Hot Rods are 37-8 Pontiacs open driveshaft?

this should be easy/quick,...are they open drive?...are any earlier floor shift trans the same in Pontiac, Olds or Buicks?

 

Yes, open drive.

I don't fully understand your question about others transmissions...

 

Olds is open Buick is torque tube.

 

Seems to me, 36-56 Olds/Pont are virtually the same, and open driveshaft. They take a U-joint that bolts together onto the flange, different than 57 onward. I am butch/56sedandelivery.

 

There are other things that are useful to know about these BOP transmissions .....there are two versions. They are commonly referred to as “5 bolt top cover” and “6 bolt top cover”. While nearly identical in design elements, they differ in physical size and strength. The trans case to bellhousing bolt pattern, at a glance, looks the same but is not. They do not readily interchange.

The 5 bolt cover models are (lighter duty units) used behind the smaller series engines (Olds and Pontiac 6 cyl/287 V8 and Buick 248/263/264 8 cyl) .....and the 6 bolt cover version (quite strong) used with larger 8 cyl inlines and most V8s.

Another quirky design element is....these (both 5 & 6 bolt units) do not have a bolt on front bearing retainer/TO bearing support tube. The stock bellhousing for these have a rather small center hole and a TO bearing support tube is slipped into place in bellhousing (there is small flange on tube) and retained in place by the trans when bolted. They also require a gasket between trans case and bell housing because the front bearing is not sealed (except by said gasket).

Ray

 

...a buddy wants to bolt on an open drive trans with floor shift to his 34 Pontiac strate eight engine/bellhousing,...was told a 38 Pontiac floor shift trans would work,...shoulda stated that in my post I guess,..thanks much for the info ...
looks like he'll have to know his bellhousing bolt pattern before he buys one.
...does anyone know if it would be the 5 bolt top cover or the 6bolt?

 

Good info Ray. Some people have knowledge on certain things or subjects and when you put them all together on a site like Hamb, well it's like an encyclopedia BG (before Google). Keep up the good work fellow Hambers.

Pat

 

I am sorry to say, my familiarity with GM transmissions doesn’t reach as far back as pre 1937 era.

Ray

 

Like the OP said "shoulda stated that in my post I guess". This happens way too many times. The OP will ask a question and gets many responses...... Then he ads a detail or two, and we find we all went in the wrong direction with our answers, due to a few important details missing in the original post.

 

^^^maybe so, but some good info here none-the-less...

 

Hi I'm the guy that has the 34 Pontiac, & I would like to replace the trans to make it an open drive shaft. and keep the same clutch. I have it out & it has 4 bolts in the top plate. The number on the trans is GM 590695. I looked in the repair manual and it has 4 bolts in the picture. This is in a original car with a straight eight. It has a bellhousing hole fit of 4 3/16", input shaft is 10 spline & is 6 11/16" long. the bolt hole center across the top is 7 1/2" , down hole to hole center is 4 1/2". Thanks for any info.