adapt 53 3 speed to 55 block?

ski4life65

I know there are kits to mount modern transmissions and even hydramatitics to 55-56 308 blocks, but Is there an available kit to mount an overdrive trans to a 55? Will the adapter that Randy Maas sells do the trick (I sent him a message too), or am I SOL....



Don

bob ward

Back in the day, when people were fitting crate 55/56 engines into their 3 speed stepdowns, you could buy a special flywheel with a dished centre which compensated for the 55/56's 1/2" shorter crankshaft. The special flywheels also had the 55/56 bolt pattern which is different to the stepdown bolt pattern.



So if you can find one of those flywheels the swap is dead easy, if you can't find one a competent machine shop can make one for you.



Your other options are to fit a stepdown crank into your 55/56 block or use an adapter.

[Deleted User]

Wet Clutch flywheel for a 55-56 engine. Also you can use a flywheel spacer which has the required thickness to mount the earlier flywheels to the 55-56 crank... will have to get pictures tomorrow of a spacer.

ski4life65

So let me get this straight.......I can use a wet clutch flywheel made for a 55 (impossible to find I'm sure), or use a spacer with the flywheel from my earlier OD trans? Will the spacer that Randy Maas sells work, because he said it will only work with a hydramatic, or is this a different spacer? If so, where can I find one? I guess I could put the Hydra on the car (which I would need to find), but the Hollywood was a stick car, and I already have a few OD trans sitting around.

ArkieJazz

I have one more of the wet clutch flywheels for the '55-'56 blocks. Last one I have. $350 plus freight.