Getting a new trannie and engine for my '64 skylark. 350 Buick with a th-350 trannie. The guy at the trannie shop suggested an overdrive. I will probably do a 60 mile freeway trip 2-3 times a month in this car and the rest of the time it will pretty much putter around town at most 2-3 times a week a mile or two. Any suggestions? he said for 500 more (including parts and labor) And is this is a good price? Labor and the remanufactured th-350 for 750, brand new driveshaft 150, and a new trannie cooler for another 100. Sound about right. what is all your suggestions?
If it is a drop off and pick up job that you do nothing but pay for I think that's a good price.Is the shop a reputable one that you can trust?,warranty?,converter?That would be a deal if the shop was a trusted one,in my opinion.
That is probably a 200-4r or 700-4r. Do you have a tall rearend ratio? If you already have a 2.93 or something, then an OD transmission might put the RPMs too low. You'll also be adding a lockup convertor- you might want to ask the transmission shop how the lockup will be controlled, since this will probably require some sort of controller. -Bob Cunningham
In reply to Hectic: The converter will come with it. Warranty is 3 year unlimited miles. And he is -very- trusted and reputable. And yes I am towing the Skylark there, then writing a check and picking it up. In reply to bobc455: My rearend ratio is relatively high, I am not quite sure what it is, he is actually gonna check them out and give me a call before he moves on. And....what do you mean controlling the lockup converter? I am not sure what you mean how it will be controlled? Thanks for the replies Mike
Schmoobly This sounds like a good deal. It would be nice to know your rear axle ratio, though. A stock Skylark will likely have a numerically-low rear gear to begin with, and, as noted, an overdrive transmission may be needless. If your rear gear ratio is already less then 3.0, then you will be lugging the motor at way too low rpms on the highway with an overdrive. On the other hand, you can put a numerically higher rear end in the car, be much quicker on the street, and still cruise at a reasonable rpm on the highway, with the overdrive. You shouldn't need a new driveshaft, unless there is something wrong with yours. Same driveshaft for all of the transmissions in question here... Most overdrive transmissions have a "lock-up" converter, which has an electric solonoid that makes the converter into a solid connection between the motor and transmission. (Without a lock-up converter there is always a fluid connection between the engine and the transmission, with at least some slippage.) Factory lock-up converters are controlled by the computer. Adding a lock-up converter to an older, non-computer car requires some sort of switch or other electric device to control the "lock-up" function.
The new lockup kits now just run a hot wire to the plug on the trany. They put a swith on the valve body that closed in forth gear to lock up the converter. Mike
If you have a simple "hotwire" kit that locks the convertor in 4th gear, and he has a tall ratio (i.e. 3.23 or taller), there will be times when he wants to lock the convertor in 3rd and reduce the slippage. There are some fancy-schmancy computers that can apply logic to the lockup (i.e. vacuum, MPH, etc.), but those are probably expensive. In any case, it is worth asking the tranny builder what he is thinking. -Bob C.
If it has a gear vendors unit in it, then the th-350 will be an overdrive trans. W/out the unit though, it's just a 3 speed. Otherwise it would probably be a 200r4 or 700r4, as mentioned above. If you do have a low gear in the rear-end differential, unless you are looking for a super-high top-end speed, there may not be too much of a need for an overdrive. Just my thoughts. :Comp:
