Forum area to post this, as one could argue it was "Brakes", or even "Steering", but opted for "Transmission".

I have a 1970 Plymouth 'Cuda.

It rolled out of the plant as an Auto, but had a 4 speed installed very early on in its life.

I am putting it back to an Auto - mostly due to traffic conditions today, but also as I have a gipped leg due to falling off motorcycles!

When the 4 speed was installed, they sort of did it correctly - they swapped the Auto pedal box out and installed a 4 speed one.
That is now out, and that was not too bad a job as the captive bolts had been hacked off, creating more clearance. I got this out without taking the column out. All the dashboard is in place at the moment.

So... now onto the installation of the correct Auto Pedal box. This still has the long captive studs at the top of the box.

The Auto Pedal box is significantly different in design to the 4 speed one - it seems a lot wider, so I guess it wraps around the Steering Column.

It also appears to be a lot longer, and I imagine it bolts onto different pick up points higher up on the dashboard structure.

It looks like some bolts need to be removed to permit access and then bolt through the Pedal Box once it is in position.

It is obvious that the Column will have to be fully removed to get the Auto Pedal Box.

However, the reason for the post is to ask more experienced members what else needs to be removed to get the Pedal Box into its correct location.

Any advice, guidance, or pictures would be great - I have done numerous Web searches and have been unable to find any meaningful information.

Thanks again.

Pete

When I converted the pedal assembly from auto to manual on my 70 Cuda, I didn't change the large pedal bracket to which the brake pedal attaches. I swapped the wide brake pedal for the narrow one. Then, I mounted the clutch pedal to the side of the large pedal bracket, using the small pedal bracket which is only for the clutch pedal. I did have two issues: one was mounting the over-center spring, the other was the push rod length with the Baer master cylinder. The first problem was solved with shims in the spring coils. The second problem was solved with a Mopar Performance adjustable push rod. Reading your post, I am either missing something with respect to my pedal assembly, or the previous owner installed a different pedal assembly in your car than the stock 70 Cuda unit. See illustration below, from the 1970 Plymouth repair manual.

 

[Mopar Pete]

Hi there DaveBob.

Firstly, thank you for taking the time and trouble to respond and post up a diagram, it is really appreciated.

The Manual Pedal Box I removed is exactly the same as per the above picture.

I am annoyed with myself, as I should have taken a photo of the two pedal boxes side by side.

The two are very different, the Auto one being a lot wider at the rear and spans the column and also is a lot longer as it bolts to the under dash area unlike the Manual one. Also the correct Auto Brake Pedal top pivot tube is wider than than the 4 speed one.... strange... the donor Auto Pedal box came out of my pal's 1970 383 Cuda.

Once I got the column out things got a bit easier.

I had to get medieval with it, mostly due to the fixed studs at the top of the Pedal box which go through the Firewall and into the M/C Brace Plate.

A quick go with a Jemmy (Wrecking Bar???) and "Bang!" - all the bolts went through the locating holes in the Firewall and Pedal box. I then had enough slack in the setup to get all the relevant bolts in (obviously laying on my back with my calves on the back seat) ...


Anyway, the long and the short of it, its all in.

Happy days!

Thanks once again!

Pete.

 

[DaveBob]

Hi there DaveBob.

Firstly, thank you for taking the time and trouble to respond and post up a diagram, it is really appreciated.

The Manual Pedal Box I removed is exactly the same as per the above picture.

I am annoyed with myself, as I should have taken a photo of the two pedal boxes side by side.

The two are very different, the Auto one being a lot wider at the rear and spans the column and also is a lot longer as it bolts to the under dash area unlike the Manual one. Also the correct Auto Brake Pedal top pivot tube is wider than than the 4 speed one.... strange... the donor Auto Pedal box came out of my pal's 1970 383 Cuda.

Once I got the column out things got a bit easier.

I had to get medieval with it, mostly due to the fixed studs at the top of the Pedal box which go through the Firewall and into the M/C Brace Plate.

A quick go with a Jemmy (Wrecking Bar???) and "Bang!" - all the bolts went through the locating holes in the Firewall and Pedal box. I then had enough slack in the setup to get all the relevant bolts in (obviously laying on my back with my calves on the back seat) ...


Anyway, the long and the short of it, its all in.

Happy days!

Thanks once again!

Pete.

Pete - A photo of the two brackets side by side would have helped. I'm glad that the diagram was useful. I relied on that diagram for mine, since all the 4-speed pedal parts I bought came loose, in a box. The part that's still a mystery is that my manual brake pedal bolted right in, since the pivot tube on the manual trans pedal was the exact same length as the one on the automatic brake pedal. Early versus late production? Who knows? - Anyway, I'm glad everything went together! Cheers! DB

 

[Mopar Pete]

Thanks again!

Have a good day!