Dandy Dave Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 Helping a fellow with a 1936 Oldsmobile 6 Cylinder. He bought the car in bushel baskets and boxes and we have several transmissions to pick from. One looks like a 1936 Oldsmobile synchromesh trans, but the shift pattern is like the Buick where it is opposite most standard transmissions of the time. He also had about a 1938 Buick parts car at one time so he thought the trans would have been out of that possibly. I guess the question is did Oldsmobile and Buick share the same shift pattern from 1935-1940 era? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzcarnerd Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 Buick did away with the back-to-front shift pattern in the 1920s didn't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibarlaw Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 YES. 1927 was the last year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 3 hours ago, Dandy Dave said: I guess the question is did Oldsmobile and Buick share the same shift pattern from 1935-1940 era? I have not heard of any exceptions. The basic transmission design used in Buick 40/Special (but not the bigger Buicks) was used in Oldsmobiles. It was also used in Pontiacs from late 1935 on. An Olds transmission will be set up for an open driveline. A Buick will be set up with w Buick-style torque tube and have the speedometer gear running above the centerline of the output shaft.. A late 1935-1936 Pontiac will be set up for a Chevrolet-style torque tube, and have the speedometer gears running below the centerline of the output shaft. A 1937 Pontiac version is set up for open driveline, but has a crazy-long output shaft, and the speedometer gears above the centerline of the output shaft. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GARY F Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 My 37 Olds has the standard H pattern. Top left is reverse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 The car the transmission needs to fit is an Old's F36 4 Door Sedan. I read some old broachers yesterday that the 1936 Old's did have a synchromesh Trans. The shift pattern however is like my 1915 Buick. Reverse is to the right and up. First is right and down. Second left and up, Third left and down. From what I could see the trans looked right from some images in a parts list I have for a 1936 Old's. Maybe I should post a few photos. Just questioned the shift pattern being backward from most. Figures I'd have an odd ball. Thanks for the info so far folks. Stay tuned for photos. Dandy Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 Photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 Another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 Tail Photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 The part number on the main transmission case is 1293153-2. I could not find a case listing number in the Parts book I have. Also digging a little deeper it looks like the 1936 Drive shaft and joints is a one year only design as the 1935's have different part numbers as do the 1937's. Seems that I saw somewhere the 1937's had a two piece drive shaft vs a one piece for 1936. Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 That sure looks like an Olds transmission to me, with the open driveline setup and a short tail. Is there some kind of pad around the shifter mechanism? Where is the shifter? Buick/Pontiac transmissions with a short tower have a really screwy mechanism in the top to make that shifter tower so short. Are you really sure the shift pattern is backwards? I believed all those ultra-short shift towers worked the same unitl this thread. Does the shift tower look like this? Picture from Gary W's restoration thread. Transmission is 37 Buick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 (edited) Yes, It looks like that and there's a pad on the top. We need to find the shifter and drive shaft in the pile of parts the owner hopefully has stored away. I guess if the shifter slides side to side instead of rocking on a ball like most then the shifter pattern would be the other way. I did have the cover off and the second and third gear is to the right. First and reverse to the left. Dandy Dave! Edited February 1, 2020 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 You won't believe all the monkey motion in that shifter when you find all the parts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Unfortunately we have not found the shifter in the parts that he has. I took a ride yesterday to look. The fellow that has it bought it from an old fellow in 1980, ( By god that's 40 years ago already.) that had relatives that had plans to turn the car into a hot rod. They started to take the car apart and lost/ scraped the engine and other parts in the process without his knowledge. When he found out it was too late and some of the drive train pieces were already gone. He advertised it and sold it to the fellow that rescued it and has it now just to see that it did not get butchered. Here I go again with a many year project that someone else took apart and spread pieces all over the place. Dandy Dave to the rescue!!! However, we did find a correct 1936 one year only drive shaft in a parts car that came with the package. I have a master parts list in the mail for 1928 -1936 Oldsmobile just to get info on what parts will interchange with what we don't have. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Well, I can't prove it, but I think shifter parts from a Buick or Pontiac or whatever would work. In fact, I think all the monkey motion parts are the same. One would have to mind the shape of the shift lever, which could vary. I have some pictures of the interior of a 36 Olds that would probably show the shift lever. Let me know if you need and I will dig for them. IIRC we do have another person on the forum restoring a 36 Olds, but I just can't seem to remember who it is. I am sort of surprised he hasn't ducked in here. How good or bad is the wood in your back doors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Here’s a 32’ Olds trans with a 32’ and half of 33’ free wheeling unit on the back. It uses the same type sprung plungers to hold the shift lever in and the 32’ was already an early synchromesh. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Not sure on the back doors. I just saw the car a few days ago as it is at a local body shop and has been there for 15 years. I've been rebuilding the engine and driveline for some time now. Just need to get the transmission apart and cleaned up so the engine can be painted with it all together. Will get some photos of the car when I get over there next time. Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 Getting closer. We need a shift stick lever if anyone has a spare. Part number is 1293963. Fits 1932 to 1936, F32-F36. 1933-1936 L33-L36. Also some smaller Buicks and Pontiacs of the same vintage. I have a ad in Parts wanted. Thanks, Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted February 15, 2020 Share Posted February 15, 2020 I have a F32’ shift lever. Let me find it and take a picture. It will need to be rechromed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 15, 2020 Author Share Posted February 15, 2020 OK. Thanks. I also have an ad in "Parts Wanted" on this site. Thanks, Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 20, 2020 Author Share Posted February 20, 2020 We did locate a shift stick and all the little parts that go with it. It's in the mail and should be here tomorrow. Thanks for all the help Olds Pals. Dandy Dave! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted February 28, 2020 Author Share Posted February 28, 2020 Shifter arrived and I have it installed. Fits and works like it should. Thanks to all. Would any one like photo's? Dandy Dave! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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