The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1958 Chevy 4400(Thor) NV4500 Swap

I am just getting back to posting more on this transmission swap. I have completed this project and logged some serious miles on the NV4500, a round trip from South Georgia to Columbia South Carolina with out a hiccup. I'll try to bring everyone up to speed on this so just stand by..

Once I had the bellhousing and transmission case indexed I was on to the task of getting everything cleaned and rebuilt. During the initial tear down I identified some parts that were going to be replaced. The front bearing retainer was deeply grooved and the reverse idler shaft had a broken ear on the bearing surface. I made the decision to replace the synchros and dogs just as a precaution. The majority of the parts and pieces are reproduced and readily available. I ordered the small parts kits and complete rebuild kit from Allstate Gear. They were extremely helpful and knew a great deal about the transmission. I found several YouTube sites that added some much needed insight to the project. Torque King 4x4 and Long Range Gear were two of the sites that helped me the most. Their tips and insight to assembly were tremendous.

The one thing I must stress is get the parts clean, it will help so much in the reassembly. A good thorough inspection is a must. If you have any question about a parts serviceability I recommend you replace it. The peace of mind is well worth it. Use quality parts, OEM is still available for many parts, with some of these companies actually reproducing their own components. Pay special attention to the lubricants you use. The wrong Gear Oil will eat these transmissions alive. There is currently only one producer of the proper spec Gear Oil. Redline MT-85 is the only product on the market that meets OEM specs. More on that later, here is the tear down.