Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

I've got a '62 C10 Stepside with a 235 and a three on the tree. I just moved to Michigan from Florida and the total drive was almost exactly 1,000 miles. Drove the truck the whole way with some furniture in the back. The truck did great!! I was pushing her to about 65 mph and it sounded like the little six was going to blow cast iron chunks all over the interstate. I didn't want to push it so hard but I also didn't want to be on the road for three days.

My Goal: Build a truck that still feels and looks like an old beater truck, but can cruise dependably, and comfortably down the interstate and still be able to occasionally haul a car on a dolly.

I could go three routes:

1. T-5 Swap....could non WC handle towing a 3,500 pound car for a thousand miles in 4th (direct drive).

2. old school cast iron 4-speed with granny 7:1 gear. This way I could put 3.23 or even longer legs in the rear axle instead of those miserable 4.11's or 3.73's it has in it now and the granny gear would help that little 235 get all the weight moving. I would be awesome if I could find a column shifter for a four speed.

3. two speed, lever engaged, rear axle (if such a thing exists). This way I could keep the standard on the column.


What do you think would be the cheapest, and most dependable route? One thing I will not negotiate..the six banger. I love the 235. It looks awesome, sounds awesome, and I'm very impressed with it's power and economy. Plus it has quite an aftermarket following.

What do you think?

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

How about a 5 speed from a full size? More suited for towing than a T-5.
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Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

I would think as you want to stay with the six, it might be worth it for you to go with a Gearvendors overdrive, although expensive by the time you change everything you would be at the same amount dollar wise...

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

He might also try a ranger overdrive, a lot less money and would still do what he has described.Ether one would split each gear .

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

A gear vendors unit is about $2,800-$3,200! I wasn't able to find a unit for a Chevy three speed manual either. A T-5 can be had for around $200. I'll look into the heavy duty transmissions. Maybe they will also bolt to the old bellhousing as I know the T-5's will. Not familiar with the "ranger." I'll have to look into that.

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

You will have to hunt for one but there are factory Chevy 3spd overdrives out there from the 50's and 60's. My coworker has one in his truck with a 235. Its his daily driver and drives great at highway speeds. You can keep the column shift. The over drive works off of an electric switch.

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

My solution to this was to get a 4.10 rear end and a NV3500 5-speed transmission. The top gear in the NV3500 is .73. That ought to help highway runs quite a bit.

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

I will look into this. That would be killer cool.

I looked these up. I noticed that the bellhousing is cast into the trans as one piece and shaped for a small block. I'm pretty sure the I-6 and the v-8 don't have the same bellhousing. Did you hook the NV3500 to a 235?

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

I do know the 292 shares the same bellhousing as the sbc. I don't know about what other I6's do.
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Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

Oh piss. After reading up on the Stovebolt forums the NV3500 will not fit the 235.
Seems the NV4500 is a bad idea too as it requires alot of modification.

The Muncie SM-318 seems like a bad ass choice. It's a three speed with an overdrive unit that bolts right in! This means: Cheap, solid cast iron reliability, I can leave the old school column shifter in it, add another big ugly lever to the floor or under that dash! This way people will give me a funny look while crunching through the gears.

Now where to find one of these beasts?

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

THE RANGER OVERDRIVE is made by ADVANCED ADAPTERS , you can look them up there or SUMMIT RACEING also sell them.

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

Damn that's cheap! That will bolt to my three speed?!

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

The NV3500 will bolt to the 292 I-6; it's got the same bellhousing as the V8s.

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

The OP has a 235.

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

The bolt pattern between the bell & trany is the same for a 3 or 4 speed so it should bolt right in . You may need to rework your linkage as it goes between the trans & bellhouse.You will have to do something to the driveline too, but that applys to all the suggestion above.Well maybe not the 3 speed with overdrive I don't know about that one.

Re: Drive train ideas for light duty shop truck.
 

I'm pretty sure the 3 speed with over drive is a drop in + the wiring and lock out cable.

I like the idea of the Ranger though. Having two shift levers would be killer, and fun as hell to drive. Plus, it would durable as hell. I'm sure the drive shaft would have to be shortened, and the shift linkage lengthened and the trans mounts modified. Nothing too bad. Sounds like a plan...I wonder if anyone has a used one for sale?!?! That would be luck.