I have come across a '64 Chevy at a pick-a-part which has what I believe to be a Muncie 4 speed (cast iron case), similar to mine in my 63 GMC. However it has a transmission brake mounted behind it with the lever sticking up through the trans cover. Does anyone know if this part is an add-on and can be fitted to any 4 speed Muncie? It would make it easier to later convert to rear discs with an emergency breake like that (I used to have a similar arrangement on my 75 Land Rover). It might be worth buying anyway for spares. Are these Muncies still in good supply or should I snap up every one I come across?
I'm surprised you never got a response to this , the Muncie M-420 tranny was used all the way up to the 1967 model year and yes , they're plentifull and therefore cheap, the Jeep & Land Cruiser guys still love them . Parts , other than bearing & synchro kits are beginning to dry up but since it's almost impossible to break one of these sturdy work horses , that's not an issue . The back of the tranny can be changed to utilize open driveline or closed (" Torque Tube ") design , the band typ parking brake is _only_ a parking brake and is usless in emrgency situatons . It also work on only the driveshaft so if You're jacking up the rear end to change a tire , the truck can and will roll right off the jack unless it's securely chocked . Most folks find the compound low gear totally useless . -Nate
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, these do seem to be sought after since the next time I went back to that Chevy it was gone. The emergency brake is similar to that mounted on a 75 Land Rover I used to have and if you ever used that brake in any kind of emergency you would wind up your axles and snap then, even tough they were about an inch and half thick. Also, many people frequently drove off with the brake set and only noticed it by the smoke coming up from under the seat! I have done this too... Being ignorant of the Muncie I found my first drive in it embarrassing, but by the second traffic light it dawns on one to use only second gear to move off. I will look out for a spare one of these though, so if anyone has one lying around..?
