Technical Looking For Good Rebuilder of Standard Transmissions & Rearends (within driving distance of Houston)

Does anyone here have a recommendation for a really good rebuilder of standard transmissions and rearends withing driving distance (1 hours drive) of the Houston area?

Also need driveshaft shortened and rebalanced.

If so, your input would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Harry

 

Look at Randy's Driveshaft for that work. They've done a few for me and been great.

There is a guy @ the swap meets called Kajun Jon (I think) who does manual trans work. Never used him but got a pinion from him and talked to him a while. Seemed to know his stuff. Just looked him up, he's in Whitney so a little far away.

Can't help you with rearends.

 

Why not do them yourself? They are not that hard to do, you may be surprised once you have done one.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Thanks, guys! Appreciate your help. I have heard of Kajun Jon up in Whitney, Texas. Will give him a holler to see if he might want to take this on. If not, I will see if I can come up with the correct C-clip pliers and a few other tools and tear it down myself.

This transmission build will be 'a little different'. I did something similar in the early '70s but this will have to be done differently due to different ratios and tooth count on gears.

What I am doing is rebuilding and modifying a Borg Warner T-85 3-speed transmission with the R-11 4-pinion planetary gear overdrive to fit up behind my '57 Chevy bellhousing.



Transmission is a BW T-85 N from '66 Ford pickup. To make it fit my GM bellhousing, I have a T-85 gear case from a '62 Pontiac. The T-85 3-speed came behind the 421 Super Duty engines in those years, but GM did not have an overdrive version. The OD versions were found in Fords, Studebakers, '56 Packards, etc. T-10 4-speed was optional behind early '60s Pontiac Super Duty engine.

So the plan is to rebuild the T-85 OD Ford truck transmission and when reassembling it, to use the Pontiac T-85 non-OD gear case along with the input shaft and front bearing retainer from an early GM version T-10 to fit it up to my Chevy bellhousing. The T-10 4-speed was developed from the T-85 3-speed and shares many internal parts. The GM T-10 input shaft I have here has same tooth count as the Ford truck T-85 input shaft, so I am hoping it will interchange, but won't know for sure until transmission is disassembled and I can lay both input shafts side by side and measure them. If I recall correctly, 1 additional hole must be drilled in the rear of the non-OD T-85 gear case to fit the OD unit behind it.

Anyway, that's 'Plan A.' If the GM T-10 input shaft won't work in my T-85, 'Plan B.' will involve utilizing the Ford input shaft and some machine work to shorten and turn down Ford front bearing retainer to GM spec. And machining a pilot bushing having GM OD, Ford ID and being a bit longer than standard GM pilot bearing.


Shorten and rebalance driveshaft......

The T-85 OD transmission is about 6" longer than even the original long tailshaft '57 Chevy tranny. I'll give Randy's Driveshaft Service a holler when I'm ready and have final measurements.


The rearend...... If I rebuild my original '57 rearend, will see if Tom Parsons (DZ Auto up in Oklahoma) is still doing this work. Or may go to a stronger rearend, but will cross that bridge when I come to it.

Best regards and thanks to all,

Harry

 

Update...... Just got off the phone with Jon Bergeron (Kajun Jon) regarding transmission rebuild. Sad to report that Jon has inoperable cancer and no longer does this work. Please remember Jon in your thoughts and prayers. He has a tough fight ahead.

G-d bless,

Harry

 

Wow sad news. Bought a SBC bell housing from him at the Conroe swap meet several years ago. Set up the sale over the phone before the swap meet. It was waiting for me when I got to the meet.

 

Yes, was very sad to learn of this. We will keep Jon and his family in our thoughts and in our prayers.

Best regards,

Harry

 

http://www.pylebros.com/

Pyle Brothers in Baytown for the diff. Not only pros, but nice guys.

Mike

 

Thanks, Mike! I'll give them a holler!

Best regards,

Harry