Colby83
Junior Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2024
- Posts
- 22
- Reaction score
- 42
- Location
- Bay Area, CA
- First Name
- Colby
- Truck Year
- 1983
- Truck Model
- C10
- Engine Size
- 6.2
Usually, when you click on a thread with a title this ridiculous, it ends in a few posts max and the last post is never the OP. I don't plan on this one turning into one of those. Anyway, for anyone who isn't familiar, I put a 3-speed (more accurately, two 3-speeds) behind my 6.2 diesel. The more I drove it, the more I got annoyed with the drop from 2nd to 3rd. With my current 3.08 gears, it practically stops accelerating as soon as I shift into 3rd. It slowly lugs its way back up into the power band, and only then does it start accelerating again. Traffic is slowing down, but isn't slow enough to downshift into 2nd? Too bad, your only option is to lug in 3rd until traffic speeds up again. Not fun. I decided enough was enough, so I pulled the 3-speed for good. I wanted 4 true speeds up to direct drive, so that instantly ruled out the SM465 and NV4500. A ZF6 from behind a Duramax or 8.1 could theoretically bolt up, but I don't care for that kind of complexity at all on something I own. I get my fill of modern complexity at work. I considered an NV3500 for a bit, but I concluded that it would be too weak for my eventual 6.5 swap. I also don't find myself wanting OD since I just cruise in the right lane on the highway. The old Muncie 4-speeds are stronger, but I wanted a lower 1st gear (even the wide ratio M20 only had a 2.52 1st gear). This left me with two options: the Ford Toploader and Mopar A833. Since I already have a scattershield that adapts from SBC/BBC to the Ford Toploader bolt pattern and bearing retainer bore (McLeod 8630), the choice was obvious (I originally bought that scattershield in anticipation that I'd eventually swap in a Ford 3.03 HD 3-speed, not because I had even the slightest feeling that a 6.2/6.5 would ever need a blowproof bellhousing 
).
So, I mocked up the scattershield and noticed my high torque starter was too big for the starter cone. The starter hole in the block plate was also too small. All it took was a bit of grinding to get it to fit. The bolt hole I grinded into was useless anyway since my starter would've been in the way. More to come once I get the right pilot bushing and clutch disk.
Cheers,
Colby
).So, I mocked up the scattershield and noticed my high torque starter was too big for the starter cone. The starter hole in the block plate was also too small. All it took was a bit of grinding to get it to fit. The bolt hole I grinded into was useless anyway since my starter would've been in the way. More to come once I get the right pilot bushing and clutch disk.
Cheers,
Colby
