[axle]

i currently have a 1959 389 engine that is highly modified with ported polished heads,stroker crank,cam,rods,etc.
my question is.....what are all my transmission options. what trans adapters have been made for these....even in the old days.
is there any possible way to put a th400 automatic or later muncie 4 speed behind this engine?

[Bill Eveland]

Try Wilcap, they have the adapter your looking for, a 65 and up trans to bolted to a 55-60 block

[Jack Gifford]

Axle- See the adaptor reply by 55StarChief on the '58GMC question.
There are probably a number of options. One that I've done, if you were going standard shift, is a Lakewood housing. Since the front flange has to be drilled to bolt to the back of the block, you could drill it or Lakewood would probably do it for you.

[Charlie Jones]

All muncie aluminum 4-speeds will bolt right up to any 58 to 60 Pontiac stickshift bellhousing, which will bolt up to your 59 block.

[axle]

i currently have a 1959 389 engine that is highly modified with ported polished heads,stroker crank,cam,rods,etc.
my question is.....what are all my transmission options. what trans adapters have been made for these....even in the old days.
is there any possible way to put a th400 automatic or later muncie 4 speed behind this engine?

[poison heart]

I am new here and see that this is an old post, but I am also working on putting a Muncie on my Pontiac. I was also told that 58-60 Poncho stick bellhousings will work. I am wondering if you have had any luck with your set up since the posting?

[axle]

hi, i am still collecting parts. i still need a 58-60 manual trans flywheel.

[poison heart]

Cool, are those flywheels hard to find?

[PRC]

Yes. Apparently not many people ordered manual transmissions in these cars.

[T.Weber]

Have you tried asking Brad at Fabcraft if he can make you a flywheel? I know he does them for the 61-62 cars and the 63-64 cars. I'm sure he could do one for the older Pontiacs also.

[poison heart]

Let me know if you have any luck with Fabcraft.

As for the comment on standard trannies, I think only 2% of '59 Buicks had standard trannies. I'm guessing Pontiac would have had similar numbers. I have seen a few '59 Buicks on ebay with standards but no '59 Pontiacs. I guess that's why I'm having so much trouble with finding a bellhousing.

[Jack Gifford]

According to my Pontiac books by John Gunnell, 32,873 standard-transmissions were sold '58-60. But- that was only 3.3% of total vehicles (almost a million!). Highest percentage was '60, with 3.66%.
FYI- Don't forget to also look at '58-59 GMC trucks with Pontiac V8s from the factory.

[Bill Hanlon]

I don't know if they will interchange, but 58-60 Pontiac Group 0.682 HOUSING, CLUTCH L.H.D. standard trans clutch housing is listed as part # 530661 while GMC 57-59 Group 8.2060D HOUSING - FLYWHEEL (V8) is listed as 2359243. The Pontiac number is not listed in the GMC numeric cross reference.

Hollander's shows the same Pontiac part number, but does not show any other parts as fitting.

[axle]

my pontiac buddy ROCKY from omaha recently told me that the later poncho flywheels are the same...only difference is the center crankshaft hole is larger on the later flywheels. he said his friend used a later flywheel and welded/machined the hole to accept the smaller 55-60 hole.
does this sound right?.....anyone?

[tom s]

axel,I think the 55-60 is diff beside the hole.Think there are more teeth.Tom

[poison heart]

http://www.fabcraftmetalworks.com/index.php?id=10001

They seem like good guys. I plan on buying some lower gears from them soon.

[60man]

Originally Posted by poison heart

http://www.fabcraftmetalworks.com/index.php?id=10001

They seem like good guys. I plan on buying some lower gears from them soon.

All though I have not met Brad face to face ; from talking to him on the phone Brad & his wife are great people. Believe he is a airline pilot by trade (unless he has retired) but his passion is machine work. If you ever talk to Brad you will know what I mean. He has a lot of neat toys to. He does a lot of stuff that isn't cataloged yet...
The friend I stated got a flywheel from him actually sent him his old flywheel and Brad duplicated it !! Don't be bashful.....give him a call. Tell him hello for me while you're at it....

[56 Batwing]

I talked to Brad at Fabcraft in Nov. 2006, about making a flywheel for my 58 Pontiac engine. Brad said there is no problem to build 55-60 flywheels, the problem is getting ring gears. Only one of his suppliers still sells the 55-60 ring gear, and they want $120 for the ring gear alone. Add that on top of Brad's costs, and they get pretty expensive. Brad said the cheapest method is to find a old beat up stock flywheel with a good ring gear and he can put it on the new flywheel very easy. Another way to go is using the adapter that Wilcap sells to put a automatic behind your 59 engine. Wilcap's adapter will also allow you to bolt up a t-400 or one of the newer O/D automatics, if you plan on driving your car on the street. Save a little gas money, and save some wear and tear on your engine. I still haven't decided which way to go with my 56 Safari. I also agree with 60Man's opinion of Brad and Fabcraft. Great people to work with. Jack

[Jack Gifford]

Originally Posted by 56 Batwing

...Fabcraft ... no problem to build 55-60 flywheels, the problem is getting ring gears. Only one of his suppliers still sells the 55-60 ring gear, and they want $120 for the ring gear alone.

Axle- I wonder if I might help one of you guys get your Pontiac going? I've got a '58 Hydramatic flywheel that's doing nothing but serving as a 'foot' for my bubble-type wheel balancer! I could lathe-cut the ring gear portion of it off, for Fabcraft to weld/bolt to an appropriate standard-shift flywheel (the Hydro wheel is a one-piece forging with the ring gear teeth machined into it). I'd need to coordinate with Fabcraft on the ring gear ID that would work for them. I could probably hold the concentricity within +/- about .002", and the actual dimension within +/- about .005". They would need to take the final cut on the mating piece once they have the ring gear in-hand. I'd donate the ring gear, and need about $25 for machining, plus shipping.
Let me know- or maybe I should talk directly to Fabcraft- to see if they think it's a crazy idea?

[poison heart]

The problem is that I really want a stick. I have my original hydramtic which I'm sure is fine, but I'm sick of automatics. I want somethin to shift!