GOT ONE!!! '56 6-bolt cover manual trans!

[brad54]

I haven't posted here in a long while...I've been really wrapped up in my daily driver '62 Suburban and my gasser project, so have been frequenting those types of sites.

But last weekend I scored a trans I've been chasing for several years.

I've got a '54 Special, and it was my daily driver down in Florida for a year and a half. The weak 5-bolt manual trans went out, and then stuff happened so the car got sidelined for the last 5 years. A couple months ago I pulled the trans out (finally) and went to swap in a spare I'd found, but it turns out the spare was an earlier one...the tail shaft was a bit shorter. The thought of gutting one trans and swapping it into the other didn't appeal to me.

Knowing these transmissions are weak, I've kept my eyes open for a beefier 6-bolt trans since buying the car. About 6 months ago, someone posted one for sale on one of my other sites (a hot rodding site...GASP!). It came with the trans and torque ball, bellhousing, lower tin cover, clutch fork (with both ball retainer fingers being in good shape), clutch/pressure plate and 322 FLYWHEEL! The whole shooting match. When they pop up on ebay, the transmissions alone seem to go for around $300, flywheels in the $100-$150 range (sometimes more), and the bellhousings (different from the Special I have) usually go for between $100 and $200. And I never see the tin covers or clutch forks. I got the whole thing for $125! I finally picked the parts up last weekend. And he through in a cherry '56 322 driver's side dual exhaust manifold to boot.

After I get the Suburban back on the road, I'm going to work on getting the Special back in the fleet. I still have dreams of building a hot '56 322 for it, but in the meantime, just having it moving and back together will be nice for several reasons. A) I'll be driving the car again. I'll have two vintage cars on the road to choose from, and when one needs work I won't have to rely on the wife to shuttle me around (Nothing worse than a grown man calling home and saying "I'm done mom, come pick me up!) and C) I'll have a nice, big, fat opening in the shop. Several, actually. The car, the hood, the radiator, the engine on the stand, and the two 5-bolt transmissions will all be out!

Woo-Hoo! I'm looking forward to Buicking again.

-Brad

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

that's good news!!!! can't wait to see that lil sedan out on the road again.

[brad54]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MrEarl</div><div class="ubbcode-body">that's good news!!!! can't wait to see that lil sedan out on the road again. </div></div>

Yeah, me too!

So, when can you come over to help?

-Brad

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

I don't know, when's the next evenin Braves game. We tore down an engine before the 8th inning last time we whould be able to swap out a tranny in a double header I'd think.

[imported_buick5563]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: brad54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">About 6 months ago, someone posted one for sale on one of my other sites (a hot rodding site...GASP!).

Woo-Hoo! I'm looking forward to Buicking again.

-Brad </div></div>

You know Brad, some of us go to hot rodding sites, too.

Where is "that" signature of yours?

Mike

[brad54]

You know Brad, some of us go to hot rodding sites, too.

Where is "that" signature of yours?

Mike

Mmmmmm...dinner...

[imported_buick5563]

Yup, it's time to eat.

Mike