is it a muncie or saginaw

[crazyred]

Hey I'm lookin for help to ID my three speed.
the only stamp I could find was on the machined surface for the linkage cover M9H11A From what i have read this means its a muncie 3 speed made in 69 or 79 on june 11 and its a M20 (not sure what the M20 means)
But I have also read that the muncie has the reverse shifter linkage on the rear extension but I dont have that ..... so does that mean its a saginaw????

All I know for sure is I have a 69 GMC 910 with a three on the tree with a 350 making power. also it doesn't say anything on the glove box build sheet. Is there somewhere else I can check????
Thanks

[shifty]

Can you take a picture of the side of the tranny, particularly where the bolts are? The number of bolts and cover plate on the side of the tranny is the absolute easiest way to get an ID on a tranny, from what I understand. Alternately, the side view shape of the tranny is another good identifier.

When I wanted to know more about mine, i hit ebay and started searching. When that turned up nothing, i went to http://images.google.com and starting looking for terms like:

3spd saginaw
4spd saginaw
muncie 3spd
muncie 4spd
muncie m20
muncie m21

You get the idea. Get lots of pictures of them that way so you can compare. Good luck.

[mhicks]

Has some good pictures but no 3 on the tree..

http://novakconversions.com/

[crazyred]

okay heres what i got




first time im posting pics hope they worked

[crazy longhorn]

You have a saginaw 3spd there.... L

[shifty]

That would be a Saginaw 3spd. Has the same linkage mine had for 3-on-tree too. Pics:

http://www.satellitehead.com/gallery...album=6&pos=20

Click on the 'forward' button a couple of times and you will confirm for yourself.

I don't think Muncie made a 3spd, did they?

If you need a replacement, the one in those pics is up for grabs if you wanna come pick it up, just give me a couple of bucks and it's yours. It was rebuilt within the last 10k miles, according to the guy I bought the truck from (sure shifts like it was).

EDIT: PS - I believe that is the synchronized one that came out in '69 also. Diff't from the one in 67-68 from what other members have told me around here.

[Americanrider]

Here is a good Tranny ID chart that covers most 3, 4sp and autos, from the hurst shifter website:

http://go.mrgasket.com/pdf/trans_id.pdf

It shows a muncie 3 speed that is very close to the saginaw.

[shifty]

That is a killer link! PDF saved!

[crazyred]

Okay im going on the terms that it is a Saginaw. So today i went to the Gear Center in Edmonton and asked for a rebuild kit. Buddy said he would call me when he could find a location and price for it.

shifty i might have to take you up on that offer and take that tranny off your hands

I like to thank you all for your help and i will keep you all posted on how it turns out

[jimfulco]

Look at the bolt pattern on the side cover. If that Mr. Gasket chart is correct, it looks more like a Muncie.

[shifty]

I can take pics of mine tomorrow morning or nite and post them for you as a comparison just to be sure. I will be very surprised to hear mine is a muncie.

[crazyred]

now that i taken another look, i think jimfulco might have somthing there! Plus look at the rear extension of the case. It has the same taper at the top on the Mr.Gasket muncie and my 3rd pic.....So could it be (that is if the mr.gasket page is right) that it is a munice????? This if freakin CRAZY!!!!

[Brad]

I had originally posted that it was a Saginaw immediately after you posted it, but took it off because I had doubts. I'm still having a brain fade because I can't remember which one looks like which. I just took my Saginaw out on Sat. too.

I just compared your pics to mine. I know mines a Saginaw because I replaced the Muncie that was original and it had 4 bolts on the side cover.

[Green Machine]

Both of those trannys look like muncies to me. I have a saginaw in the garage I could take pics of if that would help any. The key is that the saginaw has one bolt in the center at the top of the sidecover and the muncie has three in a row at the bottom. The muncie is a stronger trans.

[Brad]

Ok, you're right Green Machine. After what you mentioned with the center bolt, I had to look at mine again(shown below). Sure enough, my Saginaw has the center bolt and his doesn't.

It's a Muncie folks.

[Myself]

The 3 forward bolts on the side cover are spaced different, also the saginaw has 3 bolts up the side of the extension housing. Definately a Muncie.

[be_el]

After comparing to the pictures in my 1969 Chevy Truck Chassis Overhaul Manual, what you have is definitely a Muncie.....

[shifty]

So, I have a muncie also? That's really confusing, because everyone here told me I had a Saginaw before.

So, Muncie made a 3spd? How much is this thing worth?

[crazyred]

hey dudes!!!!
Im now about 95% sure that it is a munice and here is how i come about thinking that way.

I ran through the gears and figured out ratios on my tranny 1st--> 3:1 2nd--> 1.75:1 3rd--> 1:1
I looked in the owner's manual and it listed the ratios for the muncie and saginaw as follows:

Munice 1st gear ---->3.03:1 2nd---->1.75:1 3rd---->1:1

Saginaw 1st gear ---->2.85:1 2nd---->1.68:1 3rd---->1:1

so to me it sounds like i have a munice from what the last few people have posted and the way it looks with the gear ratios... i would say i have a muncie. What do you all think????

[crazyred]

Okay now have bad news ..... so i went back to the Gear Center in Edmonton and told them what i thought was a signaw is really a muncie...so buddy there says no problem i will look around for the parts for a muncie rebuild ....

He just call me and said he cant find parts anywhere for the muncie !!!
-->Shifty i think this thing might be worth something
----->Anyne know where i can get the parts for this tranny

[Brad]

They aren't worth anything because of the non-syncro 1st gear. They aren't known for their strength like the 4speed version is either. I had one listed on here for about a year and finally sold it locally for $35 through CL.

[crazyred]

Brad i do believe that it has a syncro first gear and with my luck it will be worth less then a signaw oh well im still going to keep it even if i have to pay alot for it to be fixed

[shifty]

i swear the first gear was synchro'd on mine. i never had to double-step the clutch and i couldn't shove it into first gear without depressing the clutch pedal. i believe those are two signs of a synchro'd tranny, eh?

[Brad]

My original '67 trans was definately a non-syncro 1st gear. I HATED that transmission and broke it twice behind my I6, but maybe Muncie went to a fully syncro 1st in later models. He did pull it out of his '69 I believe.

[shifty]

i was told my '69 was also. something about how if first gear was synchro'd, it must be '69 or older was also mentioned in a previous thread.

I'm gonna hafta go look at mine here in the near future.