56 powerglide
 

Wondering if a later aluminum powerglide will bolt up to replace original powerglide behind a six on a 56 Belair.

It will bolt up the the rear of the engine with no problem, however I think the 56 Powerglide uses front mounts whereas the newer Powerglide uses a rear tailshaft mount. If you want to use a later poweglide you will have to install a rear crossmember.

Vince

The problem with putting in a trans crossmember for the aluminum glide is that you have too much distance between mounting points- front of engine+rear of trans- breaking of the aluminum belhousing is common.

Bob is absolutely correct, I forgot to mention that you would also have to go with side mounts on the engine, which you obviously do not have on the six cylinder.

Vince

I did not see this mentioned , but I am fairly sure the aluminum glide will not bolt up to the 1956 235 six cylinder engine with out the use of an adapter kit.

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Tony

Cros is correct, you need an adaptor. I got mine form Stove Bolt Engine Co. for my 200R4 but aluminum 'Glides need 'em too.

http://www.stoveboltengineco.com/index1.htm

Thanks for all the feedback. Another related question is whether the guts from the aluminum Powerglide are direct replacements for the iron one. The original trans has no reverse(don't know why) but an aluminum Powerglide is being offered with the car that I am looking at.

Ooops, I forgot the 56 rear flange is not the same as a smalblock, sorry for the disinformation.

Vince

Actually I knew the tranny would not fit a 1956 235cid engine, but I have learned to never say "never" in the cyber world.

I built a hopped up 1955 235 cid chevy 6 about 8 years ago.

installed the chev 6 in a 1950 chev truck, Camaro saginaw 4 speed, 3.73 rear gears. It ran like that ape that is getting raped!

I still miss that truck


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Tony

I think the guts are different. The iron PG had a rear pump, while the aluminum one does not.

the internals are different......Some Look the same but different enough to cause some troubles. We fixed a Iron glide last year that had aluminum glide drum in it. This iron glide had this goofy ratcheting noise when put into park while sitin still. We thought was the park pawl. It was the drum spacing & end play problem

Yes , the early aluminum power glides had rear pumps. If the rear pump sheared the drive pin it would not up shift as I recall.

The rear pump was eliminated after 1967. I had a 67 Camaro that would not upshift after an over haul. The tranny builder had not installed the drive key for the pump gear in the rear pump. I ain't naming names here.... :)

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Tony

Yep. Happened on my Wife's '56 Bel Air hard top. All of a sudden wouldn't shift our of first. Upon inspection we found a split rar pump ring gear. Easy to replace and back on the road!

I know next to nothing about powerglides. Any ideas on what the cause of no reverse could be?

iron power slide
 

no revers most likly revers band anckor broken remove and dismantle trans. be sure to remove controle valv spool before spliting converter housing from main housing.