'50s manual trans questions

[brad54]

A sheared rivet on the clutch plate killed my pilot bearing, which now gives me a good 1/4-3/8-inch play on my input shaft. The car is a '54 Special. I've got a spare 5-bolt cover trans to rebuild (for just such an emergency), but I'd like to convert to an open driveshaft so I can get something closer to highway gears in the rear end (3.40 is the tallest I can find for the torque tube driveline). I know a Pontiac tail shaft will bolt to the back of a 6-bolt cover trans. Does anyone know if an olds or other make has the right length input shaft or mounting ears on the main case to bolt in place of the Buick box? I'm faced with buying a new trans for the conversion anyway, so I'm trying to make my search as broad as possible.<BR>Or, does anyone know if gears higher (numerically lower) were offered in anything that will bolt into the housing of a '54? <BR>Thanks for the help.<BR>-Brad

[Guest]

Its my understanding that the differentials are the same from 1940 thru 1955, and that one from a Dynaflow equipped car has a better ratio for highway driving. A 1955 rear end I would think would gear it better for highway driving. You may have to have a driveline specialist shorten the tube & possibly cut & re-weld the splines from your old tube to make it work.<P>I'm too faced with a similar problem, my '49 has a 3.91 rear, want to put in a higher rear. I too have wondered about converting to an open driveline & maybe later rear end for such

[The Old Guy]

The 3.42 from a 55 will fit in your rear end and I would think twice about changing to an open rear end. You will have to put in a rear end that has a four link or something similar to hold it in place . The early cars will run well with the 3.42 and you will find if you go to a much taller gear ,you won't have the power to pull it. I have a 3.42 in my 40 with a 263 out of the 53 special and I know I couldn't pull a higher gear. The 322 had more power ,but the car is heavier too .