Chev Bel Air 4 door with 409?

Clyde Waldo

Clyde Waldo

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
1961BelAir427 said:
................... Seems really odd that he said the one thing that broke him was the T-10. I would have guessed that the 4 speed would have been one of the better stock parts for road racing in that car.
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Jason, don't get me started on that puny aluminum case T-10. I have said this before but let me tell you that the aluminum case T-10 that was in the full size 409/409 SS Impala I bought new may have beeen fine for the light weight smaller engine Corvette but was not up to the heavy full size car with the big engine. I will say that I did not go easy on it. Also have to say it was just strong enough to last just past the warranty.

Problem was/is the aluminum case under stress would stretch and this would allow the gears to move away from each other causing gear load toward the tips of the teeth. Always happened to me in second gear. First time had to get towed - cluster and second gear remaining teeth would jam and lock. New cluster, sceond gear, synchros, and oil fixed it for a while till one morning on the way to work (yes back then it was my every day driver) I got on it in second gear and it broke again. Again bought new cluster, sceond gear, synchros, and oil. The third time the car was going on three years old and I had it with the transmission so the fix this time was to strain the oil to remove the larger chunks of teeth, grind the remaining teeth off the cluster and slap it back together add the used oil and I drove 1st 3rd and 4th till I got rid of the car - minus the engine which I kept.
 
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