Projects Getting an engine/trannyout as a unit.

I am taking the engine and transmission out as a unit in a 1954 Chevrolet Belair. Everything is unattached from engine/******, but I am still having problems pulling them both out. It is a 235 and a 2 speed powerglide. It is the ****** that looks like its causing the problem, the engine/****** pivots freely from side to side when the unit is lifted with the crane. But the ****** looks like its still attached somehow or another where ****** sits on the cradle. I have double checked to see if any linkages are still attached, but there's nothing. Any ideas to help me out?

 

This is way out of my area of knowledge but is it a closed drive rear end that you need to disconnect from the trans?

Charlie Stephens

 

wild guess here, never been there, but is the 54 still a torque tube ? i'm thinking 55 was the first open drive, if so, got the plate over the bell at the end of the drive shaft loose? slide that cover back, and look at the u joint bolts? again, some one else will chime in if i am wrong. when i was 15 i tore the work bench off the wall pulling a model t motor that was loose, except for the wishbone. it wouldnt come so i decided it would go if i chained it to the work bench and pulled harder. the old man was not impressed

 

And welcome to the HAMB.
Never worked on a 54 but it shouldn't be too hard. Ya sure it's all unbolted?
Send us some pics. What are your plans for the car??

 

Here is service manual where it explains things

 

It says under number 3 to "Break" the universal joint. If I remember right from undoing the one in my '52, take all the bolts [6?] that hold the collar on to the back of the transmission and slide that collar out of the way to see the universal joint. I think there are 4 little bolts to take the u joint caps off....maybe 3/8th or even 5/16ths size? The driveshaft is now loose from the transmission.
Keep in mind those cast iron powerglides are really heavy. Might have to bolt the lifting chain really far back on the engine to get the trans to come up.

 

if you hook your lift chain up to the wrong head bolts it will change the balance of the engine and you will hang up on the cross member or transmission tunnel on the body. In the manual it should have adiagram of what head bolt holes to use with an auto or standard trans... other than that and the mounting bolts there's only the shift linkage, speedometer sending unit, and oil cooler lines.
It also makes life easier is you remove grill and hood (to remove hood springs just cut notches out of two peices of flat stock steel just long enough to fit inside spring, then gently lower hood and pull out springs... installation is just the reverse- no sweat or swearing involved)

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Pull the whole nose but leave the hood on. That leaves the press welded crossbar on the radiator support intact so the sheet metal stays aligned, and gives lots of working room. You're cleaning the underhood area, right ? Hope you have a stout cherry picker ...

 

Ive gotten the closed driveline unhooked and ujoint disconnected. What head bolts should I be using to lift the unit out of the car then.

 

"On models with poerglude transmission, remove the second cylinder head bolt from the rear on the left side and the fourth bolt from the rear on the right side"
Then it yaks about inserting special tool etc. But you can take one of the removed head bolts down to the hardware store and match up the threads to some large eye bolts, and there's your lift points.

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Is the speedometer cable disconnected?

 

Yea everything is disconnected on both the ****** and engine. Im going to try and yank it out this weekend, I did move the lift points so hopefully that helps.

 

Stick a jack under the Trans and see if it lifts up, that'll tell ya if your lifting chain is in the right spot.