Is it possible to convert a '41 Buick 3 speed to run with an open drive line? And if so, how is it done? My brother just donated a cherry and runnig 56,000mi '41 str8 8 to me complete and still attactched to the trans. Was wondering if I could use it in my next project. Thanks in advance, Mike
I had a 40 many years back. The torque tube was a problem. If you must use that heavy eng it might be easier and cheaper to adapt a better trans that would make that str 8 more driveable, something like a 5 speed.
Here's an old recipe for a Buick floorshift hot rod trans taken from "Clutches, Transmissions, & Rear Ends", a Petersen/HRM big book from about 1964: Combine '36-38 Buick Roadmaster or Century case, '37-8 Buick topshifter, and gears from '41-48 Buick Roadmaster. Add output shaft and rear casting from '51-56 Olds. The pics suggest the cases are basically alike, so probably this would all work with the column shift setup. That Olds trans isn't going to be easy to find, though.
yea, I've heard of adapters out there, but I rember seeing a Buick I-8 powered rod at Paso with a manual trans and an open driveline. Just wonderin' if there was some old school tech out there that the Buick guys knew of to convert it to open drive.
Bruce speaks the truth, in fact I kinda wanna do that combo for my car, but was wondering what the Olds mainshaft is... Is it for the stick car, or hydro? Anyone with an Olds parts book from the early fifties know which shaft 1345288 is? I got the article out of Hot Rod, August 56. Pics and all. The trans they built was going behind a souped up SBC, in place of a 'glide. Thanks, Jay
The tranny from the series 40/50 Buick (248 & 263) has no compatibility with the Cad/LaSalle/Olds and is not up to a healthy OHV. The one to have is the Century/Roadmaster/Limited which is the 60/70/80/90 series which all had the 320 cube engine. As far as the Big Buick, it is basically a Cad/LaSalle so you can use several Olds boxes going back to the 1946 98 model iff'n I remember and the V8 in 49 and later. The gear design changed in 51 but is nowhere as strong as the earlier.The 53 stick is fairly common due to the Hydramatic plant burning down. The pre-51 are true Cad/LaSalle gear sets.
Yea it's a Century 320 ci. with the dual carbs. So are you saying that I can bolt up a Cad/Lassal or Olds box?
Yea it's a Century 320 ci. with the dual carbs. So are you saying that I can bolt up a Cad/Lassal or Olds box? No, I was just trying to build on Bruces post about what was done back those days at GM. As far as open drive, you can use any tranny tailshaft & housing that is compatible. What I mentioned above as well as any Cad itself. Side shift flathead Cad parts trannies are not all that rare. There are several tail housing lengths, I dont have the dimension chart handy, maybe someone else can jump in here.
Yeah, there was a 39 Caddy trans on ebay a few months ago... never sold. Relisted a couple of times. It had a loooooooooooong tailshaft. Just an FYI. Plus, kickin it back up for Olds gurus, who may know which mainshaft to use. Jay
Mike I'm not sure if your bolt pattern is the same as a 56 Buick but if it is you can machine the pilot housing hole in the bell to fit Chevy 4 speed, drill two holes in the bell housing for bottom bolts on the Chevy, ream the top trans bolt holes out a little and mount a Chevy 3 or 4 speed. I've heard some earlier Buick had smaller bell housings but I'm not sure. It may be worth looking in to any way. Chevy 3 speed has to be way cheaper than a bunch of hard to find old parts and it will have syncro on first gear,
Cool, Thanks Judd and everybody who lent their knowldege to help answer this question. I will be looking into the whole Chevy trans thing since thats the kinda' low buck tech I can realisticly (and cheaply) pull off. I'll post the results and a step by step tech if I can find somthing that will work. Thanks, Mike
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