Ok so we bagged my 54, changed out the rear end for a 73/74 nova rear. Now I want to replace the transmission but retain the the stock 235. What are my options? I know I can put a 700R4 but I don't have enough cash for one of these ****ers, is it possible to put a turbo 350 in there? Also would it be possible to have a drive shaft made that connects from the nova rear end to the original 3 speed manual?
to put a 700 or a 350 in there your going to need to use and adapter kit. and if your lucky i bet ya a stock drive shaft to some car out there might fit if your patient enought to look for it. a 91 s-10 one fit on my 50. but thats with a 305 and a th350 and the motor is set up kinda far. but im sure one of em out there will fit. o and you have to make a drop section for the center of your cross member for the th350 to bolt up to...
i bagged mine on the stock rearend and drive line check it out http://www.evil1customs.com/current_projects/levi/air_ride/DSC03484.JPG if you want to update your transmission you will need an adapter check this out> http://www.stoveboltengineco.com/howto/trans.htm
Well, you could bolt in a 55-62 car or 48-59 truck bellhousing and 3-speed, or for $100 get an adapter and run a T5, or get an adapter for an auto trans. But you won't connect a closed drive trans to an open drive rearend. Lots of posts on the T5 swap on this board - makes a 235 more drivable -
I made drop hangers off the back of the axle and for the top i made mounts off a cross member runs from the top of notch. I will have to take some pic's from the back side...it did turn out very clean and i still have almost all of my stock truck space.
I used a '55 Truck bell-housing and clutch with late model ('69?) Chevy Truck 3-speed in my '55 with 235. The starter had to be custom-made since I did not have one for the truck bell-housing and the clutch linkage was a little flaky but it works and drives great with 3.70 posi in '57 rear. Of course, I started with a '55 drivetrain so driveshaft was all stock - don't know what you will need swapping-out the torque-tube axle but we have a great driveshaft shop locally that can do pretty much anything. You just bring-em the U-joints you want to use and some measurements and they make you a shaft pretty cheap! I would like a hydraulic T-out Brg. in mine to get rid of the "klugey" clutch linkage but that stuff is expensive...
This guy can help you out if your looking to put a turbo 350 in it : [font=Verdana, Arial]http://www.inliners.org/buffalo/[/font]
The Driveshaft; After you get the transmission you decide on mounted; Go to your local Brake and Clutch Lab, here in Pueblo, Co, it's PUEBLO BRAKE AND CLUTCH. Tell them what you have, they'll make a driveshaft with whatever u-joint you want on each end for around $120 including new U-joing bearings. You'll need to know the distance from yoke to yoke. Slide the front yoke in all the way, then pull it out 3/4 of an inch.
The Jalopy Journal
