I've done a search but didn't find exactly what I'm looking for. I want to convert from a torque tube to open drive line. What tranny swaps are out there are direct bolt ins? It's a 1960 364cid. I'm trying to keep this as cheap as possible.
there is no transmission that is a direct bolt in. the closest is going to be a ST400 or SP400 from a 1964-1966 Nailhead equipped Buick. The bellhousing is correct, need the flexplate and to open up the center hole to match the Dynaflow crank, though the bolt holes do match. A bushing for the crank as well. And might have to play with a hole for the starter. You can get the center section from an early 60's full size Buick and it'll bolt in where yours is now. Then just fab some trailing arms, leave the coils and panhrd bar....
You can drop Ironhunter (Ray) on here an email, he was recently parting out a bunch of Buick stuff. As well as Flat Top Bob at Owen's Salvage a PM, he may be able to help you out with that stuff. And the Classifieds may have a few as well.
I converted my 59 buick to an open driveline. i used a 425 and a s/p 400 from a 66. I also used the factory differental from my 59 but changed out the 3rd member to a 62 Lesabre. Before I removed the o.e.m. 3rd member and driveline I set up a 4 link. It works great. Pm me and I'll give you a little more detail on it and part numbers. TP
You COULD use a 50's ('51 upOlds - '55 /'57 Pont) Olds/Pont manual tranny in your Buick. They are 'selector' style shifter like the Buick, but open drive. The main problem with that solution is finding the Olds/Pont stick box itself. Buick/Pont/Olds shared the same basic gear boxes, but there were two versions.....light duty with 5 bolt top cover and HD with 6 bolt top cover. The Buick/Olds/Pontiac V8's used the 6 bolt cover box. I am currently doing that to my '40 Super and it (should) work out pretty slick. Ray
That nailhead pattern transmission was sold by GM to other carmakers as a sort of universal pattern trans up to about 1969 - one other source of them is like 66-69 Jeep Wagoneers and pickups - apparently you can convert one back to 2WD with a short tail housing and a yoke with the right splines.
The biggest problem with that is finding the correct 364 flywheel and the bellhousing to match that transmission. As I've posted so many times before... A source for TH400 trannys: wanted to give everyone a heads up on a good place to look for TH400 transmissions. keep an eye out for jeep pick-ups and wagoneers 1965 to 1972. they have the same bell housing as a 401 nailhead and are th400's. you can unbolt the transfer case adapter and bolt on a 4" tailhousing and your ready to go! the holander number is # 1331, so start looking. i had never seen one till today and stumbled across one. Also Rolls and Bentley you are correct about this trans bolting up to a nailhead, but the output shaft should be a course spline on the jeep & about 3.75" longer than a 2x2. Dave the one i found was out of a 1970 jeep p/u but the output shaft is the same length and spline as my 65 buick trans st400 i have! what do you think the deal is with that! maybe it was changed or something. Yea, sounds like someone changed the shaft to be able to use a later GM transfer case. Good deal for you tho. Just checked on the jeep cores I have & they both have the long course spline output shafts. But you will want to overhaul it anyway, so thats the time to switch shafts.I got tons of the 2x2 shafts if you need some. Dave Most of the nailhead cases in Jeeps have the fine spline short shaft used with the 4" extension housing for Buicks. the exception being the Quadratrac transfer cases. You can also find them in CJ7's until 1980. Even stranger, the Jeeps with a 350 Buick in them used the Nailhead case, with an adapter to bolt to the 350. this is the adapter that might be reversed and used to fit a BOP stick housing to a nailhead. Don't know that it would work, never tried it, May be impossible, I really don't know. The guts will interchange from any T400 to any other T400 case. there are differences. The Buick valve body will hold the trans in the gear selected, and not "blow" shift like a chevy T400.The ST400 parts will fit too, with qualifications. you have to use the ST pump with the ST convertor, and the is an orfice plug that has to go in an oil passage behind the pump at the top of the case. Also, you can use a ST 300 convertor in a ST 400 to get more stall out of the trans. The ST 400 convertor is 13", the ST 300 convertor is 11"
zman, I'll try and put something together. My problem is ,that I am completely computer stupid. One reason Is I don't have a digital camera. I guess I could borrow one and maybe get the pictures posted. I did this a couple of years back but still have the car. I'll try. TP
our local salvage yard has some jeeps with buick engines and 400 trannies. PM me if I can put you in contact.
Good info. I'm gonna start looking for donor vehicles. bobwop-that sounds good but I don't think I could afford freight. If I don't have any luck, I'll get in touch. TP-is the 426 the same pattern as the 364? zman-really good stuff. So, look for a donor 65-72 wagoneer or p/u and get tranny and flex plate? Then look for a 4" 400 tail? I'm sorry, I'm a tranny-tard. (that's a person who is uneducated on transmissions; not a retarded transvestite)
Great info. I'm a total retard on this too, which explains why I just keep pouring tranny fluid into my leaky Dynaflow. Aside from this info, I also wanted to add that Eagletucky on the board did a swap a few years ago and said that he used a rear from a 79 Olds 88. Said it was the same width as the stock '60 Buick and the right bolt pattern. I don't know what other GM rears interchange with that, but I do remember the Olds info so thought I'd add it.
Not to be a stickler, but the rear end I used was from a 78' olds 98. It had a 2:41 rear end. It would work great behind a 350 or 400 trans.
you can use the diff. out of a chevy pickup[74-86?] and keep the same bolt pattern. The way I did it you don't even have to pull the differental out of the car. Just change 3rd member and use stock axles,springs,panhard bar.
TP, So..... did you just use an aftermarket 4 bar setup of some kind or did you use some kind of production setup? Steve weim55 Colorado
Please consider the "truck arms" style suspension........functionally it is probaly superior to almost any other option in your Buick Chassis. Stockcar Products makes a new set that are very nice.........not cheap.........but very nice.....that I am using on my '40 Super. It is essentially the same setup as '60 to '72 Chev pickups......which would be fine to use, IF you can find a set that aren't rusted to nothing.......and you can resue the stock Buick coils and track bar. Ray p.s. easier to install too, than 4 bar style.......aside from the axle brackets, the front mounts can be attached to the 'X' member with less fabrication than the 4 bars style frame mounts require.
I'm in the process of installing a 4 speed manual in my 59 lesabe. I had a 364 with a 3pd stick from the factory. As far as the closed to open driveline conversion goes its not difficult. 61/62 full size buick 3rd member bolts in. Then I'm just welding a crossmember in to mount the parallel 4 link on, get a drive shaft made and done. Well not including the whole bell housing flywheel ect...
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