What is this transmission ? Lasalle ?

hello ,

somebody locally offered this transmission for sale as a '37 Lasalle , it doesnt like like one to me but what is it ? And is it any good ?




thank you ,
Slapshot

 

definately NOT 37 up lasalle. they don't have a bolt on shifter.

 

If I saw the other side I might be a little more sure but I believe it's a buick since it has the 6 bolt top cover it's the stronger of the buick's as well.

 

LaSalle did use a transmission of that style in '35-'36. If it's open drive, it's LaSalle. If it's torque tube, it's Buick.

 

Thank you !!! this is verry helpful ! (and fast !)

would it be worth it to mess around with this transmission behind a 303 Olds ? will this fit the Olds bell housing and would it hold up ?
would this be better than a let's say '39 toploader (ford)

thanks again !
Slapshot

 

i believe the official designation for this trans design is the General Motors "D", used in one form or another in Buick from '35-'61 or so, and Olds from at least as far back as '51. after column shifts appeared and became wildly popular, around 1939, they changed the shift mechanism to a clunky shifting single lever arrangement. these are known as "selecter" variants. "selecters" can be made into tough trannys by utilizing their tougher geartrain with an early roadmaster top shift case and the olds output and extension housing for open drive. the result is just about as strong as a packard or caddy box. it seems to me, i recall reading that 35/36 cases are much weaker starting points, and i think the '35 has a different bolt pattern, the '37-'38 roadmaster case being the ultimate in terms of strength. i think though, that any top shift cover from any year will fit any case with minor mods, even selecters when the selecter junk is removed and a welsh plug installed in the hole.... so to answer your question, yes right off the bat, it's stronger than a '39 Ford, but like anything else, the parts combination and the attention you give it determine exactly how much stronger it is. <!-- / message -->

 

Thanks !

so ultimate I would assemble a top-loader with the first transmission I posted using the box of one of these ... (same guy also has these) right ?

 

no, the early pontiac box is smaller and lighter duty

 

how about that olds ?

 

can you take a pic of that '48 olds box to compare top covers to your top-shift roadmaster trans to compare the shape of the top covers? the correct "selecter" should have six bolts and an identical shape to the roadmaster

 

I can not take photo's of these boxes , but I'll keep this in mind when I go there !
thank you !!!

 

if you can, try to find the throwout bearing collar for the transmissions you buy. i think roadmaster/six bolt selecter and cad/lasalle all use the same one. since they don't "bolt on" and are captured between the bell and the trans when assembled they always get scattered when a trans and a bell get separated. when i collected six cad/lasalles i had one collar among all of them.