Technicall advice asking. Having an 1950 truck with a Torgue Tube (open solution) and the 1955 235CI car engine and 3 on the colum , rear end 3.55:1. What reguires technically when wanting to install a Gm 4 sp.SM420 standard style transmission? Do you need to convert the truck with a torque tube installing a standard style driveline or is this a bolt in solution 235 CI + MUncie SM240 + Torque tube , i dont have an answer to that yet? I `ll found the following Link to Novac US. They offer turn key transmission conversion solutions. http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/sm420.htm By the way i found Nates earlyer thread where the SM420 is mentioned and it seems that it looks pretty close to what my truck has of spesifications. Thanks Martinius.
Torque Tube & SM420 Questions It's not clear to me what you're asking but yes, you can change between the three speed tranny and the four speed Muncie SM420 tranny but WHY ? . Remember that third gear in the three speed is exactly the same ratio as fourth gear in the SM420 and you cannot use the SM420's ultra low ratio first gear to get you moving faster...... That stump pulling low range gear is *only* for moving the truck at a walking pace or easing it up loading ramps when fully loaded etcetera . FWIW , SM420's were made in later years with open driveline so if you have an open driveline and a 216/235/261 engine , it's an easy , do-able change .
Torque Tube & SM420 Questions Hi Nate If i am honnest to answer your question it is that i am not good using the 3 g. on the colum. The double clutching and not synchronized transmission is frustrating in use and i `ll think it does not really work well together with the 235CI and the 3.55 rearend. My 1950 truck has the original standard torque tube driveline ? The guy at Novac told me that if i wanted to install a Muncie SM 420 i had to remove the torque tube and choose for an standard style driveline like in the 54 model 1/2 t.trucks. Else it would`nt work. But after reading your Thread i got another few. So its a bolt in solution right using the 235 CI +Muncie+Torgue Tube. Do you remeber how many splines the SM420 have on the input and output ? Martinius.
T5 Tranny If you move the shift to the floor why not get the T5 from the S10 pickup. Evan wrote a good reply to transmission question. My Dad bought a 53 in 1955. Someone had already removed the 216 & Tork tube and installed a 235 and a open drive shaft. I had forgot that the tork tube existed untill I joined this forum. If my engine had not failed I would have the T5 installed now. I will have to wait until later. Our goverment wrecked our economy and hurt Norway also. The T5 is the way to go GM built millions of them. Good Luck Martinus
T5 Tranny Hi ,Willard Thanks for the reply. This is also an option to considder but i then need to find another driveline aswell. Do you know what kind of open driveline there whas installed underneath your truck. A T5 transmission would be like driving in heaven with that old machinery. Some other talk then trucks and i`ll hope this o.k. for you guys. Norwegians are in many ways close connected to americans because of the early emigration back to the years 1880-1930 . They went to where the indians lived, to Minnesota and Dakota. But many satled down in New York to offcourse. I have a lot of famely in the USA and we have regular contact. from this part of my country left because of poverty here. Norway is quite an independent country nowerdays, with only 7 1/2 million people and a very strong econemy. But we are much influinced by the world econemy situation aswell , and as you say very correct influenced by the USA. I have faith in Obama as i think of him and his wife as to commen and realistic persons. I`ll respect them a lot and think there politicall messages to day are quite clear. I`ll hope there doing there very best for the people in the USA . At the same i dont know how strong i can believe this gourverment is able to make any fast changes? Big changes need a lot of time. But trying to create jobs for people to get generall living standards up again is a good start. The state gourverneurs and politicians have to coorperate very hard with the white house to get the country back on its feets again. Thank you Martinius. `
Willard, is the T5 a manual 5 speed? Will it mount to my 235's bellhousing or is there an adapter. I used the Saginaw in my 47' and it is very nice. I am now working on a 53' with the SM420 in it. Like Nate said it is not a nice highway transmission but made for Commercial trucks hauling loads. Maybe the T5 would be a better choice for the 53'. I was thinking of using a Muncie 3 speed with overdrive, since I have one but I'm still in the planning stage waiting for warmer weather. Flashlight
T-5 Evan says to pick the one from the S10 Pickup because the shift is closer to the firewall and futher from the seat. If you have the funds take the gears from the firebird or camaro and put them in the S10 transmission for higher speed and lower RPMs. For us do it yourselfers, it seems complicated. It is do-able but not as easy as the 4 speed. We may or may not need an adapter. The crash of the last 12 months has removed 1/3 of my net worth so it has not been put in my truck "Yet" but will be this year or next. I have a 12 bolt with what seems to be a 4.11 rear gear. At this time 65 or 70-mph is fast enough. My son is 17 years old and dont need fast. I will put on a 2x1 carburetor set up. It looks good and wont increase MPH. I work in the oil field and every one I know who works in Norway loves it and wants to retire there. The bankers in America & Barney Frank packaged bad loans and sold them to Norway. Sorry Norway, we got hurt just as much and had no warning. If you have a nice "red" AD truck, sometimes you can forget the $ as there was no winners in this economy.
