Does any one know when the 3-speed transmissions were fully synchronized? I am going to look at a 1965 and a 1968 3-speed overdrive for a friend and I know he is wanting a full synchro trans. Any help would be great!
Ross
Ross
3 speed overdrives
- Thread starter Impalaguru
- Start date
trans
I think my 53 chev 2 dr sedan was syncronized. I don't remember having a problem going into low gear at speed. My 64 Willys is NOT syncronized.
My 63 Merc and 64 Fairlane were also syncronized. That was back when I didn't know any better. I got wise to G.M. after that!
I think my 53 chev 2 dr sedan was syncronized. I don't remember having a problem going into low gear at speed. My 64 Willys is NOT syncronized.
My 63 Merc and 64 Fairlane were also syncronized. That was back when I didn't know any better. I got wise to G.M. after that!
Synchronized tranny
I know my 58 with the 3 speed was NOT synchronized in first gear. You had to double clutch it to get into first gear at any speed. They might have put the synchro in later than that, but not before. My 52 Merc w overdrive was the same, as well as the 53 Ford. Synchronized in all but first gear.
I know my 58 with the 3 speed was NOT synchronized in first gear. You had to double clutch it to get into first gear at any speed. They might have put the synchro in later than that, but not before. My 52 Merc w overdrive was the same, as well as the 53 Ford. Synchronized in all but first gear.
M
MK IISS
Guest
Overdrive
Prior to 1965 Chevrolet's 3-spd man. trans including the 3-spd with overdrive had a non-synchronized 1st gear.
Prior to 1965 Chevrolet's 3-spd man. trans including the 3-spd with overdrive had a non-synchronized 1st gear.
synchros
Thanks, Richard, you gave me some faith back as to my memory. I know the synchros were bad in the early trannys. They were heavy and speed shifting them would jerk the ring off them. Replaced many synchros because of this. I think they finally started welding the shift ring to the synchronizer to stop this. Key word is I think!
Thanks, Richard, you gave me some faith back as to my memory. I know the synchros were bad in the early trannys. They were heavy and speed shifting them would jerk the ring off them. Replaced many synchros because of this. I think they finally started welding the shift ring to the synchronizer to stop this. Key word is I think!
M
MK IISS
Guest
Fred: The deal was though... with the overdrive engaged and you were driving in town below 30 mph ...when you let off the gas the transmission disengaged from the engine (that's why you had no engine braking) and you could downshift without using the clutch. This is probably why some think they had a syncro-1st gear.
3 speeds
I never had an overdrive in a GM car, so don't know how they worked. I know I learned to shift into low gear by double clutching because of some bad clutch linkage. Drove my 52 Merc that way for several weeks due to funds needed to fix it. Didn't have them!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seems to me if you jerked the ring off the GM synchro, you had no first gear. Or reverse, too, maybe. Still had second and high. Think that's the way it was.
Boy, that was a long time ago. Got my 58 in 61. 45 years. WOW. I remember cuting a hole in the floor and putting a Hurst shifter on it. They were spring loaded to go into second gear. Made it easier to hit second, but easier to jerk the shift ring off the synchro, too.
I never had an overdrive in a GM car, so don't know how they worked. I know I learned to shift into low gear by double clutching because of some bad clutch linkage. Drove my 52 Merc that way for several weeks due to funds needed to fix it. Didn't have them!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seems to me if you jerked the ring off the GM synchro, you had no first gear. Or reverse, too, maybe. Still had second and high. Think that's the way it was.
Boy, that was a long time ago. Got my 58 in 61. 45 years. WOW. I remember cuting a hole in the floor and putting a Hurst shifter on it. They were spring loaded to go into second gear. Made it easier to hit second, but easier to jerk the shift ring off the synchro, too.
M
MK IISS
Guest
I had a '54 Ford and a '60 chevrolet...both with overdrive. As I remember it they worked the same way. Driving around town at 30mph or below you could upshift or downshift without using the clutch. Can't remember shifting down to 1st gear though. I know with the overdrive locked out you had to double clutch it to shift down into low-gear.
3 spd.ovdr.
My first real car was a 61' Biscayne, 283, with the 3 speed with overdrive. It was DEFINTELY not synchronized in first gear. From the factory, with that trans, which by the way had a 2:94 first gear ratio, it also came with a 3:70 rear gear. That little 283 was Quick in first gear, it would only do 30 mph in first, great transmission. I played with it, The governor would let it shift into overdrive at any speed above 30, so I could actually get it to go into 1st gear overdrive, or 2nd gear overdrive. Kind of a pain, but you could do it. I eventually broke the overdrive section, some type of pawl/sprag roller arrangement, too many powershifts into 2nd did it. Ha. Anyway, not sure if the overdrives ever did have a synchro 1st, being they were kind of phasing them out by the mid 60's, it seems. Good luck!! Brian.
My first real car was a 61' Biscayne, 283, with the 3 speed with overdrive. It was DEFINTELY not synchronized in first gear. From the factory, with that trans, which by the way had a 2:94 first gear ratio, it also came with a 3:70 rear gear. That little 283 was Quick in first gear, it would only do 30 mph in first, great transmission. I played with it, The governor would let it shift into overdrive at any speed above 30, so I could actually get it to go into 1st gear overdrive, or 2nd gear overdrive. Kind of a pain, but you could do it. I eventually broke the overdrive section, some type of pawl/sprag roller arrangement, too many powershifts into 2nd did it. Ha. Anyway, not sure if the overdrives ever did have a synchro 1st, being they were kind of phasing them out by the mid 60's, it seems. Good luck!! Brian.
Thanks for the help, guys
I was thinking that they would be but wasn't sure. My friend wants these for his 57 210 2dr sedan. He's still got the 3-speed on the column and this should be a nice up grade for him!
Ross
I was thinking that they would be but wasn't sure. My friend wants these for his 57 210 2dr sedan. He's still got the 3-speed on the column and this should be a nice up grade for him!Ross
My 58 315hp had a 3 speed. It was called a close ratio 3 speed and it had no syncros in 1st gear. You had a very low drop in rpm when you shifted. Several of you guys said you pulled the syncros off but in 2 years of racing and many speed shifts[ gas pedal flat to the floor and shift] I never pulled a syncro.
I guess I was so fast that it didn't have time to pull off. Roy
I guess I was so fast that it didn't have time to pull off. Roy
3 speed synchros
Mine was a close ratio, too. You must have been just darned lucky. They finally did come out with a synchro with the ring welded on it. Maybe you had that type.
I know they would come off. I paid to have the first few replaced, then HAD to learn how to replace them due to funds!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mine was a close ratio, too. You must have been just darned lucky. They finally did come out with a synchro with the ring welded on it. Maybe you had that type.
I know they would come off. I paid to have the first few replaced, then HAD to learn how to replace them due to funds!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Right Fred, I replaced the syncrhos many many times in my 57 Chevy. Was a real pain! Got real fast at pulling a tranny tho!
Here's some trivia for ya. What was the first year for the syncros?
1932
2nd and 3rd gear only not first. In fact I have one on my bench right now (see pic)
What do you mean by "pulled the syncro off"? Off of what? Don't they just slide back and forth on the main shaft? I'm confused.
1932
2nd and 3rd gear only not first. In fact I have one on my bench right now (see pic)
What do you mean by "pulled the syncro off"? Off of what? Don't they just slide back and forth on the main shaft? I'm confused.
Synchro rings
Bungy, the synchronizer had a ring on it that the shift fork rode on. This was to move it forward or back. Originally it was pressed on. A fast shift would jerk it off the synchro. Later, either the fsactory welded them on, or we did it ourselves. Don't remember which. But, it solved the problem. The Synchros were heavy, and trying to move them fast like speed shifting, would cause the ring to come off. Then, you had no second or third gear. At least that's the way I remember it. Seems like it was going into third gear that they came off. Don't remember how they went together any more. Whichever way was pulling the synchro instead of pushing it. The ring was on one end.
Clear as MUD?????????????????????
Bungy, the synchronizer had a ring on it that the shift fork rode on. This was to move it forward or back. Originally it was pressed on. A fast shift would jerk it off the synchro. Later, either the fsactory welded them on, or we did it ourselves. Don't remember which. But, it solved the problem. The Synchros were heavy, and trying to move them fast like speed shifting, would cause the ring to come off. Then, you had no second or third gear. At least that's the way I remember it. Seems like it was going into third gear that they came off. Don't remember how they went together any more. Whichever way was pulling the synchro instead of pushing it. The ring was on one end.
Clear as MUD?????????????????????