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Who should work on transmission?

1K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  RCL23 
#1 ·
I want to add a stall converter and change my rear end from 3.0 to 3.5 motive gears. Should I have my local “restoration” shop do this work or a transmission shop? Does the average transmission shop know how to work on vintage cars? I am in north NJ. Any thoughts are appreciated.
 
#5 ·
We all started out that way. Sometimes the best way to get better at this hobby is to push yourself out of your comfort zone.

Stall converter swap is pretty straightforward, but does have a pitfall with full engagement of the converter into the pump before reinstallation. I could trust a local tranny shop to do that work, regardless of the vintage of the vehicle. IMO, if you're going to pay to have the converter swapped, I'd just spend the extra money to have it completely rebuilt, unless you have proof positive that it's fresh.

Rear gears take some specialized tools and skills. A performance shop might be a better place, unless the tranny shop is confident in that type of work.
 
#7 ·
I would prefer specialists myself.
Say you take it Joe's restoration shop. Joe take sit in even though he doesn't really do transmissions or rear ends specifically. So he ships it over the Bob's transmissions and Bob gives him a good price on the work but he doesn't really do rear ends either. So Joe ships it over to Fred's rear end shop and gets a fair discount. All done, it comes back to Joe's and he calls you to come get it. Joe marks up the repair work prices that he didn't do to whatever he feels like, you pay and leave. But the transmission isn't behaving quite right so you take it back. OK. At this point he will either take it in and say he'll call you or admit that the actual work was done over at Bob's and you need to take it over there. So either you run over to Bob's or leave it at Joe's and it takes however long it takes for the car to be shuttled back and forth. Get that sorted out and guess what, now the rear end is making a noise. Repeat all that.

So two ways to go. Take it to shops can and will do the individual jobs or use Joe anyway. If Joe says up front that they do this work all the but not that so he has a shop he trusts for the other if you would like for him to handle dealing with the other shop. You might pay a bit more that way but if Joe's a really standup guy it might be worth that little extra so you don't have to run all over town.

I personally can't abide paying people to work on my cars. I had some help one afternoon with some structural welding I felt too important for my skills and equipment and a machine shop bored the engine block and turned a crank for me. In all the years (a lot) I've plumbed the depths of every part of my '67 that's the only part others have done. Everyone has their own scale though. I know guys that love body work but will just buy an engine rather than fool with it. Others only do mechanical and leave the body to a shop. Some folks do everything except paint. Etc, etc. OK, and sure, some folks have no interest in any of that stuff. Whatever works.
But you might be surprised how much you can do yourself with a minimal investment in tools. You've got to be prepared to invest TIME though. And have the guts to swallow your mistakes. Mistakes are part of the learning process in doing any darn thing. But I personally love the satisfaction of DIY and recommend others at least try. Removing a transmission yourself requires a certain amount of equipment, how much depends on how healthy you are, and not so many tools as you might think. Very modest mechanical ability required. Plus when someone asks what you did last weekend you can say: "Oh just yanked the transmission out of my Mustang."
 
#9 ·
RCL23, go to the VMF chapter listing, find your area, and ask your question. I rebuilt my own rear end, was going to rebuild my C4 also, but due to time, space, etc. etc......I farmed it out. I asked the question in the VMF chapter section for my area, NC and got a few reponces. I was told about a shop about 120 miles away that I would take a C4 transmission to all day long. I would highly highly highly recommended anybody in NC to use this shop. Stay away from AMACO and shops like that........find an independant shop with a hot rodder owner, who will most likley know classic stuff like C4 transmissions, they will hook you up correctly.
 
#10 ·
BadShoe Productions makes transmission and differential videos. I bought the differential video which I found very helpful. Give it a try, if you find you can't do it you haven't lost to much. If it don't work out then I'd deal straight with someone who specializes in what you need.
 
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