C1 61 T10 Close vs Wide ratio

[Ted S.]

Were all of the T10s installed in Corvettes in '61 close ratio? RPO685 looks like the only 4 speed option and it shows as a close ratio in my reference.

[Joe L.]

Re: C1 61 T10 Close vs Wide ratio

Ted-----

All 1961 Corvettes originally equipped with a 4 speed transmission were close ratio (2.20:1) 4 speeds. As a matter of fact, all original 4 speeds used for 1957-61 Corvettes were 2.20:1 close ratio. 1962 was the first year of availability for the wide ratio 4 speed transmission in a Corvette.

[Ray C.]

[Joe L.]

Re: C1 61 T10 Close vs Wide ratio

Ray-----

I'm not sure exactly what he meant by this. It is true that T-10s were produced in several different "generations". The T-10 was first produced in 1957 and is still being manufactured today by Richmond Gear. During this 47 year period you might expect that some significant changes, worthy of defining a specific "generation", were made.

However, I generally think of the 1957-63 T-10s as being all the "1st Generation". So, if gears or other internal parts were interchanged among these year transmissions I would not consider it to have parts of different "generations". Some folks might consider the change from the cast iron to the aluminum main case as being a "generation" change. I don't think that there was any significant change in the internal parts that accompanied the change in main case material, though.

In the mid-70s about when the T-10 returned to GM products (it had been used all along for Ford and Chrysler), the design was changed to the "Super T-10". I would consider this to be the "2nd generation" of T-10s, but others may have different ideas/definitions. I don't think that too many of the Super T-10 internal parts are interchangeable with the earlier T-10s and I don't think that you can install a Super T-10 gearset in a 57-63 T-10 case. I'm not sure of that, though. If you could, it would be the thing to do----the Super T-10 innerds are stronger than the original T-10 innerds. So, if it could be done, the Super T-10 innerds with an original T-10 case would give one the best of both worlds---external originality with much improved internal (and, unseen) functionality. As I say, I don't think that it can be done, though.

[Ray C.]

Re: C1 61 T10 Close vs Wide ratio

Thanks! Joe