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Powerglide on a 455 olds motor

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by kmiele, Feb 28, 2011.

  1. kmiele
    Joined: Feb 16, 2010
    Posts: 112

    kmiele
    Member

    I have a 1974 olds 455 that i am going to put in my 52 chevy fleetline. I am getting a powerglide from a 67 pontiac tempest for free. I was told by the guy thats giving it to me that its worthless unless im using the car for drag racing. I know they are popular for racing but they did come in street cars from the factory so i dont see how it would be worthless. What do you guys think?
     
  2. wingedexpress
    Joined: Dec 24, 2006
    Posts: 893

    wingedexpress

    Use it if you want too.They came in alot of GM cars and a few trucks.
     
  3. flynbrian48
    Joined: Mar 10, 2008
    Posts: 8,220

    flynbrian48
    Member

    Free might end up being pretty expensive in this case. You'll need an adaptor, and while the 'glide was popular for drag racing, by the time you have it rebuilt and modified to take the torque of the Olds, you'd be much better off getting a turbo 400 that'll bolt right up. Saw a vendor at Autorama selling them complete with shift kits for 550, ready to go. Deal.

    Brian
     
  4. michev
    Joined: Aug 22, 2010
    Posts: 96

    michev
    Member

    You won't need a adapter,if it fit a pontiac motor it wil fit for 455. Chevy has a different bolt pattern. The problem is the mising gear in the glide,a turbo 350 or 400 would be a better choice.
     

  5. mtpockits
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 175

    mtpockits
    Member

    it will work , but that olds will tear its azz up in stock form. no hot rodding, just a driver in stock condition.
     
  6. kcl
    Joined: Nov 10, 2010
    Posts: 12

    kcl
    Member
    from maryland

    Make sure that the trans you are getting is not what was called
    a Super Turbine 300. It was used in Buick Olds and Pontiac early
    64 thru 69. It was a cross between a glide and a Th 350.
    Many people confuse it with a Power Glide but it is not.
    Not a very strong trans and would not recommend it behind
    a 455. They also came as a variable pitch version which ad a two
    speed convertor. In 27 years doing transmission work I've only seen
    one actual BOP Power Glide and that was in a 1970 Pontiac firebird with a
    6 cyl in it made in Canada so they really did make some but are very rare.
     
  7. flynbrian48
    Joined: Mar 10, 2008
    Posts: 8,220

    flynbrian48
    Member


    Duh. I missed the part that it was a Pontiac trans. Even so, it's still a poor choice.
     
  8. kmiele
    Joined: Feb 16, 2010
    Posts: 112

    kmiele
    Member

    Thanks for the advice, maybe ill just sell it or trade it for a th350 or 400.
     
  9. samurai mike
    Joined: Feb 24, 2009
    Posts: 547

    samurai mike
    Member

    i had a super turbine 300 out of a 1969 buick, bolted up a 455 buick and ran it for years with no problems in my 1963 impala. i guess its all in how you drive it. remember not everyone's a drag racer, although i did a lot of burnouts with that car!
     
  10. kmiele
    Joined: Feb 16, 2010
    Posts: 112

    kmiele
    Member

    I guess your right kcl, after doing more research the lemans didnt come with a glide. It came with a 3 speed automatic, the turbine 300. The trans seemed to be used with some pretty high powered engine options. My olds motor is a 1974 low power smog motor so I might be alright. . .
     
  11. kmiele
    Joined: Feb 16, 2010
    Posts: 112

    kmiele
    Member

    Im a little confused now actually, the information I have says the 67 lemans had a 3 speed column shift trans, the st300 is only a 2 speed right? I guess ill have to get the trans and correctly identify it before I do anything else. .
     
  12. 56sedandelivery
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 6,695

    56sedandelivery
    Member Emeritus

    kcl is right. It most likely is a Super Turbine 300, a BOP+C 2 speed automatic,that was also available as a switch pitch; a torque converter with essentially 2 stall speeds. There were SOME BOP+C actual POWERGLIDES made, but they are rare, and the BOP+C drag racers usually grab them up. I would say the Super Turbine 300 trans is actually a bit stronger than a Powerglide; they do share some of the same parts. At the very least, it's not weaker. When I was in high school, my mothers car was a 65 Oldsmobile Jet Star 88 with a 330 CID motor, and a Super Turbine 300 trans; it also had a 2 barrel carb, and that car would burn the rear tires for almost as long as I wanted. The car was a 4 door sedan, all black, with a red interior. My father sold it to a friend of my brothers without my knowledge for $100.00, in about 70; that ticked me off. There were untold thousands of GM cars made with the Super Turbine 300 and Powerglide transmissions; it should be fine, whatever it is, for your purposes. But ch/56sedandelivery.
     
  13. Tricknology
    Joined: Mar 9, 2006
    Posts: 546

    Tricknology
    Member
    from DETROIT

    a 3 spped will accelerate faster and get better mpg,,,,

    3 speed = 2.52 1st, 1.52 2and.

    2 speed = 1.76 1st, high = 1 to1.

    for the street use a 3 speed,

    or a 4 speed auto,,lowwer first gear about 3 to 1, and overdrive.
     
  14. That right, who ever said it .It's a St 300 .The only thing it shares with a PG is the gear ratios. It is,in fact ,stronger than a PG in stock form.
    In any case a TH 350 will fit in it's place ,converter and all .
    (Use the 2 speed converter..Higher stall)

    Unless you want something that's easier on the back tires,...go with a 3 speed .It probably won't be any faster, but it will feel it.
     
  15. joe_padavano
    Joined: Jan 18, 2010
    Posts: 263

    joe_padavano
    Member

    The ST300 was used behind big block Olds motors from the factory. It came behind the 400 and 425 motors in 1965 and 66. The Olds and Buick versions also had the switch pitch torque converter.

    Despite that, I still wouldn't want one on the street.
     
  16. Sauli
    Joined: Jul 16, 2008
    Posts: 499

    Sauli
    Member

    If You´re going to go through all that cutting, fitting, fabbing, scratchbuilding, etc.etc. that´d go into retrofitting a 455 Olds into a six-cyl closed-driveshaft Chevy to start with, why stop at a 2-speed transmission?
    Any extra gears You might be able to have over a 2-speed will provide You with both more get-up-and-go off the line, as well as better fuel economy at freeway speeds.
    Sounds like Your driveline-swap is still on the drawing board. Just pick a transmission that matches Your BOP-bolt-pattern and gives You the most favorable ratios. You´re gonna have to fabricate Your trans-crossmember on the frame and have Your driveshaft cut to length anyway.
     
  17. 53sled
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 5,817

    53sled
    Member
    from KCMO

    i tried to put a olds 455 in my car, seemed like everything was in the way. Please keep us posted as to the progress. i wimped out and went back to a 350.
     
  18. aerorocket
    Joined: Oct 25, 2007
    Posts: 488

    aerorocket
    Member
    from N.E. P.A.


    Came behind the 400 in the 442, did not come behind the 425 from the factory in the full size cars.
     
  19. kmiele
    Joined: Feb 16, 2010
    Posts: 112

    kmiele
    Member

    Yes driveline plans are still on the drawing board. I dont plan on doing the swap till next winter. Just trying to get everything planned out and in place. I will keep everyone posted as the build progresses.
     
  20. JOECOOL
    Joined: Jan 13, 2004
    Posts: 2,771

    JOECOOL
    Member

    I think the Powerglide was a great trans, but I use them mostly in race cars. Heres the thing ,and I'm ready for the flak, that two speed will most likely be quicker than a horsepower eating ,heavy weight turbo 400.Let me explain ,a 455 Olds is a torque engine , the higher first gear on a two speed lets that engine use that torque. If it was a high reving ,poor torque 301 chevy I would not recommend the two speed. If they were junk ,and slow to boot, we racers would not be useing them by the hundreds. Also before someone brings it up ,you don't need a bunch of special parts in a stock engine situation.
     
  21. 42 chevy
    Joined: Nov 1, 2006
    Posts: 623

    42 chevy
    Member

    The 4 speed auto would be a great fit. I also like the TH400 that is behind my Olds 350 and soon to be Olds 455.
     
  22. kmiele
    Joined: Feb 16, 2010
    Posts: 112

    kmiele
    Member

    I do have a bop th350 that i got with the motor, but i think its shot. I cant turn the input shaft no matter what position the shift linkage is in. My whole car is a budget build, i dont want to spend a grand getting a trans rebuilt. I am told that the th350 is one of the easiest automatic transmissions to rebuild, but i have never been inside an automatic trans.
     

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