3 sp. w/OD in a '80 L-82 ?

Hidden at the end of the post in general tech, port and polish, Lee, Top Speed and I have been goin' over the prospect of puttin' in a 3 sp. w/OD in the "Starship". She's waitin' for her 400 hp 454, and I am contemplating the instal of a 3sp. w/OD at the same time. I'm pretty much sold on the idea. Anybody else have any input on this, lay it on me!

You're heard from me but I am curious if you are going with an aluminum block.

No, it's cast iron. I got it in a trade. An engine builder is putting the 454 together, complete and ready to instal, in trade for my '56 Bel-aire 2dr ht.
The '56 has NO interior, no engine, a 2sp aluminum powerglide and lots of extra chrome. 2grilles, 4 sets of tail lights, and several misc. parts. The floor has cancer holes in the front and rear. Body is straight though. He wants it for a 1/4 miler. I would have kept the car except my dream changed when I got the "Starship".
At one time I was thinkin' about putting the '56 body on a Vette frame and running gear. (How's that for gettin' "Out there"?)
In collecting parts for the '56, I came across the 3 sp w/OD just for hauling off a wrecked '56 4 dr. I stripped out 3 cars to get extra '56 parts. This went on for 30 years. I bought the '56 for I think $50 or $80 in '72. Then it was just the bare body on a rolling frame. No chrome or anything.

Dude, ya gotta do it. You're going to love having all that jam in front of the O/D on the highways. Your car will feel like it has limitless potential for top speed. An' with the 454... hoh boy.... bring along a spare pair of shorts!

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ORIGINAL: TopSpeed

Dude, ya gotta do it. You're going to love having all that jam in front of the O/D on the highways. Your car will feel like it has limitless potential for top speed. An' with the 454... hoh boy.... bring along a spare pair of shorts!

I thought that's what "bucket" seats were for, No?

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ORIGINAL: C3 Starship

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ORIGINAL: TopSpeed

Dude, ya gotta do it. You're going to love having all that jam in front of the O/D on the highways. Your car will feel like it has limitless potential for top speed. An' with the 454... hoh boy.... bring along a spare pair of shorts!

I thought that's what "bucket" seats were for, No?

OH!!! You've got the cloth seat option, then, do ya? In that case, sure.....

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ORIGINAL: TopSpeed

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ORIGINAL: C3 Starship

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ORIGINAL: TopSpeed

Dude, ya gotta do it. You're going to love having all that jam in front of the O/D on the highways. Your car will feel like it has limitless potential for top speed. An' with the 454... hoh boy.... bring along a spare pair of shorts!

I thought that's what "bucket" seats were for, No?

OH!!! You've got the cloth seat option, then, do ya? In that case, sure.....

OHHHHHhhhh................I get it!!! That chamber pot I been usin' for a spitoon goes...UNDER the seat!!!

Starship, this 3 speed is really a cool idea, so good you just gotta do it. But do you know how much torque that transmission will handle? The trans I remember, in a '64 Impala with a 409 and 2 x4 barrel carbs, was bullet proof, (not so the 409, which cracked a crankshaft) -- but you've got a modern 454. Better not do wheelies with it or you might break something that's not easily replaceable.

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ORIGINAL: C3 Starship

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ORIGINAL: TopSpeed

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ORIGINAL: C3 Starship

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ORIGINAL: TopSpeed

Dude, ya gotta do it. You're going to love having all that jam in front of the O/D on the highways. Your car will feel like it has limitless potential for top speed. An' with the 454... hoh boy.... bring along a spare pair of shorts!

I thought that's what "bucket" seats were for, No?

OH!!! You've got the cloth seat option, then, do ya? In that case, sure.....

OHHHHHhhhh................I get it!!! That chamber pot I been usin' for a spitoon goes...UNDER the seat!!!

Bwaaaaaaaahahahahaha!!! That'll certainly cut down on your detailin' costs, bro!!

That's been my only hesitation, the torque factor. Since I'm not a drag racer, and the only time I would be "Gittin' in it" would be for passin' on short straights, I should be O. K. If it blows, I have a straight up 3 sp, a Sag 4 sp and of course I can always go back to the 4 sp M-22.

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ORIGINAL: Lee Willis

Starship, this 3 speed is really a cool idea, so good you just gotta do it. But do you know how much torque that transmission will handle? The trans I remember, in a '64 Impala with a 409 and 2 x4 barrel carbs, was bullet proof, (not so the 409, which cracked a crankshaft) -- but you've got a modern 454. Better not do wheelies with it or you might break something that's not easily replaceable.

Oooo geez, forgot about that important bit! Good point as always, Lee. What kinda tranny are you looking at C3? Have you picked one yet?

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ORIGINAL: C3 Starship

That's been my only hesitation, the torque factor. Since I'm not a drag racer, and the only time I would be "Gittin' in it" would be for passin' on short straights, I should be O. K. If it blows, I have a straight up 3 sp, a Sag 4 sp and of course I can always go back to the 4 sp M-22.

Yeh, you'll be fine. We don't wanna see you on the evenin' news from a chopper chasin' you down the highway there, bro. Man, we used to run a Saginaw 4spd in all our V8 Vega's. We used to laugh like crazy, "this thing should blow tonight", but it never did! We went through a bazillion 10" rear ends, but only 2 trannies in like, 10 years, of roddin'!

An' the good 'ol M22 Rock Crusher... NICE tranny.

I digress.... you're gonna be fine with that setup bro. DOOOOOOOO IT!

God, I love hot rodding. I gotta get a bigger garage!

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ORIGINAL: Lee Willis

God, I love hot rodding. I gotta get a bigger garage!

LOL That's it!! The final straw!!! I'm movin' in with Lee!!!

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ORIGINAL: Lee Willis

God, I love hot rodding. I gotta get a bigger garage!

A BIGGER garage? I'd just like to have a garage!!! I keep all my stuff in a 40' shipping container. Have to do all my work outside.
Creepers work fairly well on a piece of 3/4" plywood!

My wife has one rule she just won't let me by-pass: the cars stay indoors, none sitting or parking overnight outside. That means two cars (she can't drive, poor eyesite) so its just the 'vette and the Porsche here, and the Camaro in a garage rented at my son's apartment complex.

Well, it's a done deal. I dug the 3 sp out last night. Gonna take it to my mech and have him go through it. It's been sittin' in a wooden box for 30+ yrs.
My mechs are a Father and son business. "Feets", Dad, is a motor head from the late '50's, and his son, "Mo-Jo" has a knack for doin' engines, he is the one who, I helped, do the suspension on the "Starship". "Feets" does tranys and rear ends, he did the 3rd member on the "Starship". These two get rodders from 200 mi. around bringin' their stuff in. They love workin' on my Vette, and let me get in and work with 'em. I'm really out classed, these guys are gooood. I'll be doin' the 454/3 sp conversion at their shop.
Just a little shop, holds maybe 6 cars, in a little town of about 300 people. They do everthing but interiors and paint. "Mo-Jo" and I used to strip wrecked cars for parts back in our late teens and early twentys.

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ORIGINAL: Lee Willis

My wife has one rule she just won't let me by-pass: the cars stay indoors, none sitting or parking overnight outside. That means two cars (she can't drive, poor eyesite) so its just the 'vette and the Porsche here, and the Camaro in a garage rented at my son's apartment complex.

Get a bigger garage!! No, seriously, I agree with her on that.... when our son lived with us a year or so ago, we kinda, uh, let him collect stuff for his projects. It started with a 9" rear end in the front yard and progressed to 2 whole cars, in pieces, of course. In the front yard. I HATED it. Looked like we were a used freakin' car lot. So, yeh, I understand that notion.


I'd still really like to move in with you.

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ORIGINAL: C3 Starship

Well, it's a done deal. I dug the 3 sp out last night. Gonna take it to my mech and have him go through it. It's been sittin' in a wooden box for 30+ yrs.
My mechs are a Father and son business. "Feets", Dad, is a motor head from the late '50's, and his son, "Mo-Jo" has a knack for doin' engines, he is the one who, I helped, do the suspension on the "Starship". "Feets" does tranys and rear ends, he did the 3rd member on the "Starship". These two get rodders from 200 mi. around bringin' their stuff in. They love workin' on my Vette, and let me get in and work with 'em. I'm really out classed, these guys are gooood. I'll be doin' the 454/3 sp conversion at their shop.
Just a little shop, holds maybe 6 cars, in a little town of about 300 people. They do everthing but interiors and paint. "Mo-Jo" and I used to strip wrecked cars for parts back in our late teens and early twentys.

Rock 'n roll there, my friend! That's wicked; they'll do the job top drawer for you. You're gonna love it, Dave, I promise. Man, I can't wait till you get the beast rollin' bro....

Pardon my ignorance.... is that a TH350/400 that you can add an O/D unit to, or is it a different tranny all together?

I must admit, you got me there. This 3 sp W/OD came out of a 4 dr '56 Chev. I also have a stright up 3 sp. that came out of a '55 Chev.

No worries, my friend, just thought I'd ask outta curiosity.

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ORIGINAL: C3 Starship

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ORIGINAL: Lee Willis

God, I love hot rodding. I gotta get a bigger garage!

A BIGGER garage? I'd just like to have a garage!!! I keep all my stuff in a 40' shipping container. Have to do all my work outside.
Creepers work fairly well on a piece of 3/4" plywood!

Starship, I just put my second 30 x 50 prototype shop for my business and the only thing in it is a 24 foot retool project for a boat company in MO. your welcome to come for a visit and do your work in it. I have welders and a small mill and sheet metal forming roller. all the jacks and lifts you need too. as weel as air, hand and mech tools for wrenchin', Spray guns too, comeon down. we even have a spare bedroom for ya, unless of course ya want to bunk with coty, he'd like the company.

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ORIGINAL: blueshark

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ORIGINAL: C3 Starship

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ORIGINAL: Lee Willis

God, I love hot rodding. I gotta get a bigger garage!

A BIGGER garage? I'd just like to have a garage!!! I keep all my stuff in a 40' shipping container. Have to do all my work outside.
Creepers work fairly well on a piece of 3/4" plywood!

Starship, I just put my second 30 x 50 prototype shop for my business and the only thing in it is a 24 foot retool project for a boat company in MO. your welcome to come for a visit and do your work in it. I have welders and a small mill and sheet metal forming roller. all the jacks and lifts you need too. as weel as air, hand and mech tools for wrenchin', Spray guns too, comeon down. we even have a spare bedroom for ya, unless of course ya want to bunk with coty, he'd like the company.

I don't "swing" like a monkey, and I ain't no kitty. I'll just lay a sleepin' bag out on the hood of the "Starship" and I'll be just fine. How about I send Coty a kitty for Christmas, think he'd leave me alone?

he had one as a pet when he was about 2 years old. wouldn't let anyone touch it. carried him everywhere and slept with him on his chest. it was his binky 'til the cat got big and grew long claws. Didn't mean any disrespect just wanted to offer the shop and a nice vacation to TN. still open brother.

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ORIGINAL: blueshark

Didn't mean any disrespect just wanted to offer the shop and a nice vacation to TN. still open brother.

I know you didn't Bro, I'd love to go to Tenn. for a visit with ya. I got a cuz in the North East corner of Alabama I'd love to go see too. He was out here last year, took him for a ride in the "Starship", and scared the sh!t out of him. he don't know cars from "CARS". If I get a chance to "go south" I'll look ya up! Thanks for the offer, I appreciate it , greatly!!!
The wife and I have talked about a South Eastern run. She has people in West Virginia, that's where she's from. We're thinkin' Branson, Mo., to Nashville, then up to her old home in W.V. It would be acouple of years 'til we can swing it though. I'll warn ya if we're commin'!