The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Muncie to Saginaw Switch

Have a three speed Muncie with the column shifter on my '49 GMC. Was interested in perhaps swapping that out to a fully synchronized 3 speed Saginaw but want to keep the column shift. Can this be done and if so, how do you match up/alter the shift forks to make it work?

If you still have your torque tube in place Patricks conversion for the Saginaw will work on a 3 speed just the way it does on the 4 speed except you won't need to buy the shifter assembly.
Just disassemble the tranny, swap the mainshaft, install his custom designed torque tube tailhousing and put it back together.
I have an aquaintance that did just that to his truck so he could carry 3 people comfortably in his cab.

You may have to adjust the shifter linkage to make it work. It is pretty simple to do. Put the transmission and the shifter in the neutral position. Adjust the length of the linkage untill it is the proper length for the 2 shifter arms on the transmission. Shift through the gears and readjust as necessary. It take a little bit of patience.

Doesn's the Sag have a different shift fork set-up than the Muncie? How would the normal shift rods from the column shift box attach to the side cover forks (or whatever) of the Sag?

guess my experience was different. I replaced a side shifting 3 speed with another side shifting 3 speed in in my 59. I guess by your responce that you are starting with a top loader.