What is this transmission ? Lasalle ?

hello ,

somebody locally offered this transmission for sale as a '37 Lasalle , it doesnt like like one to me but what is it ? And is it any good ?




thank you ,
Slapshot

 

definately NOT 37 up lasalle. they don't have a bolt on shifter.

 

If I saw the other side I might be a little more sure but I believe it's a buick since it has the 6 bolt top cover it's the stronger of the buick's as well.

 

LaSalle did use a transmission of that style in '35-'36. If it's open drive, it's LaSalle. If it's torque tube, it's Buick.

 

Thank you !!! this is verry helpful ! (and fast !)

would it be worth it to mess around with this transmission behind a 303 Olds ? will this fit the Olds bell housing and would it hold up ?
would this be better than a let's say '39 toploader (ford)

thanks again !
Slapshot

 

i believe the official designation for this trans design is the General Motors "D", used in one form or another in Buick from '35-'61 or so, and Olds from at least as far back as '51. after column shifts appeared and became wildly popular, around 1939, they changed the shift mechanism to a clunky shifting single lever arrangement. these are known as "selecter" variants. "selecters" can be made into tough ******s by utilizing their tougher geartrain with an early roadmaster top shift case and the olds output and extension housing for open drive. the result is just about as strong as a packard or caddy box. it seems to me, i recall reading that 35/36 cases are much weaker starting points, and i think the '35 has a different bolt pattern, the '37-'38 roadmaster case being the ultimate in terms of strength. i think though, that any top shift cover from any year will fit any case with minor mods, even selecters when the selecter junk is removed and a welsh plug installed in the hole.... so to answer your question, yes right off the bat, it's stronger than a '39 Ford, but like anything else, the parts combination and the attention you give it determine exactly how much stronger it is. <!-- / message -->

 

Thanks !

so ultimate I would ***emble a top-loader with the first transmission I posted using the box of one of these ... (same guy also has these) right ?

 

no, the early pontiac box is smaller and lighter duty

 

how about that olds ?

 

can you take a pic of that '48 olds box to compare top covers to your top-shift roadmaster trans to compare the shape of the top covers? the correct "selecter" should have six bolts and an identical shape to the roadmaster

 

I can not take photo's of these boxes , but I'll keep this in mind when I go there !
thank you !!!

 

if you can, try to find the throwout bearing collar for the transmissions you buy. i think roadmaster/six bolt selecter and cad/lasalle all use the same one. since they don't "bolt on" and are captured between the bell and the trans when ***embled they always get ****tered when a trans and a bell get separated. when i collected six cad/lasalles i had one collar a**** all of them.