The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 3 speed Exploded View Request

I found a couple old books with pics of my 3 speed tranny, but I need more detail and names of parts. Seems I'm gonna have to order a few things and since this is my first transmission rebuild, I need to know what I'm looking for, and talking about.
The trans came from a 1949 and is going in a 1954. I don't know how many years had the three speed but I hoped someone has a book that contains better pics than I do.
Thanks in advance for your time looking and help.

v8tvfarmgirl,

Here is a picture of a three speed.

http://chevy.tocmp.com/1929_54chevyparts/04/222a.htm

Stuart

I thought the 54's had an open driveshaft?????
If so then the 49 trans won't work because it's a closed shaft...Joe

Don't know if real pictures will help you but I documented my three speed rebuild in my webshots album linked below under Tranny Rebuild. Maybe that'll be some help.

The only difference in the 49 and the 54 was the tail housing. All of the gears and bearings were the same.

A 48-54 transmission rebuild manual would be quite helpful.

And, just in case some of the posts above are unclear, the 1954 1/2 ton 3-speed transmission might have a few different parts than earlier (48-53) Advance-Design 3-speed transmissions, but it is still interchangeable with earlier 3-speeds (including being used with the same length enclosed driveshaft).

Tim

The photo Automark linked to is a good one but it is the heavy duty Borg-Warner trans. You likely have the standard chevy built 3 speed.

They made the same standard 3-speed transmission from the 30's into the 80's, with only minor variations. For what it's worth.

Thank you everyone, you guys are so smart, that is why I love this site. My 54 definatley has the closed drive shaft, I had to swing back the rearend to get the trans out.
235 Fat Fenders, thanks for pointing out the tail housing difference, I don't have mine out from under my truck yet to compare them to, but we are hoping to use the main case of mine and put the good parts (gears, forks, synchronizer, rollers) from the 49. I'm hoping that saves a bunch of headaches.
tclederman -thanks for the link to classic parts, another place I hadn't heard of yet.
Thanks Everyone for your help, hope to be pulling the trans from the 54 in the morning and figuring all this out.

The pic you lead me to wasn't the trans I had, but through the link I found the one I've got. Thank you soooo much for that link! Now I can comfortable take apart my two transmissions, build one and be certain I have the parts in the right order. Thanks

If I remember correctly, the parts most likely to need replacement are the synchro rings.

v8tvfarmgirl,

If you are planning to remove the countergear and shaft, shown in the exploded view from atomarc, you need a stub shaft to hold the roller bearings in the gear while you assemble the shaft and gear in the case. The counter shaft may be held in place by snap rings, a pin or a bolt- I don't remember on your truck. The stub shaft is nothing more than a short counter-shaft that you use to load the roller bearings into the gear, then you push it out with the 'real' counter shaft. If need be, you can make a stub shaft from a wood dowel. The fit doesn't have to be precise- it only needs to hold the rollers in place while you return the gear and shaft to the case. There is also a set of roller bearings for the reverse idler gear. If memory is correct, the roller sets are different sizes, and a different number of rollers for the two shafts.

I should also point out that the numbers shown in the picture from atomarc are GM group numbers, not part numbers. The group numbers tell which section of the parts manual contains those particular parts. Part numbers then get you the specific part for your application.

Hope this helps.

Harvester

If you don't alreay have one a 54 Truck Shop Manual will be really handy. Available from the usual vendors that sell parts: Jim Carter, etc. They are worth what you pay for them. I think someone has already directed you to Keith Hardy's Ton of Info on The Old Car Manual Project site (chevy.tocmp.com) but here is the 54 truck manual anyway. Hope it helps.

Thank goodness I have this website and a great dad to help me understand what you guys are saying! We've got the exploded view, we got a plan, now I just need the body work to stop dropping so much rust so I can get back underneath the truck and get my trans out. I'll keep you guys posted on the progress as I get into it.
Here is the latest blog we shot the other night.
http://v8tvshow.com/content/view/495/85/

Kelle's '54 Chevy truck is becoming more solid by the day. This time, resto tech Randy Stange patches up the rusty floor in an unconventional act of auto recycling. All we can say is that the Camaro crowd may not like this one. In reality, no re-usable body panels were hurt in this fix, but the steel will go on living in the truck, and that's what really matters, right? The kick panels are gettin' the fix as well. Say goodbye to the Flintstone brakes!