Hello friends, I just picked up a 56 Chevrolet big window pickup the other day and I was planning on running a 283 with a powerglide out of a 59 El Camino I parted out. What's the skinny on the powerglide's? I've never driven a car with one and I've heard both good and bad things about them. I figured if there were experts they would be on the HAMB.
Power glides are a sought after tranny for drag racers. Most street guys try for more gears. Like 700 r 4s. Its all personal preference.
It will work OK but performance and mileage will be doggy. They whine in low gear too, don't worry about it. Nothing wrong with a PG but there are better transmissions. If you have a choice use something newer.
Had one in my '55 Chevy when I was 16. I know for a fact they won't last long when you do neutral starts with them. I also know that it cost a lot of money (even in 1967) to have one fixed before your dad gets home from the hospital Ended up converting it to a stick. My problem, not the PG's. Dennis D
I think the 59 PG is still the old cast iron case version? If so it is best left to a restorer. The later alum case models are the ones that are used for drag racing. All PG are 2 speeds, low and high (1 to 1 ratio high). So it does not have great low gear for taking off, and it only shifts once. Assuming you are keeping the truck rearend, it will be geared low and you should consider to use an OD trans. Such as a 700R4 or 200-4R as automatic trans examples. A T-5 would be good for manual trans behind the 283. You parted out a 59 El Camino? I hope it was way far gone, because they are real desireable.
I ran at least two decades ago. One was a 65 Impala 6 cyl, and the other was a 64 Chevelle SS 283. They both went down the road OK...we have hills, but I don't recall them being crappy to drive. I don't know if they were all air cooled, but the 65 was, and with no lines to leak, that was good
This El Camino's pretty far gone, cancer in the floors, Bed, frame in front of the trailing arm. Damn shame. But lots of parts left, doors, tail gate, rear bumper. PM me if interested in anything.
I'm starting to think Overdrive might be the way to go in this situation. The 283 still has the 2 barrel Rochester and I intend on keeping it, so I think I'll 86 the powerglide.
PM sent .... AFTER THOUGHT... add stainless bed trim to my list. Those 56-57 big windows are damn nice pick ups ... I always liked them . The PG works but in my opinion anything with over-drive is the way to go. ... Question to all ...... Whats the thoughts on a three speed stick with OD ... ??
X2 - either of those two OD trans will bolt right up to that 283. The 200-4R is physically a little smaller and works well when there are clearance issues.
Over the years, I've had a number of them in daily drivers. You really can't complain about them except for the boredom factor. Imagine you get in your hot rod, start it up, put in in drive & step on the gas. It goes, shifts once & goes gain. Yawn. Compare this to a four speed manual trans of the day.
Nice '56 truck. If you are serious about an overdrive transmission check out California Performance Transmissions 9The real Art Carr shop). They are in Huntington Beach. Not too far from you. They build a nice 200 4R. Also, close to you is Bowtie Overdrives, in Hesparia, Ca. BTO has an excellent website for 700R4 and 2004R overdrives. I installed their 200 4R Level II in my 60's Chevy (see album). Felt like the engine gained 100 hp after replacing the TH350 with the 200 4R (alot deeper 1st gear and cruises at 2000 rpm at 65 mph.
A 283 and a Powerglide will get you where your going , just don't expect to be interupted by an erection on the way Of course a talented passenger could change that. Frank
If you use it be sure to replace the big o ring on the converter. They are the first thing to start leaking. If it was me I would replace the front seal also. I had a few power glides and also rebuilt a few. I have one in my 56 Belair now. I like them. My first new car was a 56 Belair power glide power pack, that I raced from stop light to stop light in Flint. Never had a problem with the transmission. Use to pump it up at the stop lights, that is power it up with the brakes on.
I would take some time to think about what you want the truck's drivetrain to be like when you're done. If the truck still has the original manual transmission setup, then you have a crossmember kind of in the way of installing the powerglide (or any auto trans), and there's no rear crossmember to mount the back of the trans, and no side mounts for the engine. But if the truck has had an engine swap already, and has the side mounts, rear crossmember, and the middle crossmember cut out, then it's a pretty easy swap. So...more info needed to answer your question as it pertains to putting it in your truck. As for how they work, the cast iron powerglide you have was used thru 1962, the aluminum was introduced in 62 in 327 equipped cars. They are both kind of dogs as far as acceleration, in stock condition, but then so is a 2bbl 283. If you put a very high stall torque converter in an aluminum powerglide (along with a lot of other new parts) you can go drag racing, but that's not really applicable to your truck.
The truck I'm going to be working on is another 56 big window I picked up out of Fresno. The frame is bare right now, I plan on finding the rack and pinion set up off a Jaguar in a pick a part, I've already got the IRS rear end out of an xJ6 sitting in my shop. It seems that the consensus is the powerglide is not what I'm needing. I'm thinking stock 283 with a 2 barrel with an overdrive tranny. I think that will be a good set up, I'm really looking to build a bulletproof cruiser that won't punch me in the wallet every time I want to take it for a drive.
Got a '60 Impala 4 door Hdtp. When I got it it had a 2 bbl 283 & cast iron Powerglide. Since it had under 65k on it when I got it, I decided to drive it 'as is' until it got tired (this was in 1990). The combo worked just fine- if a little uninspiring- and on a trip from here in MN to NM delivered close to 20 MPG on the hwy. The 283 finally started using oil & I replaced it with a warmed over 327 last year, but since the PG was still working fine I kept it. My plan is to eventually go the 200 4R route, but for the record- with the 327 (which dynoed @ 325 HP) even with the low (numerically) PG rear gears it pushes you nicely into your seat when you punch it, and chirps a tire when it shifts its one and only shift...
I actually have and DRIVE a truck with the OG 2bbl 283 and Powerglide. The PG doesn't whine in low gear, it gets decent mileage (as least as good as my 2002 Z71), and the truck moves along just fine. It'll cruise down the highway at 70 mph all day. It's a boring, utilitarian combo. But it works just fine.
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