3 speed manual, w/ electric overdrive???

[Bonnewagon]

Yeah, I thought that trans in the ad looked like a 50's truck trans or something. But hey, how about that CJ Baker article? Remember him? He was tech editor for Hot Rod mag many moons ago. He could answer any question you had, as long as it was about a Big Block Chevy.

 

[my86442]

Yeah, I thought that trans in the ad looked liker a 50's truck trans or something. But hey, how about that CJ Baker article? Remember him? He was tech editor for Hot Rod mag many moons ago. He could answer any question you had, as long as it was about a Big Block Chevy.

yea i talked to the guy earlier and he said its out of a 55-60 chevy truck. he said it worked great when he pulled it. only has like 40,000 on it. all new bearings, seals and sycronizers. the electric solenoid has been replaced and so were all the gaskets. Its definatly an older man that owns this transmission and sounds knowledgable about it.
I remember my uncle talking about CJ Baker when I was a kid. the first time he asked me to go get his books with CJ Baker inside, Id bring him the phone book it wasnt till he planted it in my head that he was in the hot rod magazine and his articles would help him when he was putting BBC motors in Volkswagons and such. Alot of my uncles cars and my first engine build with my uncle was out of a CJ Baker article. I love those old mags.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Well I guess it would work pretty well behind a normal motor, nothing sick. I couldn't see where the trans crossmember mount is but the front ears look exactly like a Saginaw so it should fit any older GM bellhousing. Gotta admit it's pretty unique.

 

[my86442]

the guy said he had 2. one of which was already in a 49 chevy with a 350 out of a 70 Cheyenne. He said the bell housings back in the mid to late 50's was a little different to what everyone raves about now. What he meant by that i have no clue but Im going to look at it tomorrow and see if i cant get some closer pics of it and try to make a deal with him.

 

[martin.ca]

You guys should check out the Gear Vendors website. They'll make Overdrives for almost anything...

 

[my86442]

You guys should check out the Gear Vendors website. They'll make Overdrives for almost anything...

Ive heard of these things. EXPENSIVE AS HELL. The come out with an over drive set up back in 2006 or 07 i think. I was looking at a set up that botls up to take the place of the rear housing on my 350 turbo in my monte. I think it was priced to me for 4 grand! Its spose to shift in between shifts of the transmission at the push if a button. the trans shifts than you press the button, and so on till the transmission completes the cycle.

 

[Bonnewagon]

I have seen only one old bellhousing up close, in a '55 Chevy. It was cast iron, and the clutch Z bar mount was bolted to the block unlike the block ball stud we use on our cars. But it had a Muncie trans on it with NO crossmember mount! Those motors had four mounts, two in front and two on the sides, and the transmission just hung there in space. If you decide to pull the trigger on this deal, I would bring along a bellhousing to test fit, and if it doesn't, maybe he has one that will.

 

[DRIVEN]

Gear Vendors has been around for a long time and make a nice product. Not cheap though. This old overdrive unit in the ad is more of a resto piece or a novelty. It's really not a great option for a more modern vehicle. It's not very strong, parts are expensive, has no first gear synchros, requires several external components to work properly, will need a custom shifter, etc, etc. Here are some other overdrive options:
-T5 5speed. Cheap, compact, self contained.
-MY6/A833 New Process. Very strong, standard sized, uses "normal" shifter, bolts in place of TH350/TH200.
-Corvette 4+3. Push button automatic overdrive, common T10 transmission, "normal" shifter, fairly compact.
-T56. Self explanatory.
-Ford SROD/RUG Toploader. Similar in concept to MY6/A833. Can be used behind a SBC using Jeep (Iron Duke) bellhousing. There is also a BOP bellhousing IIRC. There used to be scattershields that were SBC/Toploader but I don't know if they are still made.