Hey guys sorry if this isn't the place to post I just joined and couldn't find a help section to post in.Im needing a little info if possibe.I've got a 61 belvedere with a 318 wideblock and a488 push button trans.The trans is out and is toast I'm kind of in a pickle.I either need to find a full rebuild kit (which I haven't been able to find) and if I do my trans guy doesn't really want to rebuild it.Option 2 find a replacement in the state of iowa (which I'm having a hard time with as well).Option 3 a early push button 727 but if I go this route wondering what all has to be done to make it work? Any help and info would be greatly appreciated!
My understanding is that the 727 should bolt right up behind the A motor. As far as the push button shifting I haven't a clue. They are cool I just haven't ever had one to know whats involved with them.
Well I read and was told something like that the a488 was the only trans I could use due to the way the converter was balanced or some crap like that.Also something with the way the driveshaft mounted to the trans.If it's going to be a giant pain in the butt I'm about half tempted to do a twin turbo 5.3 I've got laying around and th350 trans lol.But then its not going to be done soon enough to enjoy this summer which was the whole reason I bought it.Now I'm beginning to find out why such a nice car has sat with no trans in it for 3 years I thought it'd be a somewhat "easy fix" so much for that lol.I do have the original transmission but a couple of the internal parts are trashed that aren't provided in the rebuild kit.Is there anyway to search the classifieds? I'm having a heck of a time navigating this page I think it's my phone
They never used an externally balanced converter until the 360 came out. The big deal was when they changed from bolting the flywheel on with nuts and bolts, to cap screws that threaded into the flywheel flange. Older models had to have a space behind the flywheel flange to put the bolts in, newer ones had the flange tighter to the engine by about an inch. The change over was done late 1962. So that is the cutoff year for interchanging transmissions. 1963 and up will not fit.
what Rusty said. do you know if you have the early motor with the bolts thur the crank that the torque converter bolts to or the spacer that bolts to the crank with the torque converter bolting to the plate..?
If the car ran fine other than the trans, fix the trans. I did a quick search and found this. It sounds like your transmission is still a version of a TF. http://www.autotran.us/tfkits1.html make some calls, talk to people who might actually have the parts. You gonna have to ship the parts in and find a local rebuilder that is worthy. Any other option will be more work and money in the end. BTW the other modern options, NOT the sort of thing that works well on this board.
I'll have to do some more looking on the car but I do know for a fact that it's an a488.From my research they only made 2 3 speed push button transmissions the a488 being a cast case and a a727 being an aluminum case.I just got the car so was wanting to get it on the road asap to enjoy this summer.I'd prefer to keep it as original as possible the 5.3 swap would be a last resort to get it on the road wasn't tryn to offend anyone lol
Believe you will need an adapter for the aluminum 727, but 73RR here on the HAMB will know for sure. It will also need to be from another 318 poly and not a big block. If you go this route try to get the shifter and cables also for the tranny. May need to do something about the park brake also, if it's originally on the transmission tail shaft. -Dave
Any tranny for a hemi, hemi based poly, or A Poly through '62 will bolt up. A 392 to newer 727 adaptor will let you bolt up the modern 727 to your poly. As was mention 73RR is QEC & he has that adaptor.
I may be wrong (often am) but I thought the bell housing bolt pattern changed on the 318 from '61 to '62. As said 73RR is the man to speak with. -Dave
I bought an engine and trans from a guy that was either 60 or 61. Was going to put the engine in my 65 dodge (318 poly) but when I pulled the trans out I found out that the holes in the end of the crank for the flywheel/ torque converter did not have threads. Came from the factory with bolts and nuts. So I pulled the flywheel off my 65 dodge and the bolt pattern was different. Like said above by another member, I think 63 changed on the poly engines and transmissions. The 60/61 trans had a drum on the back for the emergency brake and I'm pretty sure the cars didn't have park kind of like cadillac did back in the 50's. I would either rebuild the trans or go ahead with an engine/trans swap.
The Jalopy Journal
