The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline manual to powerglide? worth it?

Hey guys,

Would like your many and varied opinions. I have a 54 3/4 ton chevy truck. I swapped out the diff. with 4.11 gears. it has a 4 speed manual tranny on the floor. I have come across a 54 chevy powerglide transmission for free if i want it. It is my understanding that it would be a direct bolt up. They are only two gears, but mine is geared so low that you might say it only has two usable gears anyway. It would be nice to have an automatic and not have to worry about shifting. What do you guys think? would it be worth the trouble? would it be any better or worse as far as speed? Please let me know what all your thoughts are on it.

The only thing I can see is the Powerglide used a 3:55 axle ratio..... Not sure how that would affect anything or not. I too had wondered about this idea to for a 1953 1/2 ton pickup....

John

You would need to make sure you get it all with the Powerglide. The 235 engine used an "adapter" piece that bolted on to the engine block and the transmission bolted on to that then.

Doesn't the 1954 Powerglide still have an enclosed drive-shaft? The length of the torque-tube will be too short in a 3/4 ton truck.

A 54 would be designed for a closed drive shaft. You would be better off using a 1955-62 Power Glide in a 54 3/4 ton.
An even better option would be to put a 200 or 700R4 in it. These are overdrive transmissions. This would require a engine to trans adapter but a much better option.

The cast iron Powerglides from 1950-54 were enclosed driveshafts. The '53-54 are the better of the lot, they started out in low and upshifted to high themselves. The 1950-52 transmissions had to be manually shifted from low to high, or you just started out in high and let the torque converter slip like crazy and ooooooooooooozzzed away from a stop....LOL

John

I thought i had read that they were open drive shaft like on my 54. I could be wrong.

1954 3/4 ton and bigger trucks had fully open drive-shafts (1/2 ton trucks and cars still had enclosed drive-shafts).

The Specifications Manual shows the enclosed u-joint, lubricated from the transmission.

I must have been mistaken. It was free so i thought it might be an option, but thinking maybe i should just stick with my manual.

Hi everyone. I'd like to ask about powerglide transmissions,too. I have a 53 3100 with the standard 3 speed tranny. The 235 engine is shot (#1 and #6 cylinders have rusted together lifters and pushrods), so I found a replacement 235 engine. It came from a 1960 Impala and had the original powerglide attached to it. I got them both for just a little money. Then I read lots of negative stuff about the powerglide and started to wonder if it was worth the trouble and maybe I should just take the 235, remove the powerglide and mount it to the original 3 speed. Being a total novice at this, I really am not sure what to do and welcome everyone's thoughts/opinions.

A Powerglide has two gear ratios- - - -too low and too high, plus the cast iron version needs a set of overload springs just to haul the thing around. The later aluminum case Powerglide makes a good drag race or dirt track transmission if it's beefed up sufficiently to take the horsepower of a full house engine. I don't think the 60 Impala trans would be a good option for you- - - -just swap the bellhousing and flywheel and stick with the standard trans, or adapt the engine to a later-design transmission like a TH 350 or a 700R4 if you want to be a shiftless trucker!
Jerry

As far as I know the power glide won't work with the truck type rear crossmember mount. I think the car mount was at the transmission tail housing. So to use it you would have to get rid of the cross member. I think all trucks offered with the hydramatic had a removable rear crossmember, its the only way the automatic would fit.

If you want to enjoy a automatic transmission, the GM 2004R is a good choice. It's ratios are closer together and that will work better with your 235 than a 700R4. Adaptor plates are available to mount any automatic behind the old stovebolt engine.
Enjoy your truck.

Thanks for the information and suggestions everyone. I was hoping to make the switch from the manual trans to the automatic to save my clutch leg (arthritis), but think I'll have to wait awhile to do that since everyone agrees the castiron powerglide that I have isn't the best choice and I have virtually no budget to buy another automatic one right now. Maybe that is a future upgrade. If I can simply remove the bad engine and swap over the bell housing and flywheel to the replacement engine, I'll be a big step closer to getting it back on the road. I guess it makes sense to get a new clutch and pressure plate since everything will be apart?

I'd sure like to find a 53-54 Powerglide to try in for a fit. I see a 1952 engine and Powerglide advertised. John

I'm not sure the question was answered as far as speed. No it will not go any faster or slower. The rear end ratio determines the speed. Unless you install an overdrive be it an automatic as mentioned previously or a manual with OD you won't change anything. Your existing transmission is 1:1 in high gear and so is a PG.
Fred

My 3/4 ton has a short closed front section of the driveshaft to a carrier bearing, back of that is open drive. The cast iron powerglide would not be worth it and all the ones I've had were FREE because they are not worth a dime. Modern overdrive automatic would be wonderful in your truck, just need to purchase an adaptor. Check out adaptors at Langdon's Stovebolt site. Also what ever you go with set it up with a carrier bearing as original to be safe. A friend of mine totaled his 3/4 ton truck after installing a long one piece driveshaft which came apart and pole vaulted his truck off the road.