Someone else must have run into this same situation. Today I swapped a 350cid & TH350 for the 283cid and non-synchronized 3 spd tran that came in my 65' short bed. I already got a universal auto tran crossmember to make the switch, but my parking brake crossmember is right where I need to put the tranny's. Should I cut out the crossmember and thus lose my parking brake? It is an auto, so I can put the trans in "Park". Or can I convert the brake crossmember into one strong enough to support the transmission? Please help.
I did a simular convertion on my 64 panel. What I did was use the original cross member and cut off the park brake brakets at the rivets. I moved the crossmember in place and made some mesurments and cut slots in the cross member. then reattached the cables and brackets working the brake right in the crossmember.
SO YOU LEFT THE PARKING BRAKE CROSS MEMBER IN PLACE AND MADE NEW HOLES FOR THE PARKING BRAKE AND ALSO DID YOU HAVE TO MOVE THE MEMBER TO LINE UP WITH THE 350 XMSN I AM ALSO PUTTING A 350 XMSN IN MY 64 LONG BED.THANKS
