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Mod | | | Forums66 Topics128,087 Posts1,056,399 Members48,442 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 24 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 24 | Is there a syncro involved here? Double clutching required? I can downshift from 3rd to 2nd but not from 2nd to 1st. It grinds gears back into first. Any suggestions? Thanks! | | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,441 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 7,441 | Rolling or fully stopped?
Martin '62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress) '47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project) ‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily) ‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence) “I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one! Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop! USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)
| | | | | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 1,718 Moderator: 60-66 Trucks; North Eastern Bolters | | Moderator: 60-66 Trucks; North Eastern Bolters Joined: May 2007 Posts: 1,718 | There is no syncro. Need to be fully stopped to shift down to first in stock 3 speed. It is normal and something we live with. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,826 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,826 | If you want a synchronized 1st. gear, retro-fit a Saginaw 3 speed from a 66-up truck. It will also involve some tinkering with shift linkage if you want to retain the column shift and probably a change of driveshaft length/front yoke. The way to identify a Saginaw easily is the fact that it has 7 bolts, not 4, attaching the side cover to the transmission. The input shaft spline and bellhousing bolt pattern are a direct swap with the Muncie 3 speed. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 24 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 24 | Yes. Its from rolling. I will learn to live with it for sure. I', just glad I can stop trying to downshift to 1st. Its sounded like I was leaving gear teeth the road. Thank you all! | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,826 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,826 | The big sliding gear used in 1st. gear also engages with an idler gear to provide reverse. Neither one can be synchronized with the cluster gear without a complete redesign of the transmission. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 Crusing in the Passing Lane | | Crusing in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 | It is very east to learn to shift into 1st. from a rolling situation, it is called double clutching, find about it here and use, seldom really needed, however.
Ed
'37 GMC T-18 w/ DD 4-53T, RTO-610, 6231 aux., '95 GMC running gear, full disc brakes, power steering, 22.5 wheels and tires. '47 GMC 1 ton w/ 302, NP-540, 4wd, full width Blazer front axle. '54 GMC 630 w/ 503 gasser, 5 speed, ex fire truck, shortened WB 4', install 8' bed. '55 GMC 370 w/270, 420 4 speed, grain, dump bed truck from ND. Works OK.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,826 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,826 | When we were racing Brit sports cars like MGA's and Triumph TR-3's in autocrosses back in college in the early 1960's we had a trick for getting into their non-synchro 1st. gear when necessary- - - - -push the clutch in with the trans in second gear, lock up the brakes momentarily, and slap the shifter into 1st. while the driveshaft (and the cluster gear) were stopped. It's not that easy with a 3 on the tree due to the monkey motion you have to do with the shift lever from 2nd. to 1st. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 309 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 309 | You can doubleclutch into first with a three speed, but no synchros. | | |
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