Featured Technical How to convert a manual to automatic’63 Impala

3 on the trees are less desirable than automatics in X-frame Chevy's. The automatic makes for a great cruiser anyone can drive, and that drives demand for them higher.

Swapping a car because you want a different transmission is laughable.

 

Well these questions always bring out the bull shit artists and the haters of automatics.
There are no simple solutions and there are probably no cheap solutions.
If you stuck with a stick probably the least trouble would be a Saginaw or Muncie Full syncro 3 speed. I took one of those non syncro year unknown open drive 3 speeds out of my 48 and put a Saginaw full syncro in it and Think I had to swap yokes and modify the drive shaft. The result as far as driving it was fantastic though. Unless you are independently wealthy a Muncie 4 speed is going to take a bit number of your fun tickets these days. Plus a Hurst 4 speed shifter and attending kit and handle for a 64 won't leave money for good beer from 600 bucks if you can do it for 6oo these days. Probably around 2500 to put in a 4 speed to make some of these guys who think everyone they suggest something to is rich.

A powerglide is the closest to bolt in but you will be granny driving with it. A Turbo 350 makes a nice driver out of it and you don't even have to remove the clutch pedal. just put a strong spring on it and hook a switch for an air horn to it.
As far as switching to an automatic some of these guys are such haters of automatics that if you only had a right leg and no left leg they would tell you to put in a hand clutch rather than see you run an automatic. Meanwhile back in my street racing days I never got beat by a 383 Road runner with a 4 speed and never beat a 383 Road runner with an Automatic. Now my left leg hurts so much after driving a distance in the OT truck I drive that I am thinking about selling the 5 speed and adapter I have for my 48 and running an automatic. The ability of being to get out of the truck and walk without having my leg give out stands for something.

 

Depending on the engine, gear ratios were the same. Actually, the 3.36 rear end used with the 3-speed is the more "performance" ratio that they used with nearly everything (see below).

The next info below shows the different lengths of the front driveshaft for the different available transmissions.

 

I had a 63 SS 327 P/G car that was great. It wasn't a race car or a hot rod for that matter but was a great car to drive anywhere.

 

Please tell me you didnt have hitch and was pulling that trailer with your impala.

 

Too bad there wasn’t a tutorial or a YouTube video that I can follow exactly step by step . There’s one video that shows a truck being done but it doesn’t show every step and the cost.

 

If you're going stock, I think I'd try to find a parts car. They built a whole lot more cars with automatics than manuals, so finding one shouldn't be terribly difficult.

 

Nope........Clutch IN
Go to 2nd
IMMEDIATELY go to 1st
It won't grind
6sally6
Get a 4 speed...be a man !!

 

No I did pull a trailer with that car.
I do have a parts car but not sure where you are located.

 

Hope you grant dispensations to those who cant drive a stick any longer .

 

I have a 63 Impala 2dr hardtop, I went the other way I took out the power glide and put in a 4speed ,that was 30 years ago ,I still have it too.

 

I have a 4 speed in my 57. That being said, when I raced it in gas classes in the sixties, I had a modified torqueflite with a good converter. With the Chevy I would keep it a stick and replace the 3 speed with a 4 speed. If you have to go with an automatic, then at least use a 3 speed and not a powerglide.

 

IMO the only problem with the T5 is that the input shaft/countershaft gear interface is a kind of fuse behind an engine with a bit of torque. I'm not familiar with the GM torque ratings for the T5 trans they used but Ford's T5 ratings ranged from a low of 235 ft/lbs up to 325 ft/lbs. The difference is largely the inputs with the lowest geared (higher numerically) inputs with the lowest torque ratings. The 2.95 T5 trans have the highest torque ratings because of fewer input gear teeth, meaning that they are thicker and stronger than the gears with more teeth on them.

I would at least use a NWC T5 with the highest first gear ratio behind a 327 engine and put the S10 tail housing on it. While a S10 trans could survive it wouldn't leave a lot of room for playing around behind a V8 with some power and someone using it regularly.

 

First "job" me and my buddy took on was stick to auto switch. Another kid had a '59 Impala and didn't like the 4 speed. He picked up a 'glide, driveshaft, radiator, column, and just about every other piece out of a wrecked '59, even matching carpet without the shifter hole. Went good other than wrestling that iron trans up into place. If a couple high school kids can do it in '66; you shouldn't fear doing it today with all the resources we have now.

 

Short tail turbo 350 is a bolt in. You need a power glide column. Clutch pedal may unbolt. Don’t remember.

 

A full syncro 3 speed would probably be the cheapest and easiest. A 4 speed would definately be a step up in cool factor, for not alot more coin. JMO

 

I'm very much aware of that!
The wide ratio transmissions have a lower torque rating because the input gear has less teeth so the 2.95 T5 trans has a higher torque ratings because of greater input gear teeth [the other way round]

I've done a few S10 tailhousing swaps with 3rd gen Camaro T5s.
The best way to do this is start with 2 transmissionns and swap the gearsets [So the mainshaft .speedo drive, shifter, top cover, tailhousing stay together]
I've done this and replaced all the small parts, synchros, bearings on both then sold off the "FrankenT5" as a rebuilt unit.
But for @Eth727 this would be too much work for something he is not decided on yet.
A stock S10 T5 will handle a 250hp 327

If he wants to "beat it occasionally" It would be easier to use a BW Super T10 [use a "Y" code Super T10 with 2.88 1.74 1.33 1.00 ratios]
Done correctly with the correct choice of parts, a manual swap would cost less than an Auto swap.

 

I’m open to keeping it as it is since it make

well why in heck didn’t you guys video it and make a how to book ? I’m thinking totally stock auto impala and remove everything that’s trans

 

Sorry I got cut off there. Yeah gear ratios and all these numbers are beyond me. I just want to cruise. It’s hard as hell to parallel park on a steep hill in this thing. It doesn’t have power steering either. I also have a ‘60 impala auto power glide and that I can drive with one hand. My elderly mom can drive that car but not the ‘63.

 

If you want an automatic, by all means, put an automatic in it. Don’t let people you don’t know tell you how your car should be. This is not a difficult conversion. Just remember, it’s all just nuts and bolts. Off the top of my head, the main parts you need are-
1. Automatic transmission assembly
2. Flexplate
3. Starter motor for an automatic transmission
4. Transmission cooler or radiator with cooler built in
5. Cooler lines
6. Automatic steering column with linkage or a aftermarket floor shifter
7. Output slip yoke, yours might work?
8. There is a chance your driveshaft will have to be shortened, easy job for a driveline shop.
9. Transmission jack, Harbor Freight has a nice one, DO NOT TRY TO BENCH PRESS THE TRANSMISSION INTO PLACE.
I’m getting the impression that you might not be very experienced in auto mechanics, that’s completely fine, just remember WE ALL started out like that. You are lucky in that you have a car that is very easy to work on and even easier to get parts for. I don’t know where you live, but if you are close to me, this is a job I would help you with and be happy to teach you about.

 

If the car were mine, and my only gripe with the 3 speed was with the non-synchro low gear, and if I was working on a budget I'd consider going this route.

Find a good used Saginaw 4 speed trans and a basic floor shifter kit. Should be considerably cheaper than a Muncie or even a Borg Warner. The Saginaw will likely have a lower 1st gear than the 3 speed and will make the car a lot more fun to drive, especially in town.

Keep your column and just remove the shift lever. Probably no issues hooking up your speedo cable other than maybe having to change the speedo drive gear. No need to add a trans cooler. Not sure about the trans length or slip yoke. The money you save can go towards a new clutch, if needed. The Saginaw trans should hold up fine if you drive it like a normal person and don't have big sticky rear tires.

 

San Diego Cali

 

Yeah I just removed and replaced my 3 speed tranny by myself on a sloped driveway. I know I’m a dumbass. I’ll never do it on a slope ever again. I almost couldn’t it back in. Next time it’ll be on a level surface. This car is just going to be a cruiser, going 12 mi to work 2 days a week and in the future will be the car I teach my son how to drive in.

 

This would be the route I’d go if you can find one. The Sag 4 speed is probably as strong or stronger than the non synchro 3 speed, as long as you don’t do burnouts with sticky tires it will last a long time. If you can find a Chevy Monza or one of its sister cars you can get everything you need from it. Might be a bit hard since most of them rusted out years ago, but there are still some out there you can pick up for a song.

 

Welp..........the sloped driveway makes it easier to remove the tranny because you don't need to jack it up sooo high to drag the tranny out.
When installing the tranny....just turn the car around before you start !!
6sally6

 

Got it backwards again! Thanks for the correction! If there's a 50-50 chance I too often pick the wrong one to remember. The point is the same though, I would stick a modified V8 T5 behind a 327 rather than a S 10 unit. While the NWC S 10 unit will work fine behind that 327 I will bet it will fail after some clutch drops and other spirited abuse. I can understand if someone wants to risk it and drive a bit more restrained to save some $$$.

I've seen more than a few T5 autopsy results over the years so when I built a T5 to put behind my 351W I got a '95 Cobra spec case and built it with NOS 2.95 Tremec internals with brass pads and the rear bearing support. The stock spec Tremec rating is 330 ft/lbs so mine will survive nicely with some spirited driving and no clutch drops. I've beat it up a few times and am quite happy with it. I would have gone with a TKX but that came out after I built mine (darn!).

 

If you can get a Saginaw 4 spd from a 4 cyl Vega or Monza it will likely have an even lower 1st gear. You might be able to roll away from a dead stop at idle!

Also as I recall, the Vega/Monza trans used a shifter that bolted to the floor pan. There were no holes drilled or tapped to mount a shifter to the extension housing. But the bosses were cast into the housing and could be drilled and tapped as needed.

 

Sorry, I had to chuckle a little bit here. I just replaced the clutch in my car. Muncie 4 speed. Taking the Muncie out and back in was no big deal when a teen.

Now I hope it's the last clutch I ever need to replace.

 

That is like my 50/50 chance of winning the lottery [I either win it, or I don't ]

The swap is all down to $$$$ and what @Eth727 actually wants.
If he really wants an Auto [and I can understand this] a 6" tailshaft TH350 would be a good choice.
Powerglides are tooooooo slow off the line.

But to get the benefit of an auto ,he really needs to swap the rear to a higher cruising ratio [3.08 to 1] or he'll regret it on his first long open road trip.

If he does the column swap for the TH350, a power steering conversion would compliment this [at the same time]