Hot Rods LIVE WIRE Gets a transplant PT.2 Goodbye LaSalle..

So i'm pretty sure everyone I know is done hearing about my transmission situations with Live Wire.. well I think a decision was made.. if any one cares.. hahahaha

So heres a long story short...

I picked up a 37 LaSalle from CrossRodder and stock stick caddy bell housing etc.. off craigs list...

The LaSalle is awesome it needs a few things but awesome...I'm in love...

I go to Texas and Bob Bleed hands me a nice Ataptor from Caddy to T-10 and now I'm
obsessing and thinking about this route.. Better with the caddy.. Highway driving would be nice.. Lots of transmissions to choose from...

Fast forward to last week,,, And i'm back on the LaSalle trip.. The t-10 Stick position is just gonna suck!! I know it.. it would be akward.. and I want the right thing once and for all...

So I go to Fathers Day swap over the weekend and start looking for the few parts I need... and not only was there a lack of stuff for a LaSalle but stuff was pricy too.. I met up with Rudi, Casny, Lomas, Scotty, and Lynn and we got to talking.. especially Lomas who has gone through the LaSalle deal with his car and spent some serious dought to get it right... After some time I got talked into joing the 3 speed Ford club..hahahah those guys all run top loader Ford and sure seem to be driving everywhere

I love the LaSalle and mine really doesn't need much but I'm trying to get it done for Venture Nationals and it seems like it might take more time than anything to get it done..
I like I can find alot of parts for the fords,, just seem more my speed.. Just can't do crazy burn outs

So we went on the hunt to find the right trans... Like the special ops we seached for our traget.. and there it was.. 39 Open Drive 78 box for a good deal.. the guys helped me spend my money right a I took it home... it didn't have the tower but Lynn came across one the next day and got scored too.. Lomas had an extra Caddy to Ford adaptor... money well spent.....

Today I picked up a clutch and preasure plate and a few little things... I pretty much tapped out for a some time but I got a good start...

Looks like we will be getting into this big time early / mid July so i'll keep everyone posted....


On that note the LaSalle is up for sale in the classifides so I can pay for the new stuff...

Here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7880280#post7880280









Thanks to all my friends that have helped me through all this... I know I should of listend to Lucky in the fisrt place.. hahaha

Stay tuned

 

Cool! You won't regret it, as long as you're not revving it to the moon and dumping the clutch and it's put together well, it'll live a long time.

 

God, you can't leave anything alone, you're such a Modifier
I'd personally give that Hydromatic another shot, hahaha.

 

Ha!!

We should do this with my hydro!!! too bad its all rebuilt

 

I say just put it on a trailer and tow it to all the events.

 

I'm Jeffrey James and I endorse this thread.

 

AAAARRRGGHHHH! A Lasalle almost all ready to go and you go Ford? Okay, I guess...

"Have any problems with blowin' those trannies up?" Nope, I can break one any time I want!!!

 

I heard it was a barn find and that some old guy was using it to hold his ez-up down.

 

I was really digging the idea of Live Wire having a LaSalle.. But a Ford's just as cool.

 

Believe me I was too... but man so much chaper and I like that I can find parts pretty easy...
so yeah... some times gotta do what I gotta do..

Photofink it was nice to see you and your bro,,, that guy made me untie the tent attached to the trans... hahaha dick!! like thats my job...

Definatly no more trailering.. Unless its going far like Austin

 

I want to see this thing in Austin next April.. Think it'll happen?

 

I will follow you to Austin next year....pierocakes?

 

Maybe... One day at a time

 

Evel -

The following is an excerpt from the letter my father wrote to pgan when Pat & Gray Baskerville were writing the R&C article on our coupe:

I guess my point in posting this is that it's "Traditional" to get good at swapping out toploaders!

 

Haha! That's awesome!

 

You forgot to put the word "Ford" in front of the word "toploaders".

If that Caddy has any nuts, and you don't drive it like a girl...then it's a good thing repro parts are available


Speaking of old rod magazine articles; one of those writers that tried to doll up the text with colorful words, was describing a featured rod; He said "backing up the powerplant, is a 39 Ford box filled with Zepher gears". I recall saying to myself, "and you still got a box of twigs"

I don't enjoy working on a LaSalle trans, so I went with the 37 Buick top loader with Olds Rocket gears. I will see how it holds up, but it should be ok. I love the way it shifts.

 

Cool I can have my adapter back.......

 

No.



Yeah... of course.. I was gonna send it to you this week...

 

I want to just drive it.. Maybe not like a mad man as much as I would like to.. but for me happiness will be being able to put it in gear and go... thats all I need,,, I can't afford to break any thing anyways so maybe it will govern me to not do anything stoopid

that artical is great... I'm sure it was alot easier to get LaSalle parts in 54

 

ha ha.... at this point whatever you need to do to drive that damn car I am behind! It will be neat with the toploader!

 

"maybe" is the key word there.

 

Stoked you will be driving it like you stole it.

 

Good luck with the "go easy on the gearbox" deal....pffft!

A little hotrod fairy dies every time someone chooses not to drop the clutch. Are you really that cruel??

 

I'm with Wayne, going easy lasts for about a week then six months later your chasing parts again...

I have a love hate relationship with my 39 box it hates me and I love to break it....but when it does work it is great. I hear you on the shifter position struggle.

 

aawesome piero my friend

 

Cool beans....just take it easy. You saw my blown cluster 1st gear from my ford top loader. When you set up the trans mount, you might want to make it removable. That way you can pull the trans without pulling the motor. Oh and stock up on cluster gears

 

Haha.. That's all sound advise.. I'll start collecting rebuild parts.. I'm having fun learning about them..

 

I didn't believe in the hot rod fairy until I saw the single rainbow flag flying in the breeze about the LARS swap meet this weekend... Now I believe!

 

If you read between the lines what Bob is saying is "it will be neat to drive it with that top loader"... Not sure you want that to happen...


Sent from a pay phone

 

i second that you dont even need a trans