Re: American transmission interchange

[farna@xxxxxxx]

The trans should bolt up. If the wife is going to just be tooling around it should be fine. It will likely be the air cooled T-35 (M-35), but if it's 61 or earlier may be the heavier M-9 or M-10 (cast iron center section). Either will bolt up, but for light cruising the M-35 would be better. The M-35 was stock behind the 232 in some Americans and Gremlins.

There is no kick down linkage per se. The early BW trans uses a throttle valve cable like a late model GM 700R4. You'll have to rig linkage for that. You will need something to hold the cable in place and an arm on the linkage rod with several holes. The arm need to have a hole about 3/4" from the rod, but I'd drill 3-4 small holes (about 1/16") so there is some adjustment. The cable *MUST* slide in and out easily! If you run the trans without the cable it will slip inside and burn up. As throttle is applied the cable moves, in turn moving a valve inside the trans. The valve controls internal pressure, letting it rise as more power is applied. If the cable doesn't move the trans will slip and burn up as power is applied. If the valve were locked in the full closed position the trans wouldn't last long either -- shifts would be very abrupt, equivalent to slamming in gear and popping the clutch in a stick shift. When the valve is fully depressed it activates "passing gear" if !
 vehicle speed is under a certain amount (I forget the speed, but I think under 45-50). 

Steering columns are different in the American -- shorter than the big cars. I'd get a short floor shift from a Pinto, Mustang II, Gremlin, etc. and adjust the linkage. I have used the stock three speed column shifter. You can hook the shift rod to either of the three speed arms on the column and shift "by feel". Wouldn't be hard to adapt the quadrant from a GM column and make a needle, or use a stick on one from hot rod shops (yep, there's at least one compnay making them, I forget who though). I'd lock the two shift arms together. I used two fender washers, one on top and one on the bottom, with a 1/4" bolt between them. The bolt ran between the two arms, which were clamped between the large washers. You don't have to do this, but it's easy to accidentally pull the shift lever forward or back (depending on which arm you use) while shifting, engaging the unused shift arm. Then you have to "fish" for the neutral position to engage the right one. This usually happens when goi!
 ng to park, neutral, or reverse, so it's not a big deal (might be if manually shifting the car though), just irritating. I ran my car about a year with the three speed column, finally changing over to a tilt wheel from a GM.


On February 22, 2005 Roger Blake wrote:

> I have an acquaintance with a '66 Rambler American with 232 and
> column-shift manual transmission. He wants to change it over to
> automatic for his wife, and has located a junkyard transmission that
> is in an older American with the L-head six. (He was not sure of the
> year, but it sounds like it is probably a '61 through '63 "breadbox"
> model. The junkyard transmission would be overhauled before installation.)
> Will the automatic transmisssion from the L-head bolt up to the 232? If
> so, what other issues would there be with the kickdown linkage, etc.?
> 
> Presumably the steering column would have to be replaced also with one
> from an automatic-equipped car. I know the mid-1960s American has a lot
> of parts in common with the Classic/Ambassador series -- would a column
> from the big Ramblers fit in the American? (I assume that the transmission
> from one of these would be no good for the swap due to the torque-tube
> drive.)
> 
> Presumably adapting a Chrylser Torqueflite from a later model AMC
> such as a Hornet would be a major project.
> 
> --
>    Roger Blake
> 
>    rogblake@xxxxxxxxx
> 
> 
> 
> .


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