V8 foot stomp starter

A customer wanted to retain his foot starter for the V8 automatic we put in his 54. I took pictures but each came out a red haze instead of an image. Guess it's time to send the old Cannon to the photo store in the sky. This guy may be the only one that's ever desired this but since I know many of you are very capable of doing this here's a brief description; (1) get an 18" long 1/2" diameter steel dowl rod and flatten one end so a hole can be drilled for the starter pedal shaft that passes through the rubber bellows. (2) bend a 90 in it so the shaft is parrallel to the bell housing face of the block and an inch or so above the trans to engine mating surface. (3) Make pivot brackets by drilling a half inch hole through inch long pieces of 3/8 black pipe (schedule 80) and welding on short pieces of flat strap with a 3/8 hole in them for the bell housing bolts to pass through. (4) make starter switch and spring bracket and fasten to the bell housing bolt that's just above the transmission alignment dowl pin. Weld a piece of tubing to this bracket that's long enough to hold capture a sbc valve spring. Inline with the center of the tubing/spring drill a 5/16 hole through the bracket for the starter push rod. (5) Make the second 90 in the bellcrank rod and cut to length where it can travel a couple inches without hitting anything and flatten to accept a clevis with a 5/16 pin. (6) Make the starter rod by threading for the clevis on one end, welding a washer to it to compress the valve spring when stomped, and a quarter inch washer on the switch end to give more surface area to press against the starter button. I used a boat/tractor weather proof starter switch which is pricey and probably not necessary. The sbc valve spring gives just the right "feel" to it when stomped.

V8 stomper

Hey Evan,
I am putting a 350turbo auto in my '48 and was wondering how to rig something up to floorstart my truck.
Picts would be great if you could send some.
Can I use any of the straight drive 6 banger hardware?
The curved pc that mounts to the tranny and the starter pedal w/ spring?
Thanx for your help!
Mike

Mike, I trial fitted the old six banger parts on the V8/auto trans and decided it has easier to bend up a new one. There are flat spots on the old six with drilled and tapped holes to mount the bell crank but nothing on a V8 or turbo 350. The factory mount pivots could be added onto and bent to fit the upper transmission to engine bolts but the cross shaft (bell crank) itself is designed to fit a skinny six banger instead of a wider V8. Not if, but when the 54 comes back in I'll try to get a couple shots of it installed. Just wish the step by step pics had come out good. I guess I'd better start using the "view picture" feature after each shot instead of waiting till I'm putting them on the computer.

V-ate Pedal Starter

Or , just buy a heavy duty momentary contact starter switch from Cole Hersey etc. (NAPA , Boat Store etc.) and mount it to the floor board and if you really need the look , epoxy the old starter button to it and away you go , retaining the safter interlock etcetera...

-Nate

BT , DT , it works and is nice IMO .

Thanx Evan,
saved me alot of time.
Modern Tech. WOW! until it stops working.

Hey Nate , If ya glue the old stomp pedal to the switch is the spring strong enough to return it along with the rubber boot? I do want it to look original and work if possible.

mike

In A Word ;

yes ! .

foot stomper

Hey Evan,
U by chance taken those pics of the starter linkage you made up for the V8?

Mike

Nate,
Do you bychance have any pics of how you "glued your foot stomper or starter pedal device in?
Im putting the A/T in Sat am and would like to see how its done.
Thanx,

mike

Oops

Here it is Saturday evening and I just now see this message .

I don't have any pix , I have almost no pictures of the works I do , sorry .

Somewhere I have really crappy quality snaps of my '46 3100 in tiny pieces in my driveway , lifting the cab with a Dodge towtruck etc. .