Pestering !

[Belair Bomber]

Hope I'm not a pest but I'm putting this 63 Belair together and I'm gonna have questions and hope you can help !
1. Was going to put a Turbo 350 behind this .30 over 409/425 but I'm researching the 4 speed route. Anyone aware of any articles written re; going from a Powerslide to a Muncie. ie which one to use , what else needs to be found and done?
2. What is the paint code for the gray/silver on the 62 , 409 valve covers ? I appreciate any help, Greg in East Alton, Illinois

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Some help

I'm not sure what the mix is for those valve covers, but Show Cars sells it in a rattle can for about ten or twelve dollars. If primered, you can do several covers with one can. I think Phil Reed might have a color mix he uses. There is a bit of dissention regarding this particular color...

On the ditching of the PG, there is at least one detailed report on converting to a four speed, but it's the sequence of tasks and parts needed, not an evaluation of whether the four speed is better, etc.

Several of us have both four speeds and TH350, TH400 or other automatic transmissions installed. If you need more specific recommendations, we'd need to know what you hope to do with the build, performance requirements, that sort of thing. For example, if you are thinking 650 horses, maybe the Borg Warner T-10 or the Muncie might not be your best choice...

Let us know, I'm sure others will add their perspectives!

Cheers,
TomK

 

[Belair Bomber]

Thanks for the reply Tom, My plans are to just drive the car on the street to some club meetings, cruise ins, a few shows and a little Sunday driving, probably 3 to 4 thousand miles a year.
The engine is a fresh .30 over with the big heads, exhaust manifolds, and dual Quads and a mild lope cam. No plans to race, did that for 20 years and worked at the old Alton Dragway 50s & 60s.

 

[petepedlar]

..... bring her to Thompson in June and park it in the show row...... That's kind'a catchy.... the show row !! Maybe we can start Jim's '57 ..... then all the 58's, 59's, 60's, '61's, the '62's, the '63's, the '64's...... and room for a '65 if there's one there....

I vote we put Robert in charge of the SHOW ROW....

Dave

 

[Brian Thompson]

One major thing to note is that the driveshaft will be a different length for the 4 speed tranny.

 

[DonSSDD]

I did a PG to 4 speed on my 59. You need a z bar, clutch linkage, pedals, bracket on frame to mount the end of the z bar, 168 tooth flywheel, bell housing, clutch fork, clutch and throwout bearing, and the pilot bushing in the end of the crank, plus as mentioned, shorten the driveshaft. In my 59 I used the same tranny frame mount.
Get a Hurst shifter. The bell housing I like is the old cast iron with open bottom and starter mount, you never have a problem with a misaligned starter. The Saginaw, Muncie, and BW's are almost all the same length.

It is an easy switch.

Don