Gday all, ive got a 1953 Aussie built 1100 1.5t truck he is all pretty original running gear and engine. Im looking for options on a 5 speed box as the old 4 speed revs is [censored] out on the main roads. Im in Australia so some parts are hard to find, but keen to hear what conversions people have done? Ive read a few post from a while back stating the NV4500 is a great box to use? If so who has fitted one to their 235m
Pic of Randy to get ya going.. cheers
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I used a ranger torque splitter in my 58 Viking 60. It goes between trans and bellhousing. I thought about a NV4500 when I had my 59 Suburban but, with all the little changes, (clutch, electric speedo, and that trans not as bulletproof as SM420 or 465, I left the Suburban alone.
I tried to put a nv4500 in a 51 coe with a 1954 235 engine . It would not work because of an issue with the bellhouseing. If I remember correctly the bellhouseing on the engine did not fit the nv4500. And you could not use the the nv4500 bellhousing because it did not fit the engine.I would like to know more about the toque splitter. Like what are they used on? Or where could you get 1 ?
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)
Ranger Torque splitter was bought out by Advanced Adapters, they still sell gaskets but have discontinued selling the unit. I found mine used. It is similar to a brownie box in function, but goes in front of the trans instead of behind.
G.M. used New Process 540 transmissions both direct & overdrive models. (An uncle had a '66 GMC 4000 351 V6 with O.D. , another had a "66 C60 366 with a direct 5th.
540GO14 6.05:1 1st
3.31:1 2nd
1.84:1 3rd
1.00:1 4th
0.82:1 5th
6.86:1 Rev
Last edited by BC59; 11/15/20219:03 PM.
BC 1960 Chevy C10 driver 261 T5 4.10 dana 44 power loc 1949 GMC 250 project in waiting 1960 C60 pasture art Retired GM dealer tech. 1980 - 2022
An overdrive GM NP540 is a good option if you can find one, and if it has the smaller input retainer (later ones have the larger input retainer that won't fit your bellhousing). I have two of the GM units, but neither are overdrive and one has the smaller bearing retainer and one the larger.
I put an NV4500 in mine using the stock bellhousing and clutch setup. I had to get a plate made by a machinist, a dodge gas input shaft and front bearing retainer, and that was about it. I'll link to my project below.
550’s are OK, however, to get OD, the third gear position is removed, so shifting skips that ratio which limits on to second gear if one has a load. Short GM input shafts are not available, however GM used a special bell housing that takes the long input shaft and 14” clutch, I have one if anyone needs the casting number.
If one finds an early 4500, it will come with stock GM bolt pattern and right length input shaft, or use Dodge input shaft and 1” thick adapter plate as member just above did.
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.
550’s are OK, however, to get OD, the third gear position is removed, so shifting skips that ratio which limits on to second gear if one has a load. Ed
Should have mentioned that point, 540GO has the same ratios 1 - 3 as the 540GD (direct), 1st - 6.05:1 , 2nd - 3.31, 3rd -1.84. in the direct 4 is 1.17 : 1. Having that gear just under direct is what give the pulling power the OD unit lacks.
BC 1960 Chevy C10 driver 261 T5 4.10 dana 44 power loc 1949 GMC 250 project in waiting 1960 C60 pasture art Retired GM dealer tech. 1980 - 2022
550’s are OK, however, to get OD, the third gear position is removed, so shifting skips that ratio which limits on to second gear if one has a load. Short GM input shafts are not available, however GM used a special bell housing that takes the long input shaft and 14” clutch, I have one if anyone needs the casting number.
If one finds an early 4500, it will come with stock GM bolt pattern and right length input shaft, or use Dodge input shaft and 1” thick adapter plate as member just above did.
Ed
The early NV4500's do not bolt up to older bellhousings. You would have to drill and tap the case to make either the early or late case work with an older bellhousing. GM made aluminum bellhousings that will bolt to the early ('93-'95) nv4500's, and they made aluminum bellhousings that will bolt to the later cases ('96-'07).
NP540's were used in stock GM applications with GM bellhousings. The two I have have the short GM input shaft and bolt up to the same cast iron bellhousing that an sm420 will bolt up to.
You are correct that the issue with the OD versions of these transmissions are that the 3-4 gap becomes very large.
Liquidated my projects Now looking for a decent '47-'55.1 3100, 3600, or 3800
Gday all, ive got a 1953 Aussie built 1100 1.5t truck he is all pretty original running gear and engine. Im looking for options on a 5 speed box as the old 4 speed revs is [censored] out on the main roads. Im in Australia so some parts are hard to find, but keen to hear what conversions people have done? Ive read a few post from a while back stating the NV4500 is a great box to use? If so who has fitted one to their 235m
Pic of Randy to get ya going.. cheers
[img]http://https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/kCHbBuhOp7BD Valid until 16 Nov 2021[/img]
Another option you could consider would be to source a different rear axle. A dana 80 from a '91-'02 C3500HD will be a very close fit. I think the spring perches are about the same width. They have the same lug pattern (10 on 7.5"), but the hub diameter is too large for the old wheels. If it were me, I'd source one of those axles, take the hubs and one of my old wheels to a machine shop, and have them turn down the hub to make the wheels fit over them. Then you'll have an axle that has plenty of gear ratio options all the way down into the low 3's, and you can use your stock wheels. It's also an 11,000lb axle, so you can still load it up and work with it.
Liquidated my projects Now looking for a decent '47-'55.1 3100, 3600, or 3800
Do you have a shop near you that does custom machining? A bell housing to engine adapter or a transmission to bell housing adapter should not cost more than a thousand dollars even at a high end shop. We do our own first out of plywood (much cheaper than aluminum) and then transfer to steel or aluminum. I had a sign over my desk in my old shop that stated, "We can mount a 450 Cummins on a skate board if you have the Cummins, the skate board, and cash". On my straight eight Buick the Dynaflow transmission parts are scarce and pricey so I made a Chevy to Buick bell housing adapter as 55 and newer Chevy engine/trans parts are nearly universal. I consider front bearing retainer bell housing hole size to be a non-problem as well as input shaft length or size.
Chevy bell housing to straight eight Buick adapter made with common parts and $600 lathe 40 years ago and still working:
