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Technical Blue saginaw 4 speed

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 54 Chevrolet, May 22, 2020.

  1. 54 Chevrolet
    Joined: Aug 29, 2018
    Posts: 102

    54 Chevrolet
    Member
    from Wv

    I bought A saginaw 4 speed A couple of months ago .It 15901687152876662467411859464057.jpg has A 2 ring input shaft, 3.11 first gear and the factory color is blue. I have never seen A blue one and was wondering if anyone has seen one before. I'm just curious what it came out of.
     
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  2. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    It might have came out of a transmission rebuilding shop that paints all their rebuilt units blue. Pretty common for trans shops to do this, although usually it's more with automatic transmissions.

    Or it could be a previous owner was painting the engine, and figured the transmission needed it too.
     
  3. Never seen a blue painted Saginaw either OEM or service replacement. That looks to be a early 70's due to the switch on the 3-4 selector, that was for the emission control system. I forget the original term but it completed the circuit to ground allowing vacuum advance in 4th gear. I don't remember 75 and later cars having that system but I could be wrong there, at least up to 1974 GM was using that. And to throw in a curve, it could have been a mixmaster of parts, would not be the first one I have seen. I don't have the parts catalogs to refer to anymore since I got out of the dealerships three years ago, figured 47 years was enough for anybody.

    3.11 gearing and the three holes in the casting below the extension housing is for the torque arm rear suspension, the Monza HR (fastback) and HM (notchback) bodies introduced in 1975.
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2020
  4. 40Standard
    Joined: Jul 30, 2005
    Posts: 5,963

    40Standard
    Member
    from Indy

    GM did not paint the saginaw 4 speed blue
     
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  5. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,600

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    I have one with dark blue paint with 2:54 first from a (one year only to be put behind a) Big Block 69 Chevelle.
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2020
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  6. 54 Chevrolet
    Joined: Aug 29, 2018
    Posts: 102

    54 Chevrolet
    Member
    from Wv

    That's the only blue one I've ever seen and I think is factory paint you can tell it's been on there A long time.I was wondering if it could have been behide A Pontiac motor.That was just A guess.
     
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  7. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    GM never painted transmissions engine color. The engines were assembled and painted at the engine plant, not the car assembly plant, which is where the transmissions were bolted to the engines.

    But I expect you can make up a great story for it....that's much more interesting than someone painting it blue some time in the past 40-50 years.
     
  8. 56sedandelivery
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 6,695

    56sedandelivery
    Member Emeritus

    It's a Vega/Monza transmission. The extension housing bosses on the bottom are where the "vibration weight" bolts on. As long as you don't "beat" on it, it should be fine. The gears are narrower on the 3.11 and 3.50 first gear transmissions. The two switches are for the backup lights and the spark retard feature. No way it was factory painted, any color. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
     
  9. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,600

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    Never said GM painted it. It's a numbers correct for a big block Chevy.
     
  10. 54 Chevrolet
    Joined: Aug 29, 2018
    Posts: 102

    54 Chevrolet
    Member
    from Wv

    Ok thanks guys at least I know now.
    I found it local and got A good deal on it, there getting kinda hard to find around my area anymore ,any 4 speed.
    Late winter I converted my 72 skylark over to A 4 speed and used A saginaw.
    The one I installed in my car was no ring input shaft, but it makes A growling noise in only 2nd gear.Im going to keep running it,that why I bought the blue one was for A back up.
     
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  11. 31Apickup
    Joined: Nov 8, 2005
    Posts: 3,365

    31Apickup
    Member

    As mentioned it’s Monza and it’s clones. The torque arm bolts to those three bolt holes on the tail shaft. Messed with those years ago. Still have a trans like that in my Dads garage in Michigan.


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  12. Nostrebor
    Joined: Jun 25, 2014
    Posts: 1,278

    Nostrebor
    Member

    Second gear growl is pretty common as they wear. I have one in the barn just like it, without the blue paint. Even though it was Monza, it will hold up ok behind a V8 if you don't hammer on it. Mine held up really well, and I did hammer on it.:D
     
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  13. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,795

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    A lot of the 4 cylinder engines had a weight hung on the 3 bolts on the tail shaft and had the 3.10 low gear...
     
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  14. 54 Chevrolet
    Joined: Aug 29, 2018
    Posts: 102

    54 Chevrolet
    Member
    from Wv

    Ok thanks, I'm A little concerned with it noise in 2nd but the rest of the gears are quite. The one with the noise is A v8 transmission no ring input shaft and only has the standard mount that I'm running now,the blue one just A back up.
     
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  15. Nostrebor
    Joined: Jun 25, 2014
    Posts: 1,278

    Nostrebor
    Member

    Eventually it will pop out of gear when you let off. It took a lot of abuse to get mine there after the noise started. Young and dumb were factors.:)

    They are pretty easy to fix when the time comes, if you are not afraid to take one apart.
     
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  16. The good point of the Saginaw is the Iron case, the bad point is the narrower gears due to all five gears being in the main case.
     
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  17. Wrench97
    Joined: Jan 29, 2020
    Posts: 679

    Wrench97

    I worked in a shop in the 70's that painted complete rebuilds red, repaired trans black and patch jobs silver.....................
     
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  18. Never believed much in them after I helped a friend swap the 3 spd in his '64 GTO for a Saginaw; gear teeth didn't even last the weekend.
     
  19. Poncho60
    Joined: Jan 23, 2011
    Posts: 278

    Poncho60
    Member
    from N Illinois

    The 3.11 low gear Saginaw 4 spd was std equipment on 66 Impalas with 283 & 4spd according to the service manual I had.
     
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  20. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,600

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    ^^^^^ Not to say a 3:11 first gear ratio Saginaw's won't survive a V8, it can. It's all in how it's driven. Drive it like a cruiser and it'll last a long time. @54 Chevrolet do you know the gear ratio to the rear end in your Pontiac? Just asking to see how well trans will match up with rear when rolling out from a stop.
     
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  21. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 23,752

    Deuces

    I nabbed one of those out of a Buick Skyhawk... I was in the process of building another V-8 Vega at the time and ended up ditching that idea.... :rolleyes:
    Thank God!!!. ..:cool:
     
  22. 54 Chevrolet
    Joined: Aug 29, 2018
    Posts: 102

    54 Chevrolet
    Member
    from Wv

    The rear ratio is 3.73 in my Buick with 275/60/15 rear tires that tamed the gearing down some.
     
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  23. Ammco used to paint their rebuilds that same color blue.
     
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  24. 54 Chevrolet
    Joined: Aug 29, 2018
    Posts: 102

    54 Chevrolet
    Member
    from Wv

    Ok thanks, that's good to know.
     
  25. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,600

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    It'll be fun taking off so be kind to it.
     
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  26. 40Standard
    Joined: Jul 30, 2005
    Posts: 5,963

    40Standard
    Member
    from Indy

    back in 1967, I bought a brand new 1967 Nova, had a 327 & a Saginaw 4 speed, tranny was not painted & the tranny held up find
     
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  27. drspeaker
    Joined: Nov 7, 2022
    Posts: 1

    drspeaker

    Found this Saginaw on my 1976 Camaro the build sheet RPO M20 - Transmission, 4-speed wide range 692.JPG 709.JPG
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2022
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  28. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,795

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    3.10’s were great street drivers. Hard to stall when starting out and easy on clutches. A friend drag raced one at vintage meets behind a 12 port GMC in a 38 Chev sedan and never hurt it.
     
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  29. Bob Lowry
    Joined: Jan 19, 2020
    Posts: 1,488

    Bob Lowry

    Just had an M20 Muncie rebuilt that I bought in a bundle deal. It was painted Pontiac blue.
    My transmission guy gave it back to me painted machine gray...he said he just couldn't stand
    to see a Muncie painted blue go out his door. I just laughed.
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2022
    bobss396 likes this.

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