Technical How to convert a manual to automatic’63 Impala

Hey guys I’ve got a ‘63 Impala w/3 speed column shift. I was thinking of making it into an automatic transmission. I would be doing all the labor. I just need the information and which parts I’d need to acquire.
Thanks

 

Parts needed would depend on what transmission family you intend to go to. PowerGlide? TH350-400? 700r4? Other? Aftermarket floor shift?

 

Parts:
Muncie 4 speed
Hurst or original GM shifter.
Cruise the gut in style!
My 64 was a 3 speed /column originally, the Muncie swap made it much more fun to drive.

 

Hope @Moriarity doesn't see this since "automatics are for sissy's" or something like that But seriously my vote would be for one with overdrive. But that of course depends on how/where you plan on driving.

 

Pay it forward. If you still have the auto you could shuffle it on to @Eth727 ......

 

If you go to a TH350, depending on tailshaft length you may be able to use the same driveshaft without shortening. It has been a while since I looked all that up though. Do you want a column shift or floor shift? It's pretty simple really, the things you need to buy/sort out are:

• Transmission
• Transmission mount
• Shifter
• Flex plate
• torque convertor
• remove clutch pedal (could swap to the bigger automatic brake pedal if desired and if you can find the parts)
• Shifter (replace column with column shift version or go with floor shifter)
• Kickdown/tv cable bracket for carburetor
• Kickdown/tv cable
• Electronic controller (if newer trans)
• Lockup controller (if lockup convertor)

There are a lot of options on how to do it. Do you want a stock appearance or custom appearance?

Oh yeah, is your car a 6 cylinder or SBC? I think in 1963 they both share the same bellhousing bolt pattern.

 

Neutral safety switch? Don't know how they were rigged up on a '63.

 

attached to the column, inside the car

 

You can convert your column shift to an automatic with a lokar kit. I did it with a chrome swap meet 3 speed column.
I never got used to driving a “three on the tree” if I had your car I would keep the 3 speed and change to a floor shift. That would be fun to drive.

 

Column shift 3 speeds are fun....although you have to get a feel for how to deal with the non-synchronized low gear in those old ones....

I've had several of them in the last several years.

 

The thing is it’s a SBC 327 V8 non synchro tranny. It must be completely stopped to go into 1st gear. Most of the time I just keep it in 2nd and roll through a stop sign.
Sometimes a squid in a Challenger tries to race me but I gotta drive it like a grandpa and shift it slow cuzz it’s 3 on the tree.

 

I was thinking totally stock automatic power glide. Is the whole steering column easy to remove? I saw they have whole auto columns on eBay. Can I keep my rear diff and drive shaft? I just had it balanced and rebuilt.

 

Shaft itself should be the same. But slip yoke will need swapped. I actually have a 1963 Saginaw sitting next to my car lol

 

Depending what transmission you get, you'll need to shorten the driveshaft, I think. They had shorter transmissions in those cars, compared to the mid 60s and later ones.

you might want to do some looking/measuring. Most of the later GM automatics are about 27" from the back of the engine block, to the end of the tail housing.

and the splines changed from coarse to fine about 1965

 

Put a 4 spd in and call it a day..... Seriously.

 

I went from powerglide to TH350 in my 62 Bel Air and would do it over and over again. Don't bother with a 2-speed, put a 3-speed in it, hook it up to a stock automatic column and have fun.

The rear diff doesn't care what's in front of it. The front section of the driveshaft may need to be shortened. Mine did.

 

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a11646461/what-is-double-clutching-and-how-does-it-work/

 

I had a 210hp, 2 barrel 327, powerglide in a bone stock 2 yr OT car I bought for my wife. 3.08 gears. I pulled the pg out and put a 200 4R in. Best thing I ever did. If your car’s a keeper, look close at that. You’ve got a 4 barrel if I read your previous posts correctly, so a little more hp, probably a little lower gear with the 3 sp. should be fine even with a little heavier car.

You’ll need to do a column change, and a couple common mods on it for the 200, and get the “right” brackets for the Carter. Learn how to set the TV cable. Probably a drive shaft and certainly a yoke. But straight forward and a nice livable combination. Mostly common parts.

Or someone here could tell you what later model 3 sp with syncro low will work. New bushings in the 3/tree, and learn how to drive it. Guys I knew with bench seats even taught the girlfriend how to shift and put a necker knob on.

 

I would think a stick car (even a column 3 speed) is more desirable than a PG. This being the case, I'd consider swapping cars rather than transmissions.

In regards to the "non-synchronized" low gear, learn about double clutching.

Wanting a PG? What is this forum coming to?

 

Install a NWC T5 from a S10, it will bolt up to the bellhousing and crossmember [the crossmember will need to moved rearward 1.8"]
You will need to change the clutch plate to match the input spline and driveshaft yoke [TH350 spline] and also shorten the driveshaft 2"
The NWC S10 T5 has a mechanical speedo , and the shifter position will clear the bench seat [5 on the floor]


Now the S10 T5 has a lower geared countershaft so 1st, 2nd, and 3rd are lower geared and the 5th gear is only 0.86:1.
This ratio gets a lot of criticism [and people swap the internals]
But it is easier to swap out the rear diff head to a 3.08:1 and keep the S10 ratios [dropping back from 0.86 [5th] to 1.0 [4th] is a good freeway passing gear.

The S10 low ratio 1st gear really compliments a 3.08:1 rear

This would make your Impala a fun and easy car to drive [and it will cruise at 2670 rpm at 75mph

 

Can I put it without modifying the driveshaft? I just spent $350 to get rebuilt and balanced.

 

If memory serves me correctly a muncie 4 spd should bolt right in . might have to change the yoke depending on the spline count. It will be way easier than an automatic swap and way more fun. Also the car has gearing setup for a manual trans so it will work fine.

 

The front half of the driveshaft would have to be shortened. The 1958-64 three speed manual transmission is very short.

 

I believe that is correct . the 55-57 3 spd is longer. But regardless the driveshaft has to be shortened for any automatic.

 

If “rebuilt” means new u joints both ends, straight and balanced, the shortening and rebalancing won’t be that much. You’ll might find a yoke uses the same bearings (the Chevy guys here will know). So all is not lost.

I learned the same way, pretty close to 50 years ago. It really helps to have a plan before you start. I still occasionally have to kick myself because I forgot that.

 

Don't forget cooler and matching speedo gear.

 

If you can find a 4 speed with course spline output shaft drive shaft may work.

 

63 would have a power glide option. I have a parts car that has a th350 hooked up in it.