Hello List,
I used a Gear Vendors unit on my project a time back and with great success (in my opinion).
I have a 1956 Limo with a 2 speed cast iron unit. There was no way to adapt the Gear Vendors unit to it, so I had to use a 1965 small block aluminum torqueflite (the only year) cable shift unit as I wanted to retain the pushbuttons (which I modified using a later 1963 mechinsium, so as to have a park lever) then adapted this to the original 354 hemi via a trans adapter. I removed the tail shaft and replaced it with the Gear Vendors unit, shortened the drive shaft. I did need to modify the floor tunnel at the hump near the rear seat. The hard part was modifying the rear seat cushion to fit the new shape.
The end result, the car drives exactly the same in first gear, after that shift it is a totally better, smoother easier driver. The result was effectively a six speed full automatic, and I'm sure it increased the top speed. But, it was very expensive as I remember in excess of $5,000.
My next venture I will use a 518 with out a lock up converter from a 90's Dodge truck instead of the Gear Vendor unit (as this is for a 1955 Imperial and I don't have pushbuttons, but I do want to retain the dash shift lever. It will only give me a 4 speed. But, things will be easier to fit (I think) and give nearly the same result and with much less cost.
Hope this Information is a help to someone.
George ...'with the 55 & 56 Limos'
-----Original Message-----
From: Kenyon Wills <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx>
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 19:31:59 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: IML: 'overdrive' details
I don't have one but the reading is very detailed on
the gearvendors website. The main place that I see a
benefit is in gas mileage and top-end speed (if that's
of value to the prospective purchaser).
You asked a good question: do we have any members with
one on their car? What do you think now that you're
there?
-K
--- dansgarage@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Hi All...just curious about the 'details' side of
> adding a 'overdrive' unit to my IMperial (1966),
> what's the approx. total cost, I assume it also
> needs a shortened drive-shaft, and from those
> IML'res that have installed and are using one, what
> type of gas-mileage difference as well as any
> difference in acceleration have you noticed (if
> any!) ?????
> thanks all!
> Dan Melnik
>
> ---- Kenyon Wills <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
> =============
>
> > 2. Overdrive
> > Is anyone using an overdrive unit? If so, what is
> > the reliability of it?
> > The Gear Vendors gearbox sounds almost too good to
> > be true. Can it handle a
> > 3 ton car under(brisk) acceleration? Does it hang
> > down too far?
> >
>
>
> It's less about the weight of the car than it is the
> stress placed on the driveline. I didn't go revisit
> their website, but I recall them saying that they
> were
> rated to 1200 horsepower or some such stratospheric
> number. If they can handle a hotted-up camaro doing
> launches, your dinosaur should not prove a problem.
> They are trying to make this thing work on as wide a
> spectrum as possible.
>
> Richard Palme has one in a car that he showed me.
> Works great, and turns your 3-speed into a 6-speed
> with an under-dash auto/manual shift option.
>
> Expect to use a mallet or sledge to pound the
> transmission tunnel out. Therefore, you'll want to
> be
> installing it someplace other than a gravel lot, and
> perhaps where you have access to a car lift? Doing
> that on jackstands could be precarious. Get a can
> od
> spray undercoating to seal things up after the
> pounding is done but before final fitment would be
> a
> good idea.
>
> I plan to put one into a 72/73 coupe behind a HP
> motor
> if/when I find one (please keep your eyes open for
> one, folks). Gear Vendors seems to be THE option
> and
> they are Torque-Flight friendly.
>
> Kenyon Wills
>
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