The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Converting a '54 Hydramatic ?

I just picked-up a '54 3/4 ton chassis & running-gear that is an original Hydramatic set-up.


Would like to know if it is possible to remove the Hydro and swap-on the bell-housing, flywheel, clutch. etc from a "stick" engine and use a manual tranny behind it ?

I want to use this engine in my '54 stick truck, but also don't want to bugger-up an unmolested Hydro outfit...

Am I headed for trouble here ?

:confused:

Thanks...

(PS: I did a search here on "Hydramatic", and read many of the threads, but still have some questions:

1) Can I mate the Hydro 235 engine/crank to a stick bell-housing ? ( I would save all the Hydro parts to go with the engine, for future generations...)

2) Should I leave this matching/working engine-tranny well-enough alone and find another 235 ?

3) I bought this "pile of junk" because I thought I could make use of it/ knew it deserved a better fate than the torch... but I want to be "responsible" with this running gear... help me avoid doing something dumb...

Thanks! )

The 4 speed hydros typically used a common main case & the front casting was like an adapter to mate it to a whatever engine & also they used a variety of output shafts & extension housings. These same trans. were used with a wide variety of motors. Ford put them in their Lincolns. Kaiser, Nash, & Hudson along with other builders such as mail trucks. Military tanks used two, one on ea. engine. A busy trans. shop would keep a few main boxes built up & put on the front or rear part as required to give a customer a 1-day exchange. That being said, I've never converted a truck but I feel sure if you compare the back of your block with another, you'll find them the same. Doug