With many of their electronic fuel injection conversions, Howell EFI includes a drive-by-wire (DTW) pedal assembly that must be mounted in the new vehicle to control the throttle. DTW first appeared in Corvettes back in 1997 with the dawn of the C5 models delivering far improved throttle response than the previous cable-driven systems. By 2005-2007 almost GM vehicles switched to the DBW wire system, which delivered these benefits to all LS-powered vehicles in their line up. The beauty of this system for enthusiasts is that they can place the throttle pedal in any position they like as long as the wiring harness has enough length to reach the new positioning. In addition, they can be combined with traction control and ABS completing a state-of-the-art vehicle control system.
Without most recent installation, removal of the original throttle pedal was a terrific move since the years of wear on the original parts meant their future was limited. After unbolting the original mount, it was clear that the new DBW pedal system would not mount cleanly to the flooring and allow the pedal to move and operate properly.
After a quick call to the Howell Tech line, it was clear that a custom pedestal is required to properly mount the pedal. Researching the program further, a call to Steve Rupp, editor at Chevy High Performance Magazine netted his solution, which delivered not only proper pedal operation but excellent toe-heeling ergonomics. Bottom line, creating a plate to mount the DBW system is as unique as you want it to be. Here is an example of the solution used for Rupp’s Camaro – yours could be different.
