The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 54 manual to powerglide

Hi all,
I have a line on a 54 powerglide that i would like to swap with my 54 manual tranny. Also available is the steering column and rear end. What problems may i run into? Would i need to swap the gears also? What about the drive shaft? Any input would be appriciated.

I know that the frame bracket will be needed also.

Don, Are you talking about the tranny support bracket?

As far as I know powerglides were not offered in trucks so you must be talking about a car transmission. I highly doubt the steering column would be of any use and the rear end will be 5 lug.

Ah, I'm not sure what it was on, he just has a 54 chassis with the draive train. It may be more trouble than it's worth.

Actually I have both a 54 chevy car and 54 3100 pickup. I breifly considered putting a powerglide in my 3100 pickup.

I found the 4 speed for a 3100 with bell housing and the Powerglide with engine plate were the same length and would accept the u-joint housing on the original rear dif. All you would need is a Powerglide engine plate and flex plate for the end of the drive shaft. The car shift linkage should adapt in just fine. You will most likely have to drill and tap 2 holes near the top of the steering column to mount the bracket where the shift lever attaches. A little swapping of parts and you would have a usable u-joint.

I decided against it because I didn't want to be limited in what I could haul. (It is a pickup after all.)

Hope this sheds some Light

Walt Williams
La Verkin, UT

Thanks for the info Walt.

I think i may just keep it as is for now, have fun driving it for a couple years, then maybe change it over when i do a frame off down the road.

Are you sure it's a powerglide? Is the chassis a car or truck? If it's a truck chassis that just my be a hydramatic, which was offered in '54 and that wouldn't be a bad swap at all.
DG

I know the Hydramatic was offered in 54, He said it was a powerglide. Not sure if it was a car or truck, but sounded like a car. He said i could have it for $30.00 so i figured i'd better jump on it.

There is one detail I forgot to mention and is you will need to fashion a cross member to support the rear of the Powerglide. A Powerglide's support is on the rear of the transmission.

And yes gentlemen we are talking about a Powerglide from a car that I am certain can be easily adapted to fit in a 3100 AD Chevy pickup.

Best of luck
Walt Williams
La Verkin, UT