A friend of mine has a 39 Chevy Woody a beautiful finished car and like some of us is cleaning up. He has this trans that he thought was for his Woody but says his does not have that lever on top of the case. It has GM cast in it and the numbers. Any ideas? Thanks Pat
Never have seen that variation of GM trans. It is a ‘selector type’ meaning that the position of one lever determines which gear is engaged when the other lever is moved. I have seen/owned Buick, Olds and Pontiac selector types but none had the levers integrated with top cover, always through the main case. The BOP selector types were introduced with the switch from floor shift to column, I think ‘39 model year. And, the trans case to bell housing bolt pattern strongly resembles the later GM pattern, but IIRC that first appeared around ‘47 on GM pickups and passenger cars ‘55 and later. It may not be that pattern, but even if not, I don’t recall seeing on earlier GM models. Further, all the variations of Buick, Olds and Pontiac selector types did not use that style of bolt on front bearing retainer/TO bearing guide sleeve. I know all I have said is what I think it is not, not what I think it is.....because I obviously don’t know..... Ray
That's OK Ray but what does "IIRC" mean? I've seen it in posts and figure it's "text speak" but I don't text. And Warhorse Dodge used GM transmissions? Pat
Looks pretty similar to what @squirrel posted. if it ain’t that I agree with @warhorseracing that it’s a dodge !
Vacuum shift version of '37 - '39 Chev trans. Everything on the top cover is '39 only. Champ, Lyon, and other acc'y outfits sold conversions to eliminate all the vacuum parts.
@302GMC ........Are you saying that is a GM change to column shift for ‘39 Chevrolet models that were made to ‘37/‘38 floor shift transmission design? Coupled with the pics posted @squirrel I can believe that. Also, that reminds me that I seem to recall transmission parts for Chevy manual trans have a model break after ‘39 and referred to ‘40 to ‘54 as being more or less the same. Even later but with a case change in ‘55. So, glad to have learned something new today. Of all the old cars I have had, including Chevys of ‘37, ‘40, ‘41, ‘49, ‘50, ‘51, ‘52 and later, I never had, or worked on a ‘39! Thanks to @squirrel and @302GMC and @Johnboy34 for their input Ray
I have the 39 shop manual at the other house...I guess I need to move that stuff, so I can scan useful drawings
That is correct Hnstray. The case number jives with 37, 38 and 39. Here is the same case that someone had set up for some sort of industrial applicaton. 30's GM 3-Speed Transmission #590822
Speedgems the numbers on the top are 5909658. I would have to agree with Squirrel that it is a vacuum shift transmission. My friend was cleaning up his garage and can't remember how or why he has this trans. His car a 39 Chevy Woody has been finished and on the road for over 30 years and like all of us hates to throw stuff out when it may come in handy. Thanks guys for all the feed back. And Ray I've never had one either but 39 Chevy's are one of my favorites. Pat
Pat, I like them as well, never ‘avoided’ them, but for some reason none ever showed up when the time was right.......there was a beautiful ‘39 coupe for sale at Goodguys Des Moines a couple years ago ......and the price seemed reasonable, but timing is everything and that just shortly shortly after I bought my ‘37. Ray
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