3 speed overdrive!!, now about getting it in.......

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by frankslagoon

I been runnin mine for two years now and just use a 30 amp switch to the sol. no problems yet. I stay in O/D most of time unless I want to play around. then just turn the switch off and punch it. if I'm cruisen I use it like a passing gear.

Very Nice!

So, does that give you 6 forward gears? Tons of fun to drive, isn't it? Take off easy, and by flipping switch & shifting properly, you can reach cruising speed w/out exceeding 1500 RPM's--well, maybe a tad more, but NO strain on the engine to get from 0mph to 60mph. ....and keep left foot off the clutch pedal for many of those shifts! (Had mine switched/wired thru a 2nd dimmer switch I installed in the floor & used left foot to do the engaging/disengaging of the solenoid.

Know you enjoy it. I used to until I broke it driving too hard, like an idiot.
Sam

[waspp]

I like the idea of another floor "dimmer" switch, you could leave the governor to control low speed function but have the switch available for manual kick down out of o/d when you want.

[Janky59]

I have an update since my installation last fall. The OD side of things have been working great, the hang up is the jumping out of 3rd gear.

The mechanic has had it out 2 or 3 times, we've tried different things, I honestly don't recall the specifics, but the short of it is nothing that was tried made any difference about the problem. I chalk it up to a dud of a tranny I happened to get, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

So, rather than spend more time and money chasing down the issue, I cut my losses and bought a fully rebuilt tranny. Yeah, it looks a lot like the old one coming out, being silver and such, but I don't think the color will jinx me In all I put a little over 1000 mi. on the old one, everything worked, except for the 3rd gear problem.

I'll have the new one installed this weekend and post a follow up.

I do have one question for now, in the bottom picture, I have an arrow drawn to a hex head screw on the solenoid. This is the correct screw I connect my power from the relay to - correct? This terminal has "4" stamped near it on the cover.

My old solenoid has a different wiring set up so I just wanted to ask. I think this is the right one. Thanks.

[frankslagoon]

I think your right. just touch a hot wire to it and it should try to kick the sol. in.

[Janky59]

Frank - it was the right spot to connect the power circuit.
I got the new trans installed on Saturday, I did some other cleaning and painting while it was out so I didn't test drive it until the next day.
I'm very happy to report this tranny does everything it is supposed to, shifts normally, stays in gear, OD engages as it should. I'll enjoy many miles cruising this spring with my fully working overdrive.

[frankslagoon]

[Gianyveedub]

That's awesome to hear. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. These transmissions make driving on the freeway so much more manageable.

[1restorick]

I use an MSD 6AL ignition box on my truck. I have the cut off circuit wired to the white trigger wire on the box. It has worked perfect for over twenty five years. Just another option to consider.

[62 Barnfind]

I am trying to get my 3 speed overdrive in. I now have it painted and ready butt I'm missing a speedometer housing. As you can see in the pic. I have looked everywhere and called transmission shops and no luck. Can someone measure theirs and tell me how long and what is comparable?

[frankslagoon]

10 pm here and just pulled in the yard. I have a O/d like yours in the shed. I'll pull the bullet and compare to a reg. 3 sp. in the morning.

[frankslagoon]

the one on the left is from a Muncie o/d the one on the right is from a Muncie standard 3 sp. which is the common speedo bullit. dia. are the same. the long driven gears are available new I know. the bullet, not sure.

[62 Barnfind]

Thanks, I will look again at mine tonight.

[62 Barnfind]

Here is the gear housing from my regular three speed. It will go in to the overdrive but it doesn't look like there is any room for a gear. The pic is the housing without a gear. It seems like it's a little to long.

[cv65]

Originally Posted by 62 Barnfind

Here is the gear housing from my regular three speed. It will go in to the overdrive but it doesn't look like there is any room for a gear. The pic is the housing without a gear. It seems like it's a little to long.

Witch one do you need? the long or short I have both.pm me

[D'Monsta]

Originally Posted by cv65

Witch one do you need? the long or short I have both.pm me

Just got an SM 319 and I'm missing the speedo bullet. I need the long version if you still have one.. Looks like the guy didn't disconnect the speedo cable when he pulled the engine.. the plastic gear is in there but the bullet didn't make it..
I'll PM you as well. Just wanted to revive this thread for others..

[waspp]

I finally got around to installing one of the OD transmissions I bought 2 years ago. One of the units had been behind a big block and several gears had been damaged from burnout abuse, but the owner said the OD worked well. The other unit looked in very good condition but he knew nothing about its history. I unfortunately gambled on the unknown tranny! I wired everything up according to the info here in the above posts and went for a test ride. I didn't have a cable for the lockout so i left the trans in OD. The first thing I noticed was the freewheeling which made a huge difference in the truck not lurching back and forth creeping down my driveway. Out on the highway the unit shifted nicely and the OD dropped in as it should. What a difference at highway speed! Everything seemed to work great until my 3rd trip out when I heard a whineing crunching noise (you know the one you never want to hear). I pushed the clutch in and noticed my OD was gone as well as the freewheeling. When I got home I noticed the lock out lever had no spring resistance at all, it still moved into the lock out position but the amount of throw doesn't compare to the other trans I have. So the question is could that lockout shaft have moved forward (for some reason) and not be returning with the movement of the lever? Anyhow I have replaced the front half of the other trans and will swap it with this one and try again!

[Ken Cook]

Wow, pretty old thread but very interesting.

I've been trying to decide on a way to make my truck get better mileage and be able to run at 70 mph on the interstate without blowing up the engine. Everything from changing the rear end gears to installing a 5 speed on the floor. I think I'm going to go this route. It may cost a little more but I won't need to get rid of the column shifter and the truck will still look original. Now to start the search for parts.

[Ken Cook]

I think the parts search is just about done. I just bought this one.

[Ken Cook]

The transmission arrived and it is now installed in the truck.
I also ordered and received all of the correct components that go with it. The kickdown, switch, overdrive cable and expensive relay.

Does anyone have any photos of where the relay and the kickdown switch should be mounted??
I know the switch goes under the gas peddle but a measurement from the bottom of the peddle would be nice. I also know I can mount the relay in any convenient spot, but I would like it to look original to the truck.

[ray_mcavoy]

Originally Posted by Ken Cook

The transmission arrived and it is now installed in the truck.
I also ordered and received all of the correct components that go with it. The kickdown, switch, overdrive cable and expensive relay.

Does anyone have any photos of where the relay and the kickdown switch should be mounted??
I know the switch goes under the gas peddle but a measurement from the bottom of the peddle would be nice. I also know I can mount the relay in any convenient spot, but I would like it to look original to the truck.

We put one of these 3-speed overdrives in Dad's 66 last winter. Dad wanted a relatively stock looking installation but we couldn't find any info in the 60-66 truck assembly manual or any photos of a factory original installation. So we did the best we could based off info I was able to find in the 67-72 truck assembly manual and some 60's Chevy car assembly manuals.

The assembly manual shows the 67-69 trucks had the overdrive relay mounted on the inner part of the driver side front fender, near the top, back near the firewall. Obviously, the inner fender design is considerably different in those years so we just chose a similar location near the rear of the driver side inner fender on Dad's 66. I found a heater blower relay for various 60's/70's GM applications that had a similar look (metal case) and used that in place of a hard to find & expensive NOS overdrive relay.

I think Ford (and possibly others) mounted their kickdown switch under the gas pedal. But all the illustrations I found in the GM assembly manuals showed them mounted to a bracket by the carburetor. In keeping with the "somewhat stock" looking theme, I found a reproduction/replacement switch made for Studebaker applications that looked similar to the GM switch (except for the terminals). I made a home-made bracket (that attaches via the left rear carburetor mounting stud) and positions the switch so the throttle lever on the carburetor depresses the switch plunger at wide open throttle.

[Railroader]

I can't help with pictures. As posted above I didn't use pedal switch and put the relay under the dash to here wires. By the way, noticed you are a neighbor (almost). Hello from Mississippi

[cwcarpenter98]

I am fairly certain that my truck had one of these trans from the factory, but the PO removed everything except the lockout cable and the relay (still mad about that because now I need to find one ). My relay is mounted to the inner fender right under where the proportioning vale is. I have also seen a 65 c10 with this trans from the factory and the relay was mounted on the firewall between the MC and the recessed area for the engine. Kinda right where the PO ran that black wire for the trailer brake controller that was added on in the 90s ish. Sorry I don't have any better pictures, I'm in college and the truck is at home waiting for me to return so that I can finish the engine swap.

[1oldtimer]

Totally old post, but that was my wiring schematic on page 3 post 74 and that was to use the governor. To set it up w/o the governor is:

[1oldtimer]

Also to put a Saginaw o/d in place of the old 3 spd you need to modify either the shift arms or the shift rods. I had one in my old '64 panel and I modified the shift arms. The last pic is the bracket I made to hold the cable and toggle switch. Ford repos an overdrive cable that has a solid handle and the right thick wire. If your going to an o/d from no o/d you will need to shorten the driveshaft and lengthen the speedo cable (I had an extension made). I finally found another Saginaw o/d to put into my '56 panel.

[cwcarpenter98]

My kickdown switch works good, I just don't like how it functions in relation to the throttle. I'm just planning on relocating the kickdown switch that I have with the current wiring to under the dash instead of being on the carb