Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
I'm looking at a 55 3 speed cast iron Saginaw transmission and am trying to determine if the maincase is Corvette. The cast numbers are 3845122 which is correct for a 55 maincase and the cast date is L24 which I believe is Dec 2 1954. Interestingly, the assembly stamp is a Muncie stamp M1207 for Dec 07. The Corvette by the Numbers book says that corvette side cover shafts have the shaft grooves on top which causes the shift levers to point upwards. On this trans the grooves are on the bottom of the shafts but the shifter arm grooves mate with them so that the shifter arms point upwards which is correct for a Corvette. The tailshaft is a 61-62 3787067 with the correct shifter mount bosses. Is this a Corvette maincase or have some mongrel shifter arms been added to point upwards? Thanks for any help.
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
This thread might help.
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=69518 -
Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
Where you're having the problem here
is with the... NON "GM" SHIFTER AND LEVERS
on this Saginaw 3 spd.
Shifter shafts are correct with notch on bottom.
I don't know what you're referring to as
Muncie stamp marks. Cases,covers,tail shafts
and all the gears were produced/assembled in
Saginaw Michigan back then.
Karl.Comment
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
According to the Corvette by the Numbers book 55-64 Saginaw 3 speeds were made both in Saginaw Mi and Muncie In. This transmission is stamped M1207 for Muncie Dec 07 .Comment
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
Tom, You are correct that tailshafts don't have numbers. I misspoke. I meant tailhousing . Just like my car, I am not yet perfect.Comment
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
Mr Gould.....
Take the smoke out of your eyes and re-read your "Corvette By The Numbers Book."
I don't think you'll find any refference to a Muncie 3spd Transmission. NO!!!!!
A 4spd Muncie....YES!!!!!
The Main Case GM#3845122 is listed 55-57 All, CORVETTE
55-56 Side Cover had two different numbers..
55 1st design GM#3845044
55 2nd design GM#3845157 and into the 56 year.
Karl.
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
Karl, perhaps it is you who are wrong. Corvette by the Numbers copyright 2002 on page 359 says " Saginaw 3 speeds were built in both both Saginaw Michigan and Muncie Indiana." I did not say they were Muncie transmissions but I did quote the aforementioned sentence. I am not an expert and am only trying to learn. Accordingly I do rely on publications such as Corvette by the Numbers. Perhaps the book is wrong and you are correct.Comment
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
William,
I guess I missed that sentence part. I appologize to you.
I don't believe it to be factual. I will do somemore research
on it. I grew up in Saginaw, a couple miles from the Transmission Plant.
I never worked there but had many friends that did.
I have never seen any other refferences to a Saginaw 3spd built in
Muncie.
The last Saginaw 3spd's built were big heavy transmissions
as I recall. Short Tail Shaft. Case looked like a 4spd.
Sorry again about missing that tidbit.
Karl.
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
Karl, as you can see, this Saginaw 3 speed has a Muncie assembly date stamp M1207.The maincase 3845122 was cast L24 for Dec 2 1954 I believe. So there was at least one assembled at Muncie Indiana. I found it locally and will probably buy it although it looks like it has the incorrect side cover for a Corvette.Comment
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
William,
Having a hard time focusing today.
Had cataract surgery this morning and most everything's a blur.
I can't find any refference to a Muncie 3spd before year "63"
Talked to a friend of mine who is pretty up on Vettes and he doesn't ever recall a Muncie 3spd in a Vette.
The Cast number on the case you have is a Saginaw GM #.
As for the stanped No's??? Maybe it was rebuilt by them at one time???
As for the cover... What are the No's on it?
The shifter is not a Vette shifter that I can see.
Look at page 355 in the By The Numbers Book. That is what a Vette shifter looks like. You can also see the levers and how the levers are mounted.
The shifter is bolted to the tail shaft by 3 bolts into the housing.
That said, Don't think that it's something "RARE" and worth a ton
Of money... Unless you have the proof of such?
If you need a 3 spd. and it's reasonable...(not a arm and leg) ...It's up to you.
Karl.Comment
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
Thanks for that info Karl. I don't have the tranny here.I have a chance to buy at a reasonable price. I doubt that this was originally a Vette transmission although the tailhousing is.Comment
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
Don't forget that there were other Chevrolet vehicles that use the "Saginaw" conventional 3 speed, namely trucks. My 1959 Special Information Catalog (P&A 25) shows the conventional 3 speed and overdrive transmissions built at Saginaw and Muncie plants from 54 on to the date of the manual. The dating for the 3 speed is shown as yours is with either the S or M plant code.Comment
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
William etal, Corvette 3 speeds input shaft was wide all the way from the clutch spline to the gear. Passenger car 3 speed input shafts narrow down in the middle section like this transmission does. Have you checked the gear set to see if it's close ratio or not? If you need the info do a search as I've posted all of the gear previously. Gary....
NCRS Texas Chapter
https://www.ncrstexas.org/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565408483631Comment
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Re: Need help with 55 3 speed Saginaw Transmission ID
Thanks Gary. This tranny is obviously not Corvette. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.Comment
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