hi guys, I just installed a 305 w/ 700R4 from a 1987 Firebird into a 1983 Firebird. The cross member worked out perfectly but the torque arm mount from the '87 auto trans does not work with my torque arm -- the orientation in the cutout in the rubber from the 87 mount is opposite that of the 83. Since the 83 was originally manual trans I can't use that torque arm mount either. WTF? Why did GM flip the torque arm? Can I just get an 83 auto trans torque arm mount to use with my 83 torque arm? I was so mad I was tempted to cut the end off the torque arm, flip it over, and weld it back together.

 

in mid 84 modle year GM changed the oreintation of the torque arm, I ran into the same prob W/ mine when I swaped the T-5 into also out of an 84, I had to swich the whole torque arm out, the build date for mine was 9/83 and the build date for the doner was 4/84, so they swiched somewheres in the middle of those month's

 

If you want a polyurethane torque arm bushing, you can find them from Summit or Jeg's. For an 82-83 Camaro/Firebird, use Energy Suspension 3-1110
Summit's part # is 355-3-1110G
The G at the end just indicates that the color is black. Cost: $12

 

Is that bushing just the insert, or the entire bracket and shell? I need the whole thing

 

just gonna chime in since i had to buy a new bushing, after i had to buy the mount from someone on here
there is a difference in the design of the brackets as well as the bushings, apparently.. mine didnt fit properly, had to *chop chop* quite a bit off
I bought the bushing because i needed the one facing the other direction, maybe each direction had a unique bracket for it? not sure

 

Dr1 I know for a fact that the bracket for the "bushing facing the opposite direction" is different from the later bracket, they are totally different. This is the problem I have too. I am so tempted to cut the torque arm and weld the tab on in the opposite direction. I have a stick welder and can definitely get enough penetration for a safe weld. My only concern is why GM made the brackets not interchange -- they obviously did this for a reason. I'm guessing the later torque arm's geometry is different (the alignment or height of the front mount).

 

i dunno yet as ive not put it on (but i think its going to be fine)
but as far as I can tell i think the only reason they are different is just because of the way it applys pressure to the different bushings, depending on which direction its facing you either end up with the small or large half on one side basically

mine fitting in the new bracket was pretty trivial, there was some excess on one side that needed to be removed so the bracket could close properly

i guess it could be off slightly, but im tired of hunting down these misc parts

 

I'm following this thread because I bought a UMI torque arm, and the instructions say I need a '85 up torque arm mount (lip the opposite direction). I asked earlier before the board was up and down like a yo-yo, but one person responded that said I could use a '85 up insert in my existing mount - but of course he didn't elaborate any further on how he did it.....

I'd hate to have to try and crawl under a car at a junkyard to get one!

 

I really don't think putting the wrong bushing in the wrong bracket is going to line up perfectly. It will probably be close enough to hack it.

 

Yeah, I'm hoping it'll be close enough to hack, trim, or whatever!! I'll find out soon enough...thinking of just getting a poly bushing insert and trans mount to stiffen things up a bit...

Oh, and to answer why GM changed the way the lip faces on the torque arm...I don't know - the 82-84's also had an exhaust hanger as part of the TA bracket. I don't think the 85 plus were like that. I just know it's stupid.

 

Hey 327, do you still have the stock bellhousing from the 83 and the other stuff that might go with it?

 

#1, it was a 2.8 T5 car.
#2, no I sold all the 2.8 parts