Thread: 55 Bel Air

Tweet

David, it sounds like you really like the column shift. If I were in your position, I'd probably try the later 3-spd truck transmission before I gave up the three-on-the-tree shifter. What do you have to lose? Just the cost of a trans and your labor to change it out if you grenade it. If you think about it, any system is only as strong as its weakest link. What I'm getting at is, if you leave stock street rubber on the rear, you're gonna smoke the hides before you grenade the transmission. Think of the tires like a circuit breaker in an electrical system. I don't know how fast you want to go, but with a healthy 350 in a '55, I could have a lot of fun on skinny street tires.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

David, it sounds like you really like the column shift. If I were in your position, I'd probably try the later 3-spd truck transmission before I gave up the three-on-the-tree shifter. What do you have to lose? Just the cost of a trans and your labor to change it out if you grenade it. If you think about it, any system is only as strong as its weakest link. What I'm getting at is, if you leave stock street rubber on the rear, you're gonna smoke the hides before you grenade the transmission. Think of the tires like a circuit breaker in an electrical system. I don't know how fast you want to go, but with a healthy 350 in a '55, I could have a lot of fun on skinny street tires.

speedway motors sells rebuilt saginaw 3spds in 1 of there racing books for like $450