Hey guys been lurking for awhile and decided i finally needed some help i couldn't find searching. I have a 68 firebird originally came with a power glide. I converted it to a Richmond 5 speed. Question is speedo cable routing. Stock speedo cable comes out through firewall below master cylinder. Its too short. I found on a camaro forum the 4 speed cables came through behind the distributor. I see the dimple here where it appears it can be drilled. Further research shows that the 58" cable should be the right length for those (camaro with stock 4speed). The question is, is this the same for the firebird models? Did they also have the speedo cable enter the engine compartment behind the distributor? Is the proper way to address this to drill a 1" hole where the dimple in the firewall is behind the distributor area? Thanks in advance. Pictures always help! John
1968 Firebird 400, 5speed. 10 year project finding its way back together.
Ok no bites. So more basic question to start. Those of you with 1968 firebirds that came stock with a 4 speed. If you pop your hood do you see the speedo cable come thought the firewall behind the distributor above the top right (drivers side) of the transmission tunnel?
1968 Firebird 400, 5speed. 10 year project finding its way back together.
It's the dimple about 2-3 in left of that on the same horizontal plane. It's the one in the corner above where the gas pedal comes through. When I get home tommorow I'll try and post the picture of the camaro firewall I saw. These small details are a major PIA! When this is done I'll have to post a step by step of the whole process of converting to a manual including all the wrong parts the catalogs will tell you fit! Thanks for the help in figuring this all out.
1968 Firebird 400, 5speed. 10 year project finding its way back together.
custom length speedo cables can be made, i don't really see how the cable would come out of the fire wall offset from the back of the speedo head...that would be a pretty drastic bend. but then i don't have a manual...
Thanks in advance if you post that info. I'm considering changing my tranny too. I'd like to get better than a .67:1 thar a 200R4 would get me.
.67 is alot! .5 is overkill. The deal is to get a lock-up converter, it's like a 5th gear when it locks, nice bump and rpm drop, at least it is with any type of performance converter. I have a 4L80E in my bird with a Yank 2800 converter and it works great.
My cable came out just to the right (on the picture) of the master cylinder bolt holes. It's a 1" hole or so. my cable fit to the Muncie, but not by much. I think it should be the hole that is about 4" below this hole and is some what angled downward if you can see that in the picture. It is adjacent to the clutch block off plate in the picture.
Drastic bends will make your speedo needle bounce and eventually tear the winding inside. Ask me how I know...
. This is the camaro picture that I found. You can see where the cable comes through although this one appears only partially in and does not have grommet. This location on firewall does have dimple and appears setup for option. Does anyone with a stock factory installed manual have their cable come through here? Is this a camaro only thing or possibly for the cruise control option I believe they had? I know I can get a cable in a bunch of different lengths and make it work but I would rather get the small things right. Also this setup appears to be easier to directly route to tranny being the speedo gear is on passenger side.
1968 Firebird 400, 5speed. 10 year project finding its way back together.
i have a 200-4r and love it! great low gears for fun , the 4th is .67 od. its quite a drop in rpm even without a lock up converter. i may change to a lock up next year and a little higher stall. even with a posi 3:55,, traction is a problem, well can be a problem ;-) Once the tires are hot it launches well!
oh and my speedo cable is at the very rear of the trans, i used the 61" cable routed over the subframe run along outside of the subframe to a hole near the brake cylinder.
Last edited by Pci_raid; 08/21/1208:16 PM. Reason: forgot speedo cable
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