I'm looking for an overdrive for my 52 chevy g***er, I want to be able to drive the car drive able and retain SOME milage. Car has a 406 that will be in the 375-400hp range, with probably 400+ torque. I want a manual, cause it's g***er, but t56's are a bit high in price. I know of the 55-64 (?) Muncie, and the 65-70 saginaw, but most say they wont holt the power. I've been doing alot of research, and most say that an old ford t85/t89(not a t86/98) will hold, but finding one is getting more difficult. The other option was the a833 chevy used in the 80s. They say it should hold, has an overdrive 4th, but is even harder to find. Last option is a nv3500. Much easier to find, not to expensive, but questionable to that much power. I'd much rather have an older cast 3 speed o.d., much more period correct. Are there any more options? Is it possible to adapt the mopar version of the 833 to a sbc without spending too much?
I have a Tremec TKO600 in my coupe they are super nice but pricey. Maybe you can find a deal on a used one.
I would like something like that, but their gears must be made of gold because used ones are quite expensive also, at least that I've seen
a little more money but you can bolt a gear vendors OD to any of the 60's 4 speeds like from a camaro. gives you a much better close ratio spread and will take the HP all day long. just finished the install of one in my 68 Camaro with a turbo 400. thing is awesome!
NV3500 was put in 4x4 1/2 tons low transfer and 4x4 puts a lot of stress on that ****** and it holds up. Next one up is nv4500 but is not cheap.
A car that only drives to the track and goes really fast for 1320 feet doesn't need an OD. The Sags and Muncies will handle 375-400 ponies no problem if you can drive and that would have been my choice if I was not running a B&M hydro in a GM powered g***er.
I broke a Hone, they are not bulletproof. I have a Gear Vendors in my Chevy II, behind a full manual shift TH400 that's behind a relatively mild blown 427. Took me 10,000 miles to figure out that it would be nice to have, and I also got a discount on it. Works good, I wired it up different than GV intends, so it doesn't use the computer, just a relay and a couple switches. Same basic unit that was used in 1960s British cars and Volvos (it's a British design). The other approach is what I did before I got the GV...just swap the rear gears when it's time to go racing. Although I drove it quite a bit on the highway with 3.70 and 4.11 gears. Now with the 3.89 gears and overdrive, it's just right.
If a low budget is your main concern, look for a iron-case 4-speed OD Ford toploader; stay away from the aluminum-case version. Not real common, but they're out there and can usually be gotten for well under $500 in good condition. Basically just a re-geared toploader, it should hold the power level you're talking about. Do check ratios, as there are differences between the truck and car units, as well as the six and V8 ones. The truck units (mostly the six cylinder versions) usually have a real low first gear with a BIG jump to second. The car units have a 'conventional' gear spread.
Here's an option. Run 2 different sets of rear rims/tires. 1 for track short and sticky, the other tall and skinny.
Lol these tko's are expensive i put one on my truck just for the ease of instalation vs automatic for o.d. But they say they take up to 500 to 600 hp that probly what you want for all around on road and race. Pricey but sighh $ tho
You mean the Gear Vendors OD is patterned after the Lay**** de Normanville overdrive? I had a L de N in my Jag, worked better than the American overdrives. I guess I always ***umed Gear Vendors bought Hone and re-designed them.
I am running a Doug Nash 5 Speed and a 3.50 gear out back. My thought is after doing the overall math, first gear in the Nash and 3.50 rear is just about the same as a 400 Turbo in first with a 4.56. BUT THEN...in fifth gear which is 1 to 1 in the Nash and a 3.50 rear should be extremely driveable. Unproven at this point but looks good on paper. We shall see.
Yep they are a little pricey but well worth it. I have the road race close ratio one in my coupe behind 500+ Foot pounds. They have better ratios (2.87, 1.89, 1.28, 1.00 and .82) than the Muncie's I normally use too. I also run a 3.89 gear. With the 3.89 first gear is close to an M22 with a 5.13 or a M 20 with a 4.56. and in ODE its like a muncie with a 3.18 gear for cruising. I doubt I'll ever put a Muncie in a new build again.
If the car is a g***er and gets run at a track the mentioned A833 OD, Ford 4 speed OD and the NV3500 and NV4500 have ****ty gear ratios for racing... Let the engine rev on the highway just like the good old days.....And save your bucks for a TKO
It's not patterned after the L de N, it IS the L de N overdrive. They bought the rights and the tooling and they moved production to the US.
so, just building to have the g***er look and will not see serious strip time? give more details on motor, what type of rearend running? the HP that you are expecting is not excessive, unless you plan on doing a lot of stop sign burnouts. take a look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_GM_transmissions
I have a super T 10 in my 62 Impala with a stroked 409. Drive it everywhere, 11.70's and both wheels in the air at the strip, and have not hurt the trans. Granted it is built for it, but it does well. I would say over 100 p***es and a few thousand street miles with no complaints. These transmissions will hold up. If I could fit a gear vendors without cutting up the car I would, but alas, it would need floor mods which I am unwilling to do. I just swap in 3.50 gears for long trips, although I have run 4-5 hours one way with 4.30 gears and still get 11-12 mpg. With the 3.50 gears I get 13 mpg.
I had to cut up my floor (some more!) to fit the GV, it only took a day to get in there and git er done.
4l80 and call it done its not a manual but its probably the cheapest HD overdrive option and can make it full manual shift with no computer
If you can find a np440 4 speed which is basically a chrysler 833 OD case with a chevy input and tail shaft, it will bolt right up to your chevy with the ***ociated bell housing. They came in late 70's- mid 80's chevy pickups. It's a good transmission for a mostly street driven car, shifts nice like an old 833, will take a hurst shifter, but the only drawbacks are the wide gear spread, it has a somewhat low first gear and if you actually put 400 hp to the ground (w/slicks) it won't take long egg out countershaft hole in the aluminum case. But for street driving with an occasional p*** down the dragstrip it should hold up fine.
But wait,, there's more! It doesn't sound like you have plans for serious hp/torque but regardless of new or used your tranmission choice should be based on the torque handling capability of the transmission. Type of planned useage and tire choice plays a big role also. You might get away with a lower torque rated trans and street tires, but throw some sticky tires into the mix and hit the dragstrip just once and you are sure to find the weak link.
well, i picked up a A833 OD today off craigslist. couldnt p*** it up, it was literally almost free. Guy said it came from a pickup with a 360, not sure how to tell. Seems to be in good shape, came with a tall shifter setup, no bellhousing. i guess now ill have to keep on the research of how to mate it to a chevy. Thanks for all the replies, alot of good info here. now time to sell that HD th400 to connect this 4 spd to my 406....
If it came from a mopar, which it sounds like, I think the input and output are wrong. The o.d. should be an aluminum case, and known as weak. Might want to do some more checking to be sure. This is all from a foggy memory. Your results may vary.
yep, aluminum case, from a mopar. i have located a chevy input, and bellhousing with mopar pattern on back. And, as ive read(which i really hope to be true) i can take all the guts from this trans and put them directly into a cast case, or sleeve the aluminum case for strength. Seen a couple cast cases on egay for about $100
I have found in most instances that I prefer a close ratio manual, such as a Muncie M21/M22 or early T10 each with a 2.20 first gear. The problem is they really need about a 4.56-4.88 gear to be good, which makes them want to scream on the highway. They're not particularly strong in a high torque situation, especially with sticky tires. You can add a Gear vendors unit to them though. Another option is a Saginaw 4 speed with the overdrive from a 3 speed added on. This is an even weaker setup, but if you'll never see sticky tires it should hold together. TKO's are strong, but they don't shift as well as a traditional 4 speed and the ratios are wider than I prefer. From what I have seen, T56's are difficult to adapt and in order to keep the rpms up enough to not lug a carb'd engine in 6th gear, 4.56-4.88 gears are needed, but with the wider ratio first, it's so low it almost becomes a granny gear like an old truck. I have yet to get my hands on a Doug Nash 5 speed, and it seems they are not available new anymore except in an overdrive. One of the originals with 1:1 5th may be a good answer. Devin
You can have a steel sleeve put in for the countershaft I remember it being covered in mopar action magazine. Wish I could tell you which issue but I've forgotten.
The Jalopy Journal
