Originally Posted by PoDuck
Okay, I have a 1962, which is pretty much the same as yours. My powerglide took a dump several years ago, and I replaced it with a TH350 and have never looked back, especially since I didn't realize that the powerglide was cast iron (not aluminum as said earlier), and I about lost my finger when dropping it out. Nothing like a part trying to dismember you to get you to be happy dumping it.
If you're going to switch to a TH350, you'll have to change out the starter ~$50 without a core, flexplate ~$60, transmission mount (1972 1/2 ton 2wd mount works) ~$5, remove all the mounting hardware for the pg from the back of the motor, and you'll need to get a shift linkage that will bolt up. I went for the Lokar ACA-1800 column shift linkage kit ~$60.
On my truck, the transmission cross member holes weren't quite long enough, so I had to grind them back about half an inch so the transmission mount could be mounted to it while on the transmission.
All said, not including torque converter or transmission, it's less than $200. Even less if you can find parts you need laying around.
As for what someone else said about putting a 700R4 in there, that's a bit more work. I don't see any simple (bolt on style) way to put a 700R4 into a truck with torsion bars. Something would need to be fabricated, since the bolt holes on the 700R4 are a little over 2 inches longer to the transmission mount holes on a TH350, and I pushed the limit on getting those to fit.
Anyway, even though the top gear ratio is still 1:1, the sound is greatly diminished at freeway speeds, and for some reason I'm getting significantly better gas mileage too (18mpg), just since the swap. Before I was only getting 14 mpg. I'm not sure why that would be, but I'm not going to complain. I was happy with a small block chevy motor getting 14 mpg in such a heavy vehicle. With 18, I'm ecstatic.
Hope that helps some.
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