4 speed transmissions

58 Yeoman · June 25, 2006, 09:18:57 AM

My 58 has a 3 speed tranny, and I'm just kicking around the idea of installing a 4 speed. I see Saginaw's going for much less than Muncie's, and I'm assuming that the Muncie's are much stronger. As I don't race or abuse the 58, a Saginaw should fit the bill. Do 4 speeds use the same bell housing, front yoke, etc.? One for sale in IL says it came out of late 70's Camaro. TIA.

tomslik · June 25, 2006, 09:42:25 AM

Quote from: "58 Yeoman"My 58 has a 3 speed tranny, and I'm just kicking around the idea of installing a 4 speed. I see Saginaw's going for much less than Muncie's, and I'm assuming that the Muncie's are much stronger. As I don't race or abuse the 58, a Saginaw should fit the bill. Do 4 speeds use the same bell housing, front yoke, etc.? One for sale in IL says it came out of late 70's Camaro. TIA.

should be a bolt-in but youll get to buy a shifter.
once upon a time i remember there was an article in some mag about putting an OD unit from a late sag 3spd on the 4 speed, maybe somebody here has done the dead?

btw, i NEVER broke a saginaw 4 speed but muncies on the other hand....
well, i am responsable for the lack of cluster gears for 'em....

junkyardjeff · June 25, 2006, 01:00:39 PM

I would look into a 5 speed from a S10 to get overdrive since you want to change the trans,they might not take too much abuse but should hold up for a cruiser. Jeff

Chebby · June 25, 2006, 05:28:06 PM

Quote from: "tomslik"
Quote from: "58 Yeoman"My 58 has a 3 speed tranny, and I'm just kicking around the idea of installing a 4 speed. I see Saginaw's going for much less than Muncie's, and I'm assuming that the Muncie's are much stronger. As I don't race or abuse the 58, a Saginaw should fit the bill. Do 4 speeds use the same bell housing, front yoke, etc.? One for sale in IL says it came out of late 70's Camaro. TIA.

should be a bolt-in but youll get to buy a shifter.
once upon a time i remember there was an article in some mag about putting an OD unit from a late sag 3spd on the 4 speed, maybe somebody here has done the dead?

btw, i NEVER broke a saginaw 4 speed but muncies on the other hand....
well, i am responsable for the lack of cluster gears for 'em....

A popular option backindaday was to add an o/d transmission behind the transmission. They were made by a company called Hone-O-Drive, Baldwin-Motion cars could be ordered with that o/d and remember those were pretty mean big block machines. These Hone units were even sold for motorhomes.

I have one of these Hone-O-Drives, never been used. Eventually, I'll eBay it.

Chebby

enjenjo · June 25, 2006, 06:52:56 PM

A Muncie, and a Saginaw are the same length and use the same spline on both ends. The ones out of a Vega have a real low first gear, 2.74 I believe. The OD from a Saginaw three speed is a bolt on, and is still the same length. Some of the later ones had plastic cluster bushings instead of needle bearings, but you can switch them over.

OldSub · June 26, 2006, 10:59:06 PM

Quote from: "tomslik"once upon a time i remember there was an article in some mag about putting an OD unit from a late sag 3spd on the 4 speed, maybe somebody here has done the dead?

I used to have that magazine, and built the transmission, back in the 70's. I actually sold that transmission just a couple years ago. I don't know what became of the magazine, but I've not seen it in years.

I built it to replace a Muncie after I broke it. The Saginaw outlasted that car and the next one it was installed in.

58 Yeoman · June 26, 2006, 11:09:50 PM

I had a 58 Chevy in HS that had the 3spd w/OD, and it actually worked. I'm thinking that the trans in the car now, came out of a 6cyl car. A friend gave me another 3 spd that is much longer, and has longer grooves on the input shaft. I don't mind the 3 spd, but the shifting is getting slow on the column, and I do have a new floor shifter. May just go with the longer trans and floor shift, but will have to look for a shorter front drive shaft, or have mine cut down.

The auction in IL for the 4 spd trans, is also selling the shifter separately; it will be my luck that I would end up with the shifter and not the trans. Are S10 5 spd trannies a bolt in, or not? Most that I've seen are V6's; will those bolt up to a SBC?

Thanks again for the ideas/comments so far.

sirstude · June 27, 2006, 10:48:07 AM

That Hone overdrive is now made by Richmnd, pretty much bulletproof.

Doug

37 FORDGE · March 13, 2024, 12:39:13 PM

is the Hone-O-Drive still made by Richmond? I've tried lots of variations of Google searches with no luck. I'd like to put one in front of a 9" Ford... so the Hone-O-Drive "200".

idrivejunk · March 13, 2024, 05:54:36 PM

My 71 Ventura II Sprint (307 2 barrel) had a Sag 3 speed on floor. I switched to Saginaw 4 speeds after going to a Goodwrench 350 4 barrel. Decent Zoom clutch and Hurst Comp Plus shifter. I could snap the 4 speeds at will with a spirited 1-2 shift. Turned em into a box of rocks on the spot. Had a fleet of 3 that I rotated, one always with a rebuilder to keep my only car on the road. It was a dice roll getting a quiet rebuild. Ratios were a grab bag, seemed all randomly all different. I got good at rolling under the car with one on my chest. I don't recommend them for froggy usage or in anything kind of heavy.

Thats my experience, but I'm a bodyman. Guy who bought the car went to a 406 and Keisler 6 speed. Which he had problems with right off the bat.