The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 3 speed on the tree

Anyone have some experience with installing an open drive line and manual 3 speed (late 60's with syncro gears) and adapting it to work with my three on the column shifter linkage?
My '48 1/2 ton hasbeen sitting in the driveway too long!
I also installed a 235 and 85 blazer rear end 6 bolt to keep the wheels original. An 89 s-10 driveshaft fits nicely so that much is done.

I used a shiftbox (the one on the column close to the firewall) from a 51 Chevy Seadan. Buffallo makes an adapter for that box.

Spended some hours and a solid amount of 4 letter words by bending the rods, but it works.

(235/1959 3 speed OD/open driveline/58 pickup 6 lug rear)

thanks, maybe there is no easy way- just trial and error! I have a shiftbox already but just cant seem to get the linkage to line up- I cut the shafts off an old broken tranny and threaded the cut end to take a temporary small bolt til I get things working right then I will have them welded to the plates(sort of universal adapter plates from a 3speed floor shifter kit -another project) the plates have holes for multiple applications so sooner or later they will line up I do think I will have to bend the linkage

Hey, I removed a four-speed tranny and 'Blue-Flame Six' engine from my '59 Chevy 3200 P/U. If you can get to NW Arkansas, You can have this tranny (a floor-shift) at a good price.

Apache

Will the tranny bolt up to a '51 six or would I have to make/get an adapter? I am upgrading my '51 also and I have a 3-speed but would prefer a four. I live in MO and NW AR is fairly close.

Thanks
Ray

powerband - send me email regarding your situation. [email protected]

powerband - send me email regarding your situation. [email protected]

Supervega,
Any Saginaw or Muncie 3 and 4 speeds will bolt up to your '51's bellhousing. T-5's will also bolt up with some modifications to the front bearing retainer. The main thing you will need to worry about is if the clutch splines are the same, which is easy to fix.

4onthefloor,

sorry if this sounds too much like a Miss Universe queston:

during the sixties and seventies chevy used both the saginaw and muncie transmissions. if you had to choose between the two which one is superior and why?

That's like asking to choose between The Pope and Martin Luther. Both have their good and bad points. They should both stand up well to a 235 or 261 as long as they are in good shape, and both are pretty easy to get ahold of. It all depends on what gear ratios you want. I have a 3- groove Saginaw 4 speed ready to go into my truck, mainly because I stunbled across it and bought it for $50 rebuilt, but also because it has the exact wide range gear ratios I want to match up to the 3.07 axle also ready to install. Some people argue that Muncies are stronger, but that isn't necessarily true.

thanks 4 on the floor, i guess i need take a trip to oregon cause i cant seem to find any anywhere here in idaho. guess all the farmers wanted back then were 4 speeds with the granny gear.