installing an overdrive

[Carla]

If you are thinking of putting a '38 bell-housing and gearbox in a '34 Plymouth, be warned, it can be done, but its a rather difficult job.

You would have to cut away most of the '34 cross-member, and adapt in a '38 cross-member, then make up some adaptation pieces for the clutch linkage.

It has been done, I've seen it done, but it was quite a job. (and in the one I saw, the owner got the car with the engine/gearbox assembly missing, and had a 'parts car' '37 or '38 available......i.e., he got the car cheaply, the other parts for free, and got a good deal on a '50's engine, so it was worth the many hours of working time to him)

As a practical matter, unless you have a well equipped shop, good fabrication skills, and are willing to invest quite a few hours of working time, its just not a practical project to attempt.

Have a good look at the 'floating power' mounts on the top of the '34 bell-housing, and the mounts on the bottom of the '38 bell-housing, and you'll see the 'why ' of having to make up a 'composite' cross-member with '34 sides and a '38 centre area.

cheers

Carla

[Lew]

some things to check:
drive shaft length, speedo cable connection and gearing, gear shift placement thru the floor, (frame dimensions and mountings).
Check out the 34-36 Ply,Maintenance Manual for diagrams. There appear to be differences for the years.

[ralph.dekker]

Yes I have a cut off shaft that I used to line up enstallations of a new clutch and it looks the same, I will have to make an adapteur for the hand brake which is on the opposite sind of the trans. and the shifter may not fit because the 34 id bolted to the frame, however I am checking these drawbacks befor removing my transmision. I am having o?l leaking from the rear bearing even with a new rubber oilseals , someone has told me to add a capful of brake fluide to the o?l it is supposed to make the rubber expand some and stop the leak, is this right? does enyone else know what I can do. The motor has only 5000 miles.
Ralph

[plym_46]

If the input shaft length is the same it should bolt right into place on the original bellhousing mounting.  I am not 100% sure about this as there was a change in engine design in 35 so I am fairly confident in saying 35 and 38 should b a straight bolt on deal, 34 not so sure as the bell housing was different.  the 35 and later engines had different castings to accommodate full length cooling jackets.  This changed the position of the starter so the later bell housing is not the same as the 34 but the trans mounting points may be??? 

[ralph.dekker]

I have just bought a 1938 dosoto transmission complete with flywheel clutch and housing , I would like someone to tell me if I can just romove my 1934 Plymouth transmission from it's housing (leaving the housing on my motor and installing the 38  transmission with overdrive in it's place) will the gear shaft into the clutch and pressure plate fit.
Ralph