Does any one have a picture of the close ratio 3 speed manual transmisions that came in the dual four 270hp p***enger cars . From what i have heard one tell tell sign is a vent tube on top of the tail shaft like is on the rear end
I would not think a vent was ever used. The trans design goes back to the '30's and continued to 65. I never saw a vent on one. Chevy never did anything that was not necessary.It would have been used on other trans. if needed. You can tell if the gears are the close ratio or maybe the intermediate set. The shaft behind the splines on the input shaft will not be necked down. This can be seen on ***embled transmissions. The 2.20 close ratio set came out in 57 and I believe the 2.54 intermediate set came in 59. My 230 HP 283 came with the 2.54 set in 1960. I have a 57 trans in my roadster but put the 2.54 gears in it.
I had one in my '59 Vette...230 horse 283. The trans wasn't anything to brag about. I ended-up puttin' a Muncie in it. This was in '69. DD
I had one in my '59 Vette...230 horse 283. The trans wasn't anything to brag about. I ended-up puttin' a Muncie in it. This was in '69. DD
The three speed in my 59 corvette was Ok if you drove it to church and back at 30 miles per hour. I have had a 67 Muncie close ratio four speed with a Hurst Mystery Shift in it since 68 and love it. I gave it and the shifter to a friend to put in a Blown Big Block pearlesent white 55 Corvette show car so he can drive it into The Jacob Javitz Ctr.
Power shifting into 2nd in my 57 vette ****tered gears all across the road when the case split in half. I ended up using the vette tailshaft on a 6 cyl case which changed it from a 2.20 first to a 2.95 I believe. First gear in the close ratio 3 speed is too high anyway
For the record on the '55-'65 style Chevy three speed: 6 cylinder ratios were 2.94 low and 1.68 second 8 cylinder ratios were 2.47 low and 1.53 second Special close ratios were 2.21 low and (I think) 1.31 second
I got my info from a man that has built over a dozen 1957 270hp 2 x 4 carb p***enger cars and he said it had a vent tube on it so i am sure they did . It only came in 245,270 and fi 283 in57
I thought the close ratios were an internal change, ie the trans didn't appear any different than the others, the #'s on the housings and such were the same. At least that's what the old timer that put together my 270hp / 283 told me...however, I'd be interested to know if my info is wrong, so I'll be watching this thread for some pics, too.
The close ratio ones in the Corvettes had different tailshafts that had a pad & bolt holes for the shifter, thats all I really know about them except you could use the 6 cyl case & gears with the vette tailshaft
Every Corvette three speed had the tailstock with the shifter bolt bosses, and most of them were the 2.47 low gear model.
The Sears car parts catalogs into the late '60's offered rebuilt Chevy 3-speed transmissions; the close ratio ge****t was an extra-cost option on the rebuild. Obviously it was popular to be there. Just like Lincoln Zephyrs in a Ford, close ratios but not enough gear for a decent start unless car had crazy rear gears...which an awful lot of '55 chevy hotrods did, of course! Would make a lot of sense in a car with overdrive and 4.11 or 4.55, but not in a car with no OD and a sane final drive ratio for that.
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