Transmission quistion

[BabyBlue64]

Hello everyone,

I can buy an 230 CI engine out of a '64 impala. It will only be sold with the automatic transmission. Can anybody tell me from the pictures what kind of type this transmission is? Can it be used in a '64 truck to get a more cruising speed with the standard 3.73 rearend?

[Enduro55]

Looks like power glide

[The Rocknrod]

It's a power-glide, I just don't know why those holes are drilled into the bell-housing.

[Enduro55]

I think big holes r 4 air cooling is there oil line fittings on tran ?

[jayoldschool]

It's a glide. It will not provide more cruising speed, the top gear is the exact same 1:1 ratio.

[chevy_mike]

Yep, that's an early Powerglide, air cooled. Those are not really worth anything and outside of someone doing a correct restore vehicle, almost no one uses them. The later PG's (trans fluid cooled) ones are very popular with drag racers.

[65chevysub]

Originally Posted by chevy_mike

Yep, that's an early Powerglide, air cooled. Those are not really worth anything and outside of someone doing a correct restore vehicle, almost no one uses them. The later PG's (trans fluid cooled) ones are very popular with drag racers.

That's where my old P/G went: into a race care when I had a TH350 put in 19 years ago..

[padresag]

Powerglides!!!! Cheap, easy to build, and sell, and a thousand aftermarket parts for them. Cast iron Powerglides stopped in 62 with the 235 six and 283 V-8 still using the cast iron units. The 327 V-8 and the Nova/Chevy II 4 and 6 cylinders all got the aluminum Powerglides in 62 and all cars/trucks 63 on. Forget about ever using a cast iron Powerglide, unless it's for a restoration. The aluminum Powerglide is lighter AND stronger. So, let's only talk about the aluminum Powerglide. Basically, 2 lenths; X-frame cars used the 25" long unit, the rest got 28" units. Course output shafts until 65, then they went to fine spline outputs. They had a rear pump through 66, in 67 the rear pump was dropped. 4, 6, and 283 V-8 engines got the 1.82 first gear planetary, 327, 409, 396, then the 307 and 350 engines got the 1.76 first gear planetary. The direct clutch frictions, as well as the reverse frictions, varied in number from 2 to 6. The valve body was slightly different in rear pump models, as there are two spring loaded check valves. Also the 4 and 6 cylinder Nova/Chevy II models for the most part were air cooled, they had a finned converter and a turbine assembly for the inspection/converter cover, but, they also could be water cooled, meaning they used a cooler in the radiator. AND, the Vega also got Powerglides, those are the factory converters to look for, they stall higher. There were even a FEW BOP patterned bellhousing Powerglides, not the Super Turbine 300 that is frequently called a "Powerglide", because it is a 2 speed trans also. All aluminum Chevrolet Powerglides will fit the 153 4 cylinder, 194, 215, 230, 250, 292 style 6 cylinders, all V-8's, and many of the V-6 late model engines. The air cooled models also have 4 cooling holes or rectangular windows in the bellhousing to help with cooling the converter, so they're easy to I.D
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[Captainfab]

I wouldn't waste my time with a Powerglide outside of racing. If you want to lower your RPM's at highway speeds you will either need an overdrive transmission such as a 700R4 or change to a higher rear end gear such as 3.07:1

[andyh1956]

Cool info on the Vega powerglide! I drove a bunch of Vegas but never had one with an automatic.
Those rear pump powerglides allow you to push off a vehicle. It will start to turn the engine at about 25 MPH.

[BabyBlue64]

Thanks everyone. This powerglide is useless for me and even not interesting to sell it again if I buy this engine.

[65 GMC]

Yep it's a air cooled powerglide. I have one in my numbers matching 64 Chevelle 4dr. All original except for the interior, I had it redone summer before last.

[rvrfoot]

I am rebuilding a 1961 impala with a powerglide. I will replace it with a 350.