I wanna row through the gears

[68C15]

as you may have guessed I have a '68 GMC which is preparing for a '68 472 transplant. the engine came with a solid TH400 but I was thinking it would be kind of cool to have a Saginaw 3 speed or maybe even a Muncie 4 speed. possibly even use a extra long "ape hanger" shifter with either a Hamms or Old Style beer tap for the handle. (do you see where I am going with this build?)
I was thinking the bellhousing from a BOP would make it easier but what about the flywheel? is there such a thing as a caddy flywheel or some other contraption I should consider?

[STDog]

I was thinking the bellhousing from a BOP would make it easier but what about the flywheel? is there such a thing as a caddy flywheel or some other contraption I should consider?

Yes you can get a flywheel for the 472/500. In fact the host of this board sells them
http://users.elknet.net/mts/page39.html

[fast large one]

It can be done, but it's a little involved. I've done some reading about it, though I'm no expert by any stretch. I do know that you'll need to have the tail of the crank machined for a pilot bearing. I believe there are a few different options on what bearing you can use, and I think one of these is to use the one for a BBC. I saw a site on the internet that used custom bearings, but can't recall anything else about them (that was over a year ago). Al's site used to have info on it about such a swap, and I'd like to do it myself.

However, the real stumbling block with all of this is that there really isn't a 4spd that will stand up to the massive torque that a Cad puts out. I think you'd toast that Saginaw in short order. I don't know how long the Muncie would live. The only manual trans that I know of currently rated at 400 or 500 lbs/ft of torque is the Tremec, I believe.

Food for thought, even if it only makes for an appetizer.

[Ted in Olympia WA]

Try CaddyCarlo's site here,
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/caddycarlo/caddycarlopage2.html

[Bill]

I have an 84 GMC 1 ton that I converted. It has a four speed SM465 with a NP205 transfer case. I just took the crank to my machine shop down the road and he made me a solid pilot bushing out of brass or bronze I think. It cost about $25. It didn't require any machining of the crank at all. I used an adapter plate for the conversion so he had to make the bushing 5/8" thicker (sticking out toward the input shaft) to make up the extra distance between the crank and the input shaft. Hope this helps. :)

[IHWillys]

I'd go with a fully synchronised close ratio truck four speed like a Warner T19. Not exactly "row through the gears" with these transmissions as the parts are alot bigger and heavier than the car four speeds but they will hold up to the torque output no problem, just as I imagine Bill's SM465 handles it without trouble.

Or go DD five speed. Being an IH guy I have several T35 five speeds(IHC manufacture of a Clark design). These are geared similar to the close T19 with a "granny" or "compound" low added as the 1st gear. First is 7.17:1 so the trans gets used as a 4 speed on the street, but that super low 1st and reverse can be very handy at times. Adapter for Cad to IH bell is available(though not cheap) and comes with proper pilot bearing. Being a non-OD five speed means these are not expensive to attain. Lots of them in '70s/'80s IH school buses to be had cheap.

I have a '73 Travelall that I woud like to Cad power. It currently is 258 I6 with the aforementioned close ratio T19 to a divorced NP205. I'm still undecided as to auto or manual behind the Cad. A near doubling of displacement should wake the TA up a bit.

Ken

[campagna]

What is the torque capacity of the Ford T&C (aka 10 bolt top cover) Trans?

[cadfor]

I'm not sure but they were put behind the cammer motors and all of Ford's big blocks.

[DOC]

I don't know how strong the Ford toploader is, but, I used a M22 Muncie (Chevelle SS 454, Corvette L88 454) behind a mildly warmed up 500 Cad and twisted the input shaft in half (twice) before I finally used a THM 400. End of problem.
Just my 2 cents.

DOC

[68C15]

OMG!!!, DOC, that is some torque!!
I guess I may have to end up using the caddy TH400 & just add a long necked floor shifter. I mean if a warmed up 500 will do that damage I hate to imagine what my cammed up 472 will do :shock: especially if I throw a blue bottle at it. :twisted: