Restoring Rusty

[Gregski]

When looking for a brand new Hurst shifter components I further learned there were two Saginaw transmission types the 441 and the 456.

Hurst makes linkage for the 441 but not for the 456. So naturally I believe I have the 456, lol. Though with that Chevelle style bracket I think it makes it a moot point as to which one I have the 441 vs the 456 as it mounts the shifter using the bracket and ignored the holes in the tailshaft.

hope you is following all this it can get unnecesarily complicated

and I still don't get how this is supposed to be a torque tube transmission as it accepts a regular Turbo 350 yoke and has a rear seal for an open shaft, but the graphic saying it could be off of a 1981-82 Camaro or Firebird makes me feel a bit warm and fuzzy inside

[hatzie]

The F-body torque tube mounts to the three holes on the bottom of the tailhousing.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by hatzie

The F-body torque tube mounts to the three holes on the bottom of the tailhousing.

thanks bud anyway you can help me find a pic of one, I can't seem to find it on the Google, ha ha

[brakenit]

Originally Posted by Gregski

thanks bud anyway you can help me find a pic of one, I can't seem to find it on the Google, ha ha

He meant torque arm, 3rd and 4th gen f-bodies had a torque arm suspension. C5 and newer Corvettes have a torque tube.

A bushing bolts to the tail housing of the transmission and then a link connects the rear axle to that bushing to control axle rotation. It's basically a type of 3 link suspension.

Looks like the Vega had a torque arm suspension as well.

I found this picture here.

http://dave.h-body.org/H-body%20Conversion%20Tips.htm

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by brakenit

He meant torque arm, 3rd and 4th gen f-bodies had a torque arm suspension. C5 and newer Corvettes have a torque tube.

A bushing bolts to the tail housing of the transmission and then a link connects the rear axle to that bushing to control axle rotation. It's basically a type of 3 link suspension.

Looks like the Vega had a torque arm suspension as well.

I found this picture here.

http://dave.h-body.org/H-body%20Conversion%20Tips.htm

Thank you, aha, I appreciate that, but there's a big difference between a torque tube and a torque arm. I can buy into the torque arm setup, the torque tube as you pointed out I only knew of one modern car that had it that being the Corvette, the older Chevys may have had it but those may have been pre War cars or 50s.

[brakenit]

Originally Posted by Gregski

Thank you, aha, I appreciate that, but there's a big difference between a torque tube and a torque arm. I can buy into the torque arm setup, the torque tube as you pointed out I only knew of one modern car that had it that being the Corvette, the older Chevys may have had it but those may have been pre War cars or 50s.

I agree, I don't understand why your graphic says torque tube since that should refer to some type of enclosed driveshaft which no Camaro ever had.

[Gregski]

it's that time of year again Comrads, haha

[rusty76]

Is that a current pic of Rusty? Man what happened to the hood? I still like seeing you taking Rusty camping.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by rusty76

Is that a current pic of Rusty? Man what happened to the hood? I still like seeing you taking Rusty camping.

yes current pic, used wrong acid, muriatic instead of phosphoric to clean it, broke my heart when the rust came back, got second hood, will paint it instead, the rusted one is also tacoed

peace and chicken grease,
g

[Gregski]

Rusty treated me to some scary transmission noises on the way to work this morning to where I had to limp it home after work. So I decided to open up Midnight Auto and go Def Con 4 on the ol' OD trans!

I lifted the truck up to the highest click on the Harbor Freight 6 ton jacks and went to town

at nearly 10 PM it was still almost 80* F

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by Gregski

I lifted the truck up to the highest click on the Harbor Freight 6 ton jacks and went to town

Can't tell you how awesome these 12-ton stands are. I've never had to extend them past half way up. Just trying to spend your money.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...hoCUsUQAvD_BwE

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Can't tell you how awesome these 12-ton stands are. I've never had to extend them past half way up. Just trying to spend your money.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...hoCUsUQAvD_BwE

me want

[MikeB]

These 10" wheel cribs are nice, too, especially when jack stands only get in the way. But you need a serious floor jack and/or a 4x4 to get the truck high enough.
Of course, a 12-ft ceiling and a lift would solve all my problems.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by MikeB

These 10" wheel cribs are nice, too, especially when jack stands only get in the way. But you need a serious floor jack and/or a 4x4 to get the truck high enough.
Of course, a 12-ft ceiling and a lift would solve all my problems.

You're killing me smallz, I love it! Yeah gotta watch out for the garage door opener box too cause it likes to hit the truck cab, ha ha.

[Gregski]

How does a one man with a bad elbow git the trans out by himself without a proper transmission jack you ask?

Introducing the Semi Fully Adjustable TransJack 3000... suitable for the semi amateur casual transmission swapper

brought to you by Pollack Potrafi (TM)

[Gregski]

and two short hours later she was out

Profanity Disbursement = Minimal

[Gregski]

mandatory stare and compare of the GM New Process NV833 and the Saginaw 4 Speed

hard to tell from the pics but they is nearly identical at roughly 21 5/16 inches long from bell housing to tailshaft end

[Gregski]

doing my best here to hold the squigly measuring tape with one hand and snap the pic with the other

[Gregski]

so I pretty much came to realize that when it comes to big parts replacements it's a three day love affair:

Day 1 - disassembly and removal

Day 2 - tinkering and chasing parts

Day 3 - reassembly and installation

So today was Day 2, this means usually lots of hours spent working with not much to show for.

I learned that GM likes to make two different bell housings, ones for trucks and ones for cars, the truck ones have a slightly larger input shaft housing hole, my transmission came off of a car so although I could bolt it up to a truck bell housing it wouldn't be wise as the smaller input shaft housings would not properly center the trans on the bell

so off with the car input shaft housing

[Gregski]

worth mentioning is that divit / gap for the juices to lubricate the front bearing I recon, this is important as the input shaft housing has to be clocked proper

[Gregski]

I did procure a New Old Stock (NOS) truck input shaft housing, yes these are a bit harder to find and I recon less popular

Saginaw 4 Speed Manual Transmission Input Shaft Housing Part Number: 3920738

[Gregski]

and the mandatory stare and compare of the car vs truck Saginaw four speed transmission input shaft housings

(you notice how I spell stuff out and seem repetitive this is to aid the next generation of Shade Tree Mechanics STMs in their wrenching endeavors and searches on this forum) The Greg is all about giving back, ha ha

[Gregski]

you will note that the truck input shaft housing came with an input shaft seal but not with the big round gasket itself, so we wasted half a day visiting all the local parts houses trying to find one...

this is where The Greg gets bent out of shape when his Pontiac and Mopar friends tell him, Chevy's are easy to work on and you can get parts at your local Walmart! [insert expletive here]

so it was time to make our own gasket, using a Fel-Pro part number 3060 gasket assortment kit, thumbs up, using a ball peen hammer and a vice

The Greg is most pleased with the result

[Gregski]

after I replaced the input shaft housing the next thing I diddle daddled with was the reverse / backup light switch, mine had one of the blades broken off so I swapped it out with the one from the NP833 trans as they appeared similar in nature

oh and no parts houses had the one for the Saginaw and I tried late 60s / early 70s Camaros, Novas, Chevelles, etc.

[Gregski]

and a stare and compare of the Saginaw 4 speed manual transmission reverse / backup switch and the New Process NV833 overdrive manual transmission switch