hey all. i have a 324 olds which is going to be a rather nasty setup. id like to use the car as a daily and the occasional drag. i have a cragar adapter for a customline 3spd and also a 50 Hydro. i know the 3spd will not really be up to it and iv heard nothing but bad regarding the early Hydro. what gearbox can i go that will be up to the task. i would prefer manual i know iv listed an auto and a manual but stick is better. its going to be alloy rods,forgies, mag rockers, huge roller cam,blown injected. so will make a fair bit of power. what are you guys running?
i know alot of gassers ran them hydramatic back in the day. always heard they were pretty tough. if they are as tough as they are heavy theyd be bulletproof. yorgatron knows the hydramatics in and out maybe he will reply. they were strong enough to put in tanks.
Cad-Lasalle (Top shift or Side shift) Top shift being 36-37 side shift is 38-on. Sideshift trans is plenty strong and a little more common. Todd.
iv heard legend of the strength of hydro's too but pre 52 aparently are crappy shifting slush boxes, a lassale would be near impossible to get (Australia) so i kinda want to stay away from that one. would a T5 be up to it? what do you guys think, just they are super common easy to get
I've had several hydro's behind the 324 on the street. Beat the snot out of them and had no problems. But the way you are building that engine up, you are thinking right toward something in sync with the ultra build on that beast. But as for the air cooled hydro being a dorky trans? No way, no how. Still have one on the street with near 100K on it that's never been cracked open and performs flawlessly............ Keep us posted on your project. I'm very impressed with your combo............. P.S. Just caught your reply. No experiance with the pre 52's. I see your point.
By "Customline" do you mean 1949-51 Ford? I was under the impression that those transmissions shared a bolt pattern with the later Ford T-10 and Toploader - both of which would handle a Rocket no problem. -Dave PS And I have always heard good things about the pre-Jetaway Hydramatics. Where's Yorgatron?
yeah Y block 3spd. the t10 has a sideways H style bot pattern on it simmilar to muncie from what i can see nd the y block 3spd has a up and down H. i have not seen anything from yorgatron in a while.
This adaptor gave me the idea that they were the same from 1949 to 1964; but maybe Australian transmissions were different? -Dave
Which 3 speed is it? The T-85 Warner (9 bolt side cover) used behind 312s & Mercs would hold it for a while. The Hydro is still a better choice.
Dual range hydro will work just fine except for the tricky kickdown linkage that would most likely plague you with the injected set up. depending on how lite your car is, it might not be an issue without one, but most likely will be since its a not a "hyrdo-stick" setup. If you can find someone that can beef up a T5 for you that might be an option, other wise m20 or m22 as paul suggests.
I have and make the nicest Olds adaptors on the market for stick or automatics......In my mind..lol Tony
If you go hydro.... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=377455&highlight=hydro+stick Or you could just go t-10 or isnt there a way to bolt a cad lassale box to it with the right factory bellhousing? seems like you might have to have parts shipped nomatter what
on this one I'm using a stock steel flywheel, Ford truck pressure plate, Chevy disc, throwout bearing and fork and one of GOATROPER02's bells. only custom piece I had made was the pilot bearing
If you want to use an old time way of fitting a chevy 4 speed; Offy makes two different "shortened" flathead bells. One has the Ford flathead TOB shaft and the other uses the Chevy TOB fork. Both are for a Chevy trans. These bells are about 5/8" or so, shorter than a normal Offy bell for a flathead, because these are made to use the old flat steel adapter plate that bolts an Olds Rocket up to a flathead trans. Bolt the flat plate to the Olds, then the short Bell, and end up with the Chevy trans pattern. I am not sure if anyone repro's the flat plate, I have seen used ones on the classifieds at times.
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