56 Buick 3 Speed Gearbox overhaul kit

Hello all,

Im Smokey from Australia and have just perchased a 1956 Buick Special series 40 model 41 here is a picture of the beutiful girl

Im a first time user of any forums so i may be un-educated when it comes to using them, but dose anyone out there know of any parts stores that will stock overhaul or rebuild kits for the 6 bolt 3 speed manual trans thats in my Special (she is a little noisy), Im also looking to replace the universal joint and re-seal the tourqe ball and re-bush the tourqe shaft. have spent the last week or so trying to locate parts for the Ol Girl but having not much luck, Is the tourqe ball and the universal the same as the 56 hydaflow units??

any help would be greatly appreciated

Cheers

Usually the bearings in the manual transmissions are available 'over the counter' or from on-line suppliers.

What you will need to do is to take the trans apart to determine what bearings are bad.

Gaskets can be made from sheet gasket material.

When is the transmission noisy? By that question I mean: [with engine running]

1. Is there noise when the trans is in neutral, and the clutch pedal is up, the clutch is engaged, turning the input shaft of the trans?

2. is there noise when the trans is in gear, the clutch pedal down, the input shaft NOT turning?

3. Is there noise when driving the car, in first or second gear, but NOT in third?

4. Or is there noise anytime the car is in motion, pulling forward?

5. if so: is the noise different when in reverse?

6. Or, is there noise that is there on acceleration, but not on deceleration?

1: input shaft bearing

2: clutch release bearing., or pilot bearing in the end of the crankshaft

3. Intermediate shaft bearings [usually long roller bearings,

4. output shaft bearing

5. probably not, if it is #4.

6. most likely differential bearings or ring/pinion issues.

Good luck!! looks like a nice car!

Hope the above helps with a diagnosis.

GLong

Thanks GLong

The gearbox has been run with no oil or next to nothing for a considerable amount of time as I found out just after purchasing the car, bearings I can source hear no problems but I can guarantee its going to need new cluster gear and all new main shaft gears the 2nd to 3rd synchro hub should be fine due to its only in use while changing up or down but I can feel a vibration coming from the rear of the box and seeing how the universal and torque ball is lubricated from the gearbox I'm sort of guessing it is stuffed as well, its noisy in all gears but fairly quiet in top, but it still has bearing noise and there is the constant slight vibration when moving even with the clutch depressed and the box in neutral, when I got the car a week ago the bloke told me the box is noisy in first and second but pretty quiet in top, so I checked the oil to find none!!!! so I filled it with 80W 90 and took it for a cruze around the block a few times

What difference oil makes !!!!!!

Then I drained it again to find it has now turned new oil into metallic silver bad stuff, im thinking these box's are hell tough to take that sort of punishment and still be going and behaving quite pleasantly apart from a little noise lol

So seeing how im in Australia im trying to find a complete rebuild kit (if they exist) including the universal joint, torque ball seals and drive shaft bushes, it seams if it had a Dynaflow trans in it I could buy most things new off the shelf but im having trouble finding parts for the 6 bolt heavy duty 3 speed manual,

I would like to source the parts before pulling the gearbox so as to limit the time the car is off the road.

Welcome to the forum

Worth joining the Buick Club of Australia. Each state has an independent club. There is no overall "Buick Club of Australia"

http://www.buickcarclub.org.au/

For a start get a parts book if you plan to do the work yourself.

http://forums.aaca.org/f115/found-cheap-master-parts-books-cd-353740.html

http://forums.aaca.org/f115/buick-owners-bookshelf-197781.html

OK awesome thanks,

I have a 1956 Buick workshop manual and have ordered a Buick and GM Parts Interchange Manual but a proper Buick Parts Manual would be very cool.

I have also downloaded the entire parts catalogue from "Bob's Automobilia" in the States (lots of nice stuff in his catalogue $$$$)

Is there any parts support or vendors for 50's Buick's in Australia? or is all in the States?

Thanks for your help

Cheers

I'm thinking that a 'donor' transmission would be a good idea.. any chance you might be able to find a trans in a salvage yard 'down under' ?

Does this trans have a side cover or a top cover? If you can remove a cover, and take a look at the actual gear teeth to see if they are in bad shape. If the teeth look 'ok' you might try this: I've had good luck with taking the intermediate shaft and gears to a machine shop, and have it machined to take the next size up roller bearings. The type i'm familiar with is the type with loose roller 'pins' that you have to put in, encased in thick grease, then slide the shaft inside the rollers.. usually requires a few tries and a few four-letter words..

You might try some of the major rebuilders here in the states, I think Bluementhals ?? is one, or maybe some of the better know rebuilder shops to ask for suggestions for parts sources.

GLong

Try Northwest Transmission Parts.

http://nwtparts.com/

You will get more answers if you ask questions in http://forums.aaca.org/f162/

You want a Buick Master Chassis Parts book. The book issued 2~3 years after your car tends to be best

Other web sites of interest

http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/

http://www.classicnosparts.com/products-page/buick/page/4/

http://www.1956buick.com/1956-buick-information/1956-buick-resources

http://www.1956buick.com/online-store/1956-buick-manuals/master-books

https://www.classicbuicks.com/

http://www.fusick.com/buick_parts.htm

http://www.rockauto.com/dbphp/x,make,BUICK,year,1956,d,1956_BUICK.html

http://forums.aaca.org/f162/1956-master-chassis-part-numbers-206600.html

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-1930-thru-1956-buick-master-405802774

Hello,

Thanks to everyone for donating thier time and advise to help me out!!! im very apreciative of your imputs.

I will get some Parts and Chassis books and use the links you have supplied and hopefully i have some success.

Once again thank you all for your time and help. I will keep you posted on how i go with the OL Girl

Cheers

My thought for today......"If it aint got steel or chrome bumpers it's not a car !!....It's just Transport" :cool:

You will get more answers if you ask questions in http://forums.aaca.org/f162/

You want a Buick Master Chassis Parts book. The book issued 2~3 years after your car tends to be best

Other web sites of interest

http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/

http://www.classicnosparts.com/products-page/buick/page/4/

http://www.1956buick.com/1956-buick-information/1956-buick-resources

http://www.1956buick.com/online-store/1956-buick-manuals/master-books

https://www.classicbuicks.com/

http://www.fusick.com/buick_parts.htm

http://www.rockauto.com/dbphp/x,make,BUICK,year,1956,d,1956_BUICK.html

http://forums.aaca.org/f162/1956-master-chassis-part-numbers-206600.html

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-1930-thru-1956-buick-master-405802774

What he said... See you there.

The u-joint is 1956 manual transmission only. I believe many of the internal trans parts will interchange with the 48-55 Buick Century and Roadmaster. I believe 1956 is the first year that Buick used the bigger manual transmission in the small car.

Bill

Hello,

Thanks to everyone for donating thier time and advise to help me out!!! im very apreciative of your imputs.

I will get some Parts and Chassis books and use the links you have supplied and hopefully i have some success.

Once again thank you all for your time and help. I will keep you posted on how i go with the OL Girl

Cheers

My thought for today......"If it aint got steel or chrome bumpers it's not a car !!....It's just Transport" :cool:

Hi there smoky can I please have a contact number I have a 1956 Buick special Convertible with a 3 speed and would like to talk to you thanks.

Richard Atkinson

New Zealand

03 7626205 hm

0275 127760 Mb

atkinsonracing@xtra.co.nz

Hello Richard,

I will send a message to the email address you have listed mate

we can chat there if you like