Thanks Ted for posting the information about Transmissions by Gene. Do you have a vintage automatic transmission or just having fun with GM history while on vacation in Salinas? I went on Gene's website and found he has many photos of old transmissions in the "Examples" section. I was impressed that all rebuilt transmissions have a five year warranty. The next time I drive up north, I am going to visit Gene's shop. I have a 1954 five window 3100 with the original hydramatic trans and Patrick's ring and pinion gears. The hydramatic is really a fun transmission to drive. The trans has the old 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4 gear selector so you can control how many times it shifts. The trans shifts up quickly through the gears. The Chevy truck manual says to use the 1-3 range when driving in town to prevent shifting into 4th gear at lower speeds. The gear selector shifts without the detents or clicks felt when shifting later automatic transmissions. I don't have any problem keeping up with the California freeway traffic with the hydramatic and Patrick's gears. I like having old timers with experience work on vintage transmissions. Just had the two speed aluminum powerglide in my 1963 Impala project wagon rebuilt at Ohta-Matic Transmissions in Anaheim. They don't rebuild hydramatics anymore. The son runs the shop now but when an old powerglide trans needs a rebuild, the original owner, Grandpa Ohta, comes in to inspect and assemble the trans, when everything is ready. The son says his dad did several powerglides a day when the powerglides were plentiful. Cost me $600 plus hard parts = total $680. Drove it on a 3700 mile trip in September, pulling a 14' 1950 travel trailer, and it worked perfectly.
Last edited by truckcamper43; 11/09/2011 5:46 PM.
