C1 Transmission Help

[Orly C.]

I have a 1960 vette with an RE 1962 327 motor. Just pulled the tranny and find it is a Saginaw 4 speed with a funky bell housing. the bell housing has the markings 55TO65 and under that CORV-PASS. As far as i can tell it is an aftermarket bell housing of some sort.
I don't think I'll rebuild the tranny, so the question is what is my best bet for replacing it. I am not restoring this car to original but want to have it run right.
thanks for the help
Orly

[Dennis C.]

Orly - Expensive question...

What you do with both the engine and transmission probably depends on what approach you wish to take and where you want to end up. Your car could have had a 3 speed manual, a T-10 4 speed manual or a 2 speed powerglide. Let's assume it was 4 speed equipped. In your case, that calls for an iron main case, aluminum tailshaft Borg Warner T-10. These are a little hard to come by unless you are prepared to pay the going price. I sold one for $750 which was probably considerably below market value. They may be selling for $1,000 to $1,200. Keep in mind, if you do go that route, there are casting dates on the main components that you should match to your car to maximize value received for money spent. Now, does the engine have a VIN stamped on the pad? Let me know that, as there may be some options to consider there. Heck, you may choose just to put the Saginaw back in with the adaptor plate. Best, Dennis

[Christopher R.]

Re: C1 Transmission Help

You're trying to decide between a Muncie and a T10. The T10 was original to your car. But many of them were replaced by Muncies. Both of them will bolt up to your existing bell housing and a correct bell housing. But the clutch, the driveshaft yoke, and the reverse shifter rod are different between a Muncie and a T10.

The Saginaw was a cast iron copy of the Muncie. So you should be able to swap over your existing stuff to a Muncie. That'll save you some money. But if you have to go start buying clutches, yokes, and rods, for any reason, you may wish to reconsider and buy the right stuff for a T10. It's just easier and cheaper to do it right the first time.

I believe Muncies were considered stronger than T10s. But you probably won't be beating on it to where you'd need the extra strength. Your decision will probably come down to what transmission can you get locally from a rebuilder you trust.

[William O.]

Re: Orly - Expensive question...

Question:
I thought the T-10 had a shorter tail shaft the Muncie? so... you would need to shorten the drive shaft and replace the yoke? is there any after market 4/5 speeds?

Regards,

[Mike E.]

Re: Orly - Expensive question...

Muncie and T-10 are exactly the same length. Munjcie has fine spline output shaft, T-10 has a coarse shaft (63 and earlier)

[Verle R.]

Re: C1 Transmission Help

One good option is to convert to a Muncie 4 speed. They can be found for fairly reasonable prices. When installed with a Hurst shifter with the Corvette style shifter they look stock at a glance. It will not pass NCRS judging.

A more expensive option is a Keisler 5 speed over drive. They have complete bolt in kits for your car for about $3000.

Verle