Lasalle trans,what can I expect

I"m getting ready to go thru my trans and was looking for info, price and anywere I might find parts. Also I know these are stout transmissions but how do they hold up to modern highway speeds for any length of time? Maybe some secrets on building them! What is the final drive and can I use hyd throwout brg ? I"m running it behind a 303.

 

The final drive is 1 to 1 like a standard 3 sp. trans. I found them hard to work on. The br*** puck that moves the synchronizer is hard to install. They can be damaged with rough handling of the shift lever. You need to find an old Motors Manual. It might guide you thru it.
They are strong and will hold up fine. I hope you have the slide on throw out bearing collor.

 

I get a kick out of questions about the old days and modern highway speeds. That transmission in a regular car at highway speeds will outlast you and your heirs. I can't tell you much about rebuilding them as I ran a Lasalle behind a Cadillac in a Henry J that launched in second gear at 6000 rpm over and over for several years and several engines, and I never had the ****** open.

 

I'll say this....if you do find much of anything wrong with it, it will be cheaper to buy another transmission than buy internal parts for it. Complete transmissions aren't bringing that much money lately, unless it's a '37.

 

I think it's a 53, side shift, long tailshaft. Can any new parts be found other than bearings and seals?

 

They are a ***** to work on and even the bearings are GM and not readily available.

 

There are no 53 LaSalle transmissions. The last LaSalle was built in 40 or 41.

 

We used to run a Cad/Lasalle trans. in an blown 392 AA/D.

We started in second at about 6000 Rpm and shifted into high at about the same RPM.
We had a lot of trouble with the syncros until we askd our compe***or how he can run without breaking his.

He stated that he carefully w****d them up in paper and put them in a box, way up on the top shelf of his cabinette.

We tried it and slamshifted it and never broke another one or misses a shift again.

 

most replacement internals were never made, bearings, seals and ocasionaly thrust washers can be found new, gears, shafts and syncros as far as I know are only found in donor transmissions, like said above whole transmissions can still be found relatively inexpensive

interesting to hear some say they are hard to work on,
they are in my opinion one of the simplest transmissions out there

I posted a thread a while back on swapping the '50 Olds tail to the Lasalle,
I'll see if I can find a link..

here you go: Lasalle transmission gets Olds tailshaft