early gt transmission

[vegame]

I have recently traded some monza parts to a guy for the powertrain from a early model vega gt (71 maybe) . It has the tiniest 4 speed I have ever seen, I don't think it is a saginaw does anyone know what I have?

[cjbiagi]

The early ones had the opel trans.

[hammerdown7]

If you are looking for a Saginaw, I have a rebuilt one that I bought at Carlisle GM Nationals a couple of years ago. I never put it in and have decided to stay with the Super T10. I'll be gone most of Sunday but will be back after 6:00 if your interested.

Dick

[vegame]

Thanks but I need more than just the trans. My car is an automatic and I was wanting to change it to a manual. I have the pedals,cable etc. from the gt but likely the driveshaft, shifter and possibly the bellhousing is different with the opel trans? I also noticed there is no brace from the diff to the trans which I believe the saginaw has?

[bugdewde]

I also noticed there is no brace from the diff to the trans which I believe the saginaw has?

That brace is the torque arm used on '76-later H-bodies ('75 Cosworths) that replaced the rear end upper control arms to prevent the rear axle from twisting up/down with acceleration/deceleration.
Early cars ('71-'75) used 2 upper and 2 lower rear control arms.


The later trans will fit, .... you don't have to use the torque arm if your car already has the 4 rear control arms.


I don't know if the Opel trans ('71-'72) uses a a different bell than the '73 (Saginaw).

[72 SS PNL]

from what i remember the belhousing is specific to the opel trans

[hammerdown7]

I think the pressure plate and clutch disc are different as well. Seems to me the clutch disc is 8" diameter, later models have 9" disc's. What year is your car and where are you located? I think I have an extra bell, maybe a flywheel. I also have a used Hurst Competition Plus shifter, the offset looks to be more to the left than a stock shifter.

Dick

[vegame]

I have an old input shaft lying around for lining up clutches. Tonight when I get home I'll see if the splines are the same on the smaller clutch. The clutch size doesn't bother me too much, as for now I will be using the stock 140 engine. My car is a 75 and I use it as a daily driver as much as I can (live in Miami Manitoba). I am trying to accumulate enough parts to end up with a 4 speed Ls powered car, so would need a special flywheel anyway. How different would your shifter's location be from stock? My car used to belong to a member who called himself Halfastre and I believe there are some pictures of it beside his wagon.

[hammerdown7]

It looks like 2 1/2 -3 inches off centerline.

Dick

[kgroombr]

For the Opel transmission, the flywheel and pressure plate are the same as those for later years. Opel clutch plate is 14 spline instead of 10 spline. Bell housing is different. Output shaft/yoke assembly part numbers are different (all have 27 splines, so not sure what the difference is). I have both so should look at them.

Every time I go to a pull-a-part yard for a fresh 71/72 Vega, if it was a four speed, the tranny is always gone. A lot of folks snatch these up thinking they are a regular GM four speed. Within a week or two, I see a local craigslist ad posting an Opel four speed for usually $200+ (I figure by this time after trying to sell it they realize it isn't a standard GM tranny). Anyway over the course of a few months the price goes down to where they are going to loose money. Makes me laugh every time.

Ken

[72 SS PNL]

For the Opel transmission, the flywheel and pressure plate are the same as those for later years. Opel clutch plate is 14 spline instead of 10 spline. Bell housing is different. Output shaft/yoke assembly part numbers are different (all have 27 splines, so not sure what the difference is). I have both so should look at them.

Every time I go to a pull-a-part yard for a fresh 71/72 Vega, if it was a four speed, the tranny is always gone. A lot of folks snatch these up thinking they are a regular GM four speed. Within a week or two, I see a local craigslist ad posting an Opel four speed for usually $200+ (I figure by this time after trying to sell it they realize it isn't a standard GM tranny). Anyway over the course of a few months the price goes down to where they are going to loose money. Makes me laugh every time.

Ken

thats funny , since any ill call full size man trans , looks ALOT different than the opel 3/4spds , so they must not know anything about transmissions ,

[hammerdown7]

Here's a stock shifter for you, http://www.ebay.com/itm/1970S-CHEVY-VEG ... 485393d29f

Dick

[vegame]

Thank you for all the help! I've found two dead monza's one 2.5 auto and a 2.5 4speed in a wreckers yard 2 hours from here and am going to haul them both home this weekend. I hope it is the saginaw
with all the parts I need!