[Deadhead]

A place called 'The Gearbox' sells the speedo gears for the TH400.

3.42 + TH400 = 3000 RPM at 65-70 cruising speed. Unless you are building a stoplight racer, go with switch pitch or Gear Vendors, you will be on the edge of your seat with this gear on the Hwy.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Dittos on the G/V overdrive. I haven't installed one on mine yet, but it's on the agenda
while I have the Cat apart.

[poison heart]

What does a gear vendors unit cost? 3K? For that much you might as well throw in a rebuilt 700R4 or a TKO 5 speed stick if you need OD.

[Deadhead]

Yeah, but it is more than just one extra gear.

[MOJO Catalina]

Originally Posted by poison heart

What does a gear vendors unit cost? 3K?

I won't be going there... All I want is a trans that shifts, a shifter that shifts it and a speedo that's accurate with 5 miles per hour... All without hacking the tunnel or relandscaping the floor..

There's a guy in ebay now that says he has a 1964 Grand Prix he's had since 1966 that has a 4 speed SH in it. He's trying to sell one for ALL full size models from 1959-1964.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...3356&viewitem=

When I told him there'd be modifications to fit the 61-64 Cat/GP floor he replied:

"This trans will fit ALL Full size Pontiac's from 1959 to 1964! The 3 speed automatic "slim jim" trans and the 4 speed automatic "jet away" trans will fit all full size Pontiac's. The length of the driveshaft is the only difference between Bonneville's and Catalina's. I've been into Pontiac's since 1962!

I've got a 1964 Grand Prix with a 4 speed hydromatic that I've had since 1966! I really don't know where you're coming from.

Thanks for the wrong info!"

Alrighty then!

Any one of my "big brothers" want to punch this guy out for hurtin' my feelings?

Scott, how about bashing his head in with those Boxing Bag Boobs of yours? LOL

[MOJO Catalina]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

That's a John Deere "steering tie rod" that I used which worked great.


K

That's excellent man... If I end up needing one, will you make it for me? W/Charge$$$ of course...

[hurryinhoosier62]

Robert,
$2595.00 SRP on the G/V overdrive. I DO NOT trust the 700R4. I've seen too many of
them destroyed by mild 350 SBCs let alone a "built" 455. The imput shafts are only rated
for 400 ft/lbs of torque. The 455 came from the factory with torque ratings in excess of
500 ft/lbs. The TKO is a viable option IF you can find a servicable brake/clutch pedal
set-up for your year vehicle. Good luck in that endeavour!!! Not to mention a correct
bellhousing, adapter plate for the TKO, correct clutch/pressure plate/flywheel assembly, a new shifter, cutting your floor pans to install the tranny, etc...etc. No thanks, I'll
stay with the TH400/G/V OD setup!!

[stevep]

Originally Posted by MOJO Catalina

I won't be going there... All I want is a trans that shifts, a shifter that shifts it and a speedo that's accurate with 5 miles per hour... All without hacking the tunnel or relandscaping the floor..

There's a guy in ebay now that says he has a 1964 Grand Prix he's had since 1966 that has a 4 speed SH in it. He's trying to sell one for ALL full size models from 1959-1964.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...3356&viewitem=

When I told him there'd be modifications to fit the 61-64 Cat/GP floor he replied:

"This trans will fit ALL Full size Pontiac's from 1959 to 1964! The 3 speed automatic "slim jim" trans and the 4 speed automatic "jet away" trans will fit all full size Pontiac's. The length of the driveshaft is the only difference between Bonneville's and Catalina's. I've been into Pontiac's since 1962!

I've got a 1964 Grand Prix with a 4 speed hydromatic that I've had since 1966! I really don't know where you're coming from.

Thanks for the wrong info!"

Alrighty then!

Any one of my "big brothers" want to punch this guy out for hurtin' my feelings?

Scott, how about bashing his head in with those Boxing Bag Boobs of yours? LOL

This was my post to him:

Please check your facts, your trans will not fit a Catalina or a Grand Prix that was factory equipped with a Roto Hydramatic. Pontiac used 2 different floor pans. I have heard of 2 64 Grand Prix's that were factory equipped with Super Hydramatics.

So everyone go to Ebay and blast this know-it-all. You too scott.

[stevep]

Here is his response to me:

Hello Steve, Maybe the books state what you guys are saying, but I know for a fact that they are interchangeable! One thing they we all will agree on and that is this era of Pontiac's were grear! Oh and these transmissions were problems. Thanks

[poison heart]

Yeah but for $2500 I guarantee you can build one strong enough for a stock 389. We're not talking built 455s.

It's not too hard to find a bell housing and flywheel for these cars. Or you could get the trans adpater that he's going to get anyway, find a $20 SBC 4 speed bell housing and flywheel and then get a TKO.

You would always modify a pedal to work, it wouldn't be that hard.

My point is you don't have to spend 2500-3000 on just an OD add on, not to mention the trans and adpater plate he still needs plus the driveshaft and cross member mods. For about the same price but a little sheetmetal hump work he could have a STOUT 5 speed that will be more fun and last way longer than a $75 th400 with a $2500 gear vendors unit

Since you don't want to do a lot of work or spend a lot of money, just do a slim jim swap and trade me your 3.42s for my 2.69s haha

[MOJO Catalina]

Originally Posted by stevep

Here is his response to me:

Hello Steve, Maybe the books state what you guys are saying, but I know for a fact that they are interchangeable!

I'm sure this guy never tried or actually did a swap himself. If he did he'd have learned the hard way. That's exactly why I came to you fellas with this problem and have complete faith in the info we've discussed over the past 2 weeks.

I replied to him:

The Catalina's floor landscaping changed in 1961-1964 (GP 62-64) and the 4 speed auto will not go in the stock floor without modification. It's good that someone put it in your '64, (if it's really the SH 4spd) but if you didn't do the job yourself you don't know how they did it. Believe me, I've been getting advise from "the ones who know" about such things and was wanting to put the 4 spd hydro in my car ('63 GP) since I have one in a Bonneville parts car.
It simply will not fit without floor modification.

Most who know recommend the TH400 because you don't have to hack up the floor like you would the SH 4 spd auto and it's the most cost effective solution to my problem. Better trans, too.

There you are.
Now you REALLY know everything.

[stevep]

I have heard of 2 64 GP's with a factory Super Hydramatic. I have never personally seen it.

[MOJO Catalina]

But the guy is selling this trans as a "one-size-fits-all" deal. Whether there's are a few '64 GPs with that trans from the factory is incidental if the one he's selling won't fit EVERY GP, Cat and full size Pontiac form 59-64 as stated.

I guess if you ordered it up front, they would just use Bonneville floor and build the GP shell around it. Are the lengths of the drive shafts different or the lengths of the transmissions different? Or Both?

[Deadhead]

Just make an offer of $250 for the car & tell him you are going to chop it up and use the trans for your car that is MUCH nicer.

It would not be that big a deal to pound out the tunnel and have a driveshaft made. If I lived next door to Steve P I would have gone this route & used a Superhydro. He could have rebuilt it and I would have an excuse to go over and shoot the bull with him when I needed it serviced. Since I live in a place where there are zero mechanically brilliant people for hire, I chose the 4 speed I could install & rebuild myself. There is a guy, Al, at a place called Eastern Transmission in Raleigh who can do them. I know he will remember me if you go that route.

[MOJO Catalina]

Originally Posted by Deadhead

It would not be that big a deal to pound out the tunnel and have a driveshaft made.

I'm willing to do that but I suppose the car would have to be on a lift to be able to get a good enough swing on it. Then my question is where? and how much?

I could take a sawzall to the rear section of the tunnel of my parts car, lay it over the area of the GP and then cut that piece out, drop the new piece in and either rivet it or have it stitch welded. Then I guess it would just be driveshaft and linkage...

Originally Posted by Deadhead

There is a guy, Al, at a place called Eastern Transmission in Raleigh who can do them. I know he will remember me if you go that route.

The SH in the Bonneville leaks fluid where the main section meets the tailshaft, so a rebuild is definately in order if I go with that trans. Raleigh is about 3 hours away but the wife has "kin" there so a drop off and pickup a couple of weeks later may be AOK...

[Deadhead]

I believe he rebuilt a roto that I dropped off there for someone on this board. If you want the # drop me a PM & I will try to dig it up.

[MOJO Catalina]

Thanks, I just did Google search and got the number to save you the trouble.
So there are at least a few people who get them rebuilt and are OK with the Slim Jim trans?
How about some opinions for guys that have had them rebuilt?
Was it just for Numbers Matching purposes
Is it possible to "trick out" a Slim Jim trans?
Can you turn Old Jim into "Punk A.ss JIM"

[tigercars]

I had mine rebuilt about four years ago by an eighty year old transmission man. He told me he'd do it if I left the car original. I'm cheap so I took him up on it. He had a spare tourus drive, Steve P correct me if I am wrong, the aluminum bird cage looking thing that had broke in half on mine. I gave him a core from a 61 parts car a buddy of mine had. The old guy charged me $635 for the rebuilt.
I havn't had any trouble with it since but I don't drive it hard. It's a 303 HP with .256rear gears car and not a race car wanabe. If you want to cruise a slimjim will do the job. If you want to do smoky burn outs you may as well bite the bullet and go with the turbo 400. All the guys on here who have done the swap love it but as I said before I'm cheap.

[stevep]

Originally Posted by tigercars

I had mine rebuilt about four years ago by an eighty year old transmission man. He told me he'd do it if I left the car original. I'm cheap so I took him up on it. He had a spare tourus drive, Steve P correct me if I am wrong, the aluminum bird cage looking thing that had broke in half on mine. I gave him a core from a 61 parts car a buddy of mine had. The old guy charged me $635 for the rebuilt.
I havn't had any trouble with it since but I don't drive it hard. It's a 303 HP with .256rear gears car and not a race car wanabe. If you want to cruise a slimjim will do the job. If you want to do smoky burn outs you may as well bite the bullet and go with the turbo 400. All the guys on here who have done the swap love it but as I said before I'm cheap.

You are correct about the torus. That is what I think broke on MOJO's trans.

That 61 trans must have been rebuilt at one time because 61's had the 1st design neutral clutch, with the flat drive tangs, which would cut into the torus and destroy it.

[Deadhead]

But think about it this way: It is probably going to cost about the same to rebuild the Superhydro from the Bonneville, that is going to be a much stronger Trans. For the additional cost of the driveshaft, which you might be able to use from another car since you're using a "stock" trans, and your labor modifying the floor you will have a much stronger reliable Trans that you can hammer on some without having tor worry about it. With that parts car I think you'd be way ahead converting to this stronger Trans.

There is a table in the manual that gives the lengths of all the different driveshafts on all the different combinations of vehicles. This will help you determine if you need to have one made or find one or if the one you have in your parts car will fit.