Before the two halves can be pushed together, the control tubes must be modified. At the rear access cover, measure how far the clutch and accelerator tubes extend out behind the chassis and then cut them away (not off) from the bracket that holds them to the tunnel. Remove the rubber grommet where the fuel line sticks out of the rear transmission fork. When the halves get pushed together, these lines will be pushed back and extended further out the holes from which they currently protrude. Cut off the tubes that are used to control the heater vents (unless you live in Canada). Use the sawsall with a long blade (12") to reach into the rear section of the tunnel and cut the bracket that holds the gas line.

The emergency brake tubes require some special consideration. What you do next depends on whether you can obtain or make shortened emergency brake cables. To make shortened cables you must obtain new cable ends and have them swaged onto the shortened cables with a special tool (this might be accomplished at a yachting supply company).

If you can get shortened cables, you want to keep the tubes intact all the way up to the rear of the hand brake cable opening. Measure the distance from the forward tunnel cut to the front of the emergency brake tubes. Mark this distance on the emergency brake tubes from the rear tunnel cut and sever the tubes at this point. Use the sawsall to cut the bracket inside the tunnel just behind the emergency brake lever hole and then remove the short sections of the tubes. Then put a hose clamp around the front of the remaining emergency brake tubes so they will come together just behind the brake handle when the pan halves are shoved together.

If you can not get shortened cables, the full length cables will be used and coiled up inside the tunnel. In this case cut the emergency brake tubes just behind the front tunnel cut leaving the short section attached under the rear of the brake handle. Next cut the emergency brake tubes about eight to ten inches inside the rear pan section and remove the loose pieces of tubing. Use the sawsall to enlarge the rear tunnel access hole (not larger than the size of the cover plate) so that it is possible to get your hand in there later to coil the cable and put on cable clamps.

It is now possible to push the two pan halves together. Keep the halves well supported so that they do not fall and bend the tubing. While pushing the halves together, carefully pull the clutch, accelerator, and fuel lines out of their respective openings. When the halves are together, check for any mismatches that may need to be ground off with a welding grinder. It is now time check for alignment again. Use the bubble level to adjust the top of the tunnel at the front and rear as was done earlier.

Level the front of the chassis by using the straight edge across the top of the front shock towers. Level the rear of the car using a straight edge across the rear cast suspension mounts. Make the criss-cross measurements to verify that the chassis is straight.

There should be no more that 1/16 inch separation at the tunnel joint. If there is more than that, slide the halves apart and use the welding grinder to remove excess metal. At the corners there will be up to 1/2" mismatch due to the difference in the shape between the front and rear halves. We will heat the corners with a torch and bend them into place during the welding. Put the halves back together and re- measure. The halves can be put together under tension by using pipe clamps between the hand brake hole and the access hole on the top of the tunnel. The bottom can be put under tension by attaching a "come-along" under the pan from the front suspension to a chain attached to the rear forks.

Once the halves are tightly together and aligned, the welding process can begin. Tack weld the top center of the tunnel and then the straight sections of the tunnel sides where they are evenly matched. Now use an oxygen-acetylene torch to heat the mismatched sections and beat them into place with a hammer. Alternate between welding and heating with the torch until the tunnel is completely welded on the top side. There may be up to 1/2" gap where the two floors meet at the bottom edge of the tunnel. This will require some extra heat and a 5 pound hammer to get the edges close enough to weld. Now turn the chassis over and weld the bottom edge of the tunnel together.

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