Short manual transmissions...?

[Hans Blom]

I'm helping a buddy with a bellytank build and there are driveline length issues due to a GMC 6 and 4spd mounted behind the driver. What's the shortest(lengthwise) trans out there with at least 4 gears....or has anyone shortened the output shaft of a T101? I know a shorter output shaft will increase the stress on the output bearing/bushing, but that could be watched. I guess some of the more high end road race trannies are quite short, but quite pricey as well..
Thanks, Hans

[Rex Schimmer]

It is possible to remove the tail shaft housing, shorten and respline the tail shaft and make a cover for the rear bearing. I have seen this done with a NASCAR Super T10 on a very successful lakester. He then connected the tranny to the rear end using a CV joint. Works great!

Rex

[Tman]

We were going to use a shorty 3spd that Mark/Sovebolt from Austraila has. He did just what Rex described. But I am just going with a full length tranny for now......hmmm that sounded bad.

There are several threads mentioning Transaxles here, maguromic has one for their REMR project.

Good luck, I burned some braincells on this question myself.

[John Burk]

Jerico has shorty 4 & 5 speeds and Gforce has shorty 5 speeds . The Borg Warner 3 speed that was optional with 60s Chevy trucks with 2 piece driceshafts had shorty rear covers that bolt on a BW 4 speed case . Don't know if the 4 speed gears fit the 3 speed shaft .

[JamesJ]

Sent you a PM Hans

[Dr Goggles]

As Rex said, 




The reverse gear is on a sliding spline, this box had the flange at the front of the extension housing and the oil seal housing cut off the welded to the 20mm plate you can see that was water cut ....the slider spline is the same as the output spline, this was just cut off at the appropriate length...

[Tman]

What box is that Goggs, pictures look dark here at work?

[Dr Goggles]

Muncie M20, a local version we call the "Aussie 4 speed"

I think the Kelly and Hall has one too, Way-know?

[Stan Back]

The thing I remember most about the Kelly & Hall lakester was that Jack used a regular 4-speed (Hurst?) shifter with solid cables, not one of those 2-handled things that others have devised because of I-can't-understand reasons (no offense, really).  Told me it was precise and reliable.

[Tman]

The thing I remember most about the Kelly & Hall lakester was that Jack used a regular 4-speed (Hurst?) shifter with solid cables, not one of those 2-handled things that others have devised because of I-can't-understand reasons (no offense, really).  Told me it was precise and reliable.

I have the parts to do that, pics are on Sumners site!

[krusty]

     Hans - the RMR uses a Jerico 4 speed with a shortened shaft and an aluminum rear plate which eliminates the tailshaft. I wanted the shortest distance between the trans and the quickchange so I could keep the driver as far rearward as possible. I went with the Jerico as I wanted changeable ratios + Jerico had the rear plate and shaft on the shelf (Plus Jerry's is local). You could do the same with a T101 (probably have to have the shaft made). A Mark Williams coupler (Greek coupler) completes the driveline.      vic

[Dr Goggles]

The thing I remember most about the Kelly & Hall lakester was that Jack used a regular 4-speed (Hurst?) shifter with solid cables, not one of those 2-handled things that others have devised because of I-can't-understand reasons (no offense, really).  Told me it was precise and reliable.

We had an H pattern Morse cable shift on ours but the swing was pretty wide and what with limited space in the cab it amounted to a difficult proposition getting through the gears without giving yourself a fat lip and a black eye. We went to two sticks because they are very narrow. The debate continues and I'm with the Colonel that we could use a Hurst or a Speco even, thing is every union opens up slop in the system and getting past the motor and back into the box( no, there's no room underneath, or above where things normally go) makes for a challenging approach to the shift......

[Elmo Rodge]

I think it's an M-20 in Jack's Tank. In all the pictures I have the Battery box is in the way. I'll ask Paul (Jack's Son). I never missed a shift with it.  I felt solid and precise to me. Me? I'm running a C-4 with a shortened tailshaft. Wayno

[RichFox]

You want short? What about Audi? Don't know what final drive ratios are available. But I bet there are some real Autobahn cruising gears in there.

[Tman]

You want short? What about Audi? Don't know what final drive ratios are available. But I bet there are some real Autobahn cruising gears in there.

Steve aka ElPolacko on the HAMB and I had a LONG talk about this tranny!