What's the difference?

[Restobaker]

OK so tomorrow I'm going to see a gentleman about buying a motor from one of his parts cars. My question is what are the differences between a 3 speed o/d motor and a automatic transmission motor


I'm being offered a motor from a automatic car. My car is a 3 speed with o/d will my flexplate, bell housing and everything swap over ?

I don't want to waste money and time getting something that's not going to work .

[BobPalma]

You didn't specify what years or engines are involved, but if they are both the same number of cylinders, you'll need to dial-indicate the bell housing you receive to your engine block. You will also need the longer flywheel-to-crankshaft bolts that are already in your manual transmission car. BP

[Restobaker]

my car is a 1961 lark 259 3 speed o/d


the donor car in question is a 1962-1963 lark 259 automatic transmission

[StudeRich]

That will work just fine, as Bob said the Engines themselves are not different from Auto. to Manual Trans., just the details.
You do need to do the items mentioned in post #2.

If the New Engine is a late '62 or '63 it will have a Full Flow Oil Filter on the right rear, bottom of block which probably will require a Different Right Head/Exhaust Pipe to clear it.

I would buy New Rubber Engine Mounts front and rear for Standard Transmissions to use on the install.

[Restobaker]

Thank you so much for clarifying so I'm going to buy the motor and maybe bring home another car too.

I'm going to look at a Daytona too !!!



http://danville.craigslist.org/pts/5330237510.html

[gordr]

To expand upon this: manual tranny cars have a flywheel, and auto tranny cars have a flex plate. Both are attached to the crankshaft flange with six special bolts inserted into holes in the flange from the front. The flex plate, and its companion reinforcing plate are much thinner in total than the mounting portion of the flywheel, so shorter bolts are used in the automatic car engines. You must remove the oil pan and rear main bearing cap to change the bolts. You may also have press a new pilot bushing into the bore in the crankshaft. If both engines are out of the car, this isn't a really hard job, and it gives you an opportunity to install a new rear main seal and new pan gaskets. An alternative is to have the holes in the rear face of the flywheel spot-faced by a machine shop to create recesses that will allow the nuts to thread fully onto the shorter bolts. I think the consensus here is that it will work without unduly weakening the assembly. Since you will have the long bolts available to you from the original engine, I think the bolt swap makes more sense, though.

[Restobaker]

I'm probably going to just buy another lark to borrow the drive train from and pass the body on to some one who could use the parts... so ill have a automatic transmission if I wanted to switch it out later

[55 56 PREZ 4D]

Studebakers multiply.

[Restobaker]

Good news !!! I'm getting an motor a automatic transmission and a steering column for said automatic transmission . So the work begins again !!!

If all goes well the car should at least run by the 1st of the year.

[dean pearson]

Poor wagonaire, what a shame.
Make sure that engine spins!

Dean.

[Restobaker]

ok so quick question ...

is the automatic transmission from a 1962 lark better then a 1961 lark 3 speed o/d what's going to be more reliable?

my car is already equipped with the 3 speed o/d

[StudeRich]

The '62 Lark Flight-O-Matic Trans. is a good dependable cast iron case Borg Warner with a Low Gear Start, the last year the Sixes used it.

There is also nothing wrong with a good condition Borg Warner T-96 Overdrive. That particular type was used 1958 to 1964 and with a Case Bolt pattern change to 1966.

The thing is, will you put enough miles on it (and Highway/Interstate miles) to save enough engine wear, Gas and Oil by choosing the Overdrive?

Do you enjoy the "Fun factor" of the Manual Trans. and 5 Speeds, or do you do a lot of stop and go driving where you tire of the clutching and shifting?

If you have never driven the Cars with these Units running, it would be hard to guesstimate the condition of an Automatic, maybe easier to tell by looking at the Gears in the Standard Trans. and Hand shifting it through the gears.

Also I would never put a Standard Trans. setup together without replacing the Pressure Plate, Clutch Disc. and Throughout Bearing.
I don't know, maybe you enjoy crawling under there and pulling Transmissions and Clutch housings more than me!

[Restobaker]

I know my car has a good trans and the o/d is nice to have I think ill just keep the car 3 speed

[sals54]

I'm probably going to just buy another lark to borrow the drive train from and pass the body on to some one who could use the parts... so ill have a automatic transmission if I wanted to switch it out later

You never acknowledged whether you understood the need to deal with the shorter crankshaft bolts on the Automatic equipped engine. The flywheel bolts on your engine are longer than those on the engine with the automatic, and won't fit your flywheel.If you're going to use the engine that used to have the automatic trans, you will have to either change out the flywheel crank bolts or have your 3 speed flywheel machined to accept the shorter bolts.
To do the changeout, you have to remove the oil pan, pull the oil pump, remove the rear main cap on the crankshaft, then change out the bolts from the shorter ones to the longer ones. Its not difficult to do since you'll have the engine out already anyway. I just got done with it on my 56 Wagon. I highly recommend it as the easier of the two methods. Its also a really good idea to replace the rear seal and re-gasket the oil pan anyway. Permatex is your friend when replacing the pan. especially in the corners by the crank.
Good luck. It'll be worth it.

[Restobaker]

You never acknowledged whether you understood the need to deal with the shorter crankshaft bolts on the Automatic equipped engine. The flywheel bolts on your engine are longer than those on the engine with the automatic, and won't fit your flywheel.If you're going to use the engine that used to have the automatic trans, you will have to either change out the flywheel crank bolts or have your 3 speed flywheel machined to accept the shorter bolts.
To do the changeout, you have to remove the oil pan, pull the oil pump, remove the rear main cap on the crankshaft, then change out the bolts from the shorter ones to the longer ones. Its not difficult to do since you'll have the engine out already anyway. I just got done with it on my 56 Wagon. I highly recommend it as the easier of the two methods. Its also a really good idea to replace the rear seal and re-gasket the oil pan anyway. Permatex is your friend when replacing the pan. especially in the corners by the crank.
Good luck. It'll be worth it.

my plan is to use my current transmission so ill be removing the old longer bolts from my old block. Swapping the bolts is not a deal breaker for me . and I planned to change the gaskets as well. The motor is out so I'm going to give it a good once over and replace the vitals before putting it on back in the car.

the clutch will be replaced as well as anything else that's and vital part.