Powerglide, whats it out of? Any idea?

[McDenny]

I have this powerglide tranny, and kinda curious what it came out of with a rear mount like this. Never owned a car with a powerglide so not so sure about using it in my T Bucket, but kinda curious what the heck it came out of, any thoughts?

Cant upload any photo's, wonder why??

 

[McDenny]

OK, had to resize, any thoughts?

 

[VegasBruce]

The Powerglide was Chevy's trans of choice, throughout the 60's. I've never seen one with that mount though.

 

[2old2fast]

If you want to use that 'glide, you might be able to swap out that tailstock for one w/ a more conventional mount...

dave

 

[sstock]

I've seen a ton of glides in my life, never with a mount like that.

 

[T-Test]

It's an early 60s truck trans, probably a GMC. Yes you can swap tailshaft housings.

 

[McDenny]

Is this sought after, or a desired trans? I am not to sure running it in my bucket behind a bbc. Was going to use a TH400.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Yes....I remember seeing one of those stupid looking suckers.....either a bean truck or a ole cotton truck....we were stripping it down for hotrodding. Yes, people mount the PG's behind the BB's too!
If you build up a power slide and put her behind a strong BB, it will scare ya if your used to a turbo 400, cause a turbo 400 is used to keep your motor up in the power band pushing a heavy car or truck. With a race car or a bucket, you don't have any weight at all!!!!!

Think of it like this....the BB Chevy motor is about 550-650 lbs, your powerglide weighs what, 75-125 lbs., and your whole car weighs 1600????? The Torque of a BB will make it hump! While everyones hitting 2nd gear in the turbo 350/400's, you'll be locking into high!
Just do yourself a favor....before you use it, get one of the performance master kits and put in it....

 

[Hot Rod Todd]

I have run a strong glide behind my blown 454 BBC for the past six years. Then when I upsized to the blown 540, I got another even stronger glide for it - complete with transbrake. Converter is only around 2500 stall as bucket is street legal

I just figured that when going down the dragstrip, the less time I had my hand off the wheel, the safer it would be. A well built glide is a poor mans Lenco.

 

[McDenny]

OK, so if I decide to go with the powerglide, which I am leaning toward, what would be a good "all around" rear end ratio. I am not planning on running it in the 1/4 mile, but would like it to sh*t and get if needed. I am not familiar with these, so please forgive my inexperience with these, but I have read about "lock ups" on the rear of the trans, and a "performance master kit" ?

 

[Screaming Metal]

OK, so if I decide to go with the powerglide, which I am leaning toward, what would be a good "all around" rear end ratio. I am not planning on running it in the 1/4 mile, but would like it to sh*t and get if needed. I am not familiar with these, so please forgive my inexperience with these, but I have read about "lock ups" on the rear of the trans, and a "performance master kit" ?

Yes, you can run these on the street! A dawm good transmission. Back in the lat 60's on up thru the mid 70's....you couldn't give them away! Now.....most sought after!
Yes, get a good performance rebuild kit and install it, comes with new bands, clutches, seals and all. Even comes with directions. If your unsure about it....give the kit and the trans to a good friends and a 6 Pack of Suds.....have a killer transmission in no time. A powerglide is perfect for the buckets....

 

[Screaming Metal]

The performance kits you can get thru B&M, TCI, Walker, just about any performance trans. parts mfg'er has them. Its a transmission in a box. Usually runs about $250-350, depending on what it is.

A good all around gear for a BigBlock if its really stout, 3.55's. If mild, 3.73's-3.90's. If stock....3.90's or 4.10's. You don't wanna be reving up the fat motor while going down the hiway at 65 MPH!!!! You wanna keep your revs low so you can use all that torque. But.....its whatever you want, its your car! They vibrate some and make alot of sound. Smallblocks you can run the rpms on up some and they're not as grating on the nerves.

 

[tfeverfred]

My tranny recently went out and I'm looking at a rebuilt. A powerglide looks good too. Are they the same length as a 350 turbo?

 

[Screaming Metal]

My tranny recently went out and I'm looking at a rebuilt. A powerglide looks good too. Are they the same length as a 350 turbo?

Transmission Length
Case to ext. housing
Overall length
Bellhousing to mount
Powerglide (short tail)
15 ¼
24 ¼
19 ½
Powerglide (long tail)
15 ¼
27 ½
20 ½
THM 200, 200C (the 3 speed)
27 5/8
27 5/8
20 1/8
THM 250
21 5/8
27 5/8
20 3/8
THM 350, 350C (short tail)
21 5/8
27 5/8
20 3/8
THM 350, 350C (long tail)
21 5/8
30 5/8
20 3/8
THM 400 (short tail)
24 3/8
28 ¼
26 ¾
THM 400 (long tail)
24 3/8
34
28
200R4
27 ¾
27 ¾
26 7/8
700R4, 4L60, 4L60E
23 3/8
30 ¾
22 3/8
4L80-E
?
31.5
30.38


Some of them are, some of them aren't, just depends on the tailshaft housing....

 

[tfeverfred]

Hmm.... THANKS! So, a long tail powerglide, might work as a replacement. cool. I'll keep that in mind.

 

[Mike]

A good all around gear for a BigBlock if its really stout, 3.55's. If mild, 3.73's-3.90's. If stock....3.90's or 4.10's. You don't wanna be reving up the fat motor while going down the hiway at 65 MPH!!!! You wanna keep your revs low so you can use all that torque

:blink:

Then why are you suggesting lower gears for a stock motor? Methinks you got the cart and the horse confused on that one.

 

[putz]

Transmission Length
Case to ext. housing
Overall length
Bellhousing to mount
Powerglide (short tail)
15 ¼
24 ¼
19 ½
Powerglide (long tail)
15 ¼
27 ½
20 ½
THM 200, 200C (the 3 speed)
27 5/8
27 5/8
20 1/8
THM 250
21 5/8
27 5/8
20 3/8
THM 350, 350C (short tail)
21 5/8
27 5/8
20 3/8
THM 350, 350C (long tail)
21 5/8
30 5/8
20 3/8
THM 400 (short tail)
24 3/8
28 ¼
26 ¾
THM 400 (long tail)
24 3/8
34
28
200R4
27 ¾
27 ¾
26 7/8
700R4, 4L60, 4L60E
23 3/8
30 ¾
22 3/8
4L80-E
?
31.5
30.38


Some of them are, some of them aren't, just depends on the tailshaft housing....

Mike this should be in the tech section.

 

[Screaming Metal]

:blink:

Then why are you suggesting lower gears for a stock motor? Methinks you got the cart and the horse confused on that one.

Well, oh, er ....Brainfart comes to mind! I a dufus.....
Really, I didn't clarify what I was thinking and I should have, if you have 2 cars sitting at a red light. A 625 horse bigblock with a powerglide, because of its low weight, for maximum acceleration with less wheel spin, you go up, ^, on gears. You get out of the hole quicker.
Now, on a street motor, of 400 to 450 horses that doesn't have the rpm potential, to launch as hard as the other you need a slightly lower gear, because that motor will be making torque down lower. This is a red light to red light scenario here.
5.56's are great in a Camaro where you gotta get all that car moving, and you have 3 gears to do it in , hitting the traps at just about redline.....we're on the street though!

Now, if you wanna cruise, you go with the high gearing. When you do that, your getting a tradeoff on takeoff.

Come-on, get on the Jazz for us! We need it Bro! (Ya see, really and truely we gotta do things like that to get you stroked just right so you'll come on out with the techno-stuff!!!! We can't help it Mike!!!! We Love Ya! Come on! Give it to us!!!!!)

 

[Screaming Metal]

:cheer: I feel him whupping out the ole calculator!!!!!!

 

[Screaming Metal]

The performance kits you can get thru B&M, TCI, Walker, just about any performance trans. parts mfg'er has them. Its a transmission in a box. Usually runs about $250-350, depending on what it is. A good all around gear for a BigBlock if its really stout, 3.55's. If mild, 3.73's-3.90's. If stock....3.90's or 4.10's. You don't wanna be reving up the fat motor while going down the hiway at 65 MPH!!!! You wanna keep your revs low so you can use all that torque. But.....its whatever you want, its your car! They vibrate some and make alot of sound. Smallblocks you can run the rpms on up some and they're not as grating on the nerves.

I meant redlight to redlight. Gear accordingly so you'll be comfortable at cruising RPM, if you go out on the roads any! Mike IS Right!
Also, your low gear ratio in the trans. also plays a role here, too!