Throttle cable conversion

Finally took the time to do a much needed upgrade to the 65. The previous owner that installed the V8 was pretty inventive with the throttle hook-up but it didn't operate very smoothly. They had used a combination of the original rod from the accelerator and a motorcycle cable from there up to the carb linkage to pull the throttle open.

The pic is a little fuzzy but this is where they attached the motorcycle cable to the rod from the accelerator right after it went through the radiator support.




The motorcycle cable ran from there up to the home-made adjuster and attached to the carb linkage.


I replaced that setup with a five foot Jeg's push-pull cable and quick connect end fittings. The Jeg's setup looks a whole lot cleaner and I can't believe how much smoother the throttle operates. It's like driving a different van. Total cost for the cable and end fittings was a little over $100 and I had to fab some brackets to hold the cable but it was well worth it.













Next on the list is to clean up the doghouse wiring and a three wire alternator, along with giving that greasy 283 a bath.

Nice job Mike,does look alot better & I would trust that set up. Anything new with the Sportvan??

I totally agree Tom.That is neater and trust worthy Mike,looks good.
Yeah bud,give us an update on window van.

The window van is in cold storage . It's also disabled at the moment after the incident with the racoon!!!!!!!!! Uncle Earl (another member here) came to visit a few weeks back. While he was here we were talking about radiators and looking in the doghouse of the window van. Apparently when I closed the van up I forgot and left the doghouse lid open. About a week or so later I went out to start it and when I opened the door I was looking at Mr. Racoon who was resting on one of my Fiero seats. He had also tried to eat the top half of the same seat . Not sure how long he had been in there but he had trapped himself by knocking the doghouse lid shut. After chasing him out of the van I started it up to run for a little. I went back in the garage for a few then went back to check on it and found a large puddle of oil underneath but the engine wasn't making any unusual noise yet so I quickly shut it off. It's been to cold here for me to check for sure but Mr. Racoon must have broken the plastic line that feeds the oil pressure gauge (I HOPE) on his way in the van. So right now the window van is tucked under the carport behind the garage with a large puddle of oil under it and a half eaten Fiero seat inside.

Nice work

I like the vintage "chevrolet" valve covers.
The racoon story is funny.
M1D

Yea I had one living in the 66 Sportvan & 65 from Cail(before I put in windsheld )at the barn in Woodburn. It ate the seat foam in the 66(real nice bed) & some of the packing foam Mark had used for parts. Worst part it was using the right rear corner for it crapper.

Finally warmed up enough today to check the damage on the window van and it was what I suspected. Mr Racoon broke the plastic tubing that feeds the oil pressure gauge. Got all the oil cleaned up(about 3 qts.) and plugged the block with an old sending unit for now until I bring it back in the garage.

Good to hear thats all it was, You check for coon poo(LOL) Is that a non mod 1st gen doghouse on your van??

Tom I cleaned the poo out the same day I ran the racoon out. Wasn't to bad, about three different places.

The doghouse on the 65 was modified when the V8 was installed. They didn't do to bad of a job but eventually that's on the list to redo.

wideload,went to the throttle cable set up in august and it works great. Bill

I'm really pleased with mine Bill. The old setup that was in it just had to much drag to it. Like I said earlier, it's like driving a different van.

That van would look really cool - with that Racoons tail flying high from the antanna=)

I had to do a custom set up for mine..

Nice setup Van Halen !!!!!!!

Twin I'm saving the racoon tail for the '66 window van. That's the one he was in.

nice job Mike. Even stock the throttles are kind of hokey--too many parts. That looks much more secure. Also, good to see double springs on the throttle at the carb. Nice fail safe.

Happy New Year, Mark

These are some really nice throttle set-ups. The stock linkage sure does have room for improvement. Has anyone done a cable set up on a stock 6 cyl with the one barrel carb?

Wide load did a nice job on his V-8.Surely somebody has or will do/show theirs on here.
Not to thread jump but,welcome to the site Farmer.Where is Randolph? It aint on the map bud.lol Glad to see another Tennessean here.

Welcome Farmer, Nightmoves, Randolph is over on my end of the state. Around the Atoka-Munford area. Kinda close to my fathers hometown of Drummonds TN.

Farmer, I just junked a 67 with a 230 but I don't believed I saved the ballencer you needed in your other post. I do know of a yard that will have plenty of them. It's about 60 miles from you. PM me if I can be of some help.

Duane in Tennessee.

Thanks for the welcome guys! Randolph is a small historic community located on the Mississippi river, upriver from Drummonds, and NW of Munford/Atoka. Some great history of this area including Fort Wright, powder magazine, N.B.Forrest,,,old and quite,,,just the way we like it! I've been here for 23 yrs now and call it home. I saw Wideload got his 66 sportsman from Munford, how I missed it I don't know?
Back on topic: I believe a cable could be used, the hard part would be finding a spot on the engine for mounting a bracket. This will be a project on the never ending list of to do's, but first my balancer problem has to be addressed.

Welcome Farmer !!! My 66 came from Munford, but that was about two years ago. Don't know if it was advertised locally or not. The former owner was a member here at the time and that's how I found it.

Wideload you're 66 was a nice find. I know of a 66 sport sitting in a backyard. I've called the guy every month for the past six months and he still hasn't made up his mind but I think I'm wearing him down. It's a rough one but salvageable.
Thanks for the welcome!

Not an L6 but heres something to look at anyway.






Some one elses van with a factory engine, I think



M1D

M1D thanks for the pics. Your set up with the pull cable...is that a boat cable? The pull throttle set up is what I'm thinking would have to be used on the 6 cyl. I was just given a complete engine so it might make it a little easier to make a bracket for the engine side.

Just some food for thought, but I used a throttle cable off an 86 Fiero for a puller. My pedal is out of a P/U truck but something like M1's setup might work with it ? Maybe Im over concerned, but I have doubts about these long cables in very cold temps if someone was using them as a daily driver, Our big loaders use them on nearly everything and they have a tendacy to get a bit stiff acting in freezing weather, also things like those small amphibious vehicles use a heated cable housing to overcome that problem. If the cable was all up in the DH and not sticking out in the cold air like our setup require Im sure it wouldnt be an issue at all. And maybe it isnt,, LOL, JM2C

I hear your concern there Digz. I was considering using a steering cable off a jetski I've been robbing parts off of. These cables are pretty robust, all stainless, prelubed and sealed at both ends. We're suppose to get some of that cold weather here this week, I think I'll throw that cable in one of the water troughs and see what happens. I hate breakin ice!!