Need help, -51 Cadi Hearse Gearbox

[Matti]

Hello my fellow members,

I need your help. I have problems with my -51 Cadillac hearse manual ( 3 speed) gearbox (If I´m right, LaSalle gearboxes are the same or extremely similar), specially in the gearboxes bearing. The other bearing in my gearbox is actually not so good that I`d hope it would be, so I need to find another one/ or replacement. The bearings ID is NDH 47508-7. The inner diameter is 35 mm , outer diameter 80 mm, and the weight/wide 18 mm. On the outer side the bearing has a some sort of a holding spring/plate and on the otherside a strange like "shield" if I might say. So, if someone of YOU just might happen to have one extra in your carage, that you dont need or are happy to sell, or you know a place where I can get one (I´m international), please contact me via this forum. I`m also more than happy to know if someone of you have, from the same gearbox, the 2nd gear plates, `cause my 2nd gear dosent look that healthy any more, so I`m interested to have one off those too.  All help is needed. Hopefully I`ll here from you soon in this matter.

-Matti-

[Jay Friedman]

Matti,

All Cadillac and LaSalle transmissions from 38 to 53 are similar.  From 1941 to 1953 they are identical with your 51 transmission, though 51 to 53 transmissions had different synchronizers and 2nd gears than earlier transmissions.  Could you post pictures of the bearing and "2nd gear plate" you would like to find.  It would make identification easier. 

Almost all bearings and other parts in your 51 transmission can be easily found.  A good source for bearings and all other transmission parts, including gears, is Northwest Transmissionsin in Ohio, phone: 1-937-442-2811.  Another good source for bearings is Olcar Bearings Company, Southern Pines, North Carolina, phone 1-910-693-3324. 

[Matti]

Jay,

I´m sorry, it was my fault, I meant "2nd gear plate" to be 2nd speed gear. Thank you for your message and for the local firms that sell auto parts, but the problem is, that I´m from Finland, Europe, so it`s hard for me to make some phone calls and make a deal with them. But thank you, I´ll try to call them and try to cut a deal with them. If you or someone knows a place in the internet, where I can buy these parts that I´m hoping to have or atleast get a somesort of a catalog or something, that could make things more handy for me, i wuold be more than happy.

And here are some pictures from the "bad" parts. There not that bad, but the biggest problem is that they have rust problems in them (small, but deeper than hell). The car itself has low mileage in it.  I cleaned them up for the pictures.
I`m afraid that these parts will brake in use, do to the deep rust holes in them.

2nd speed gear, one quarter of it, has rust problems, shown in the picture


Syncro, the brass parts are ok, but the inner metal isnt that good




Indeed, all help is needed...

-Matti-

[Steve Passmore]

Your pictures didn't load Matti, and please don't be afraid of these big bad Americans that you wont call them up 

I have dealt with Olcar bearings for over 30 years and parts are sent without any trouble back to me here in England.  George who runs it is a great guy.
I have a 41 gearbox in pieces out in my stores but as I remember from 10 years ago it too is rusty, I will double check the 2nd gear  tomorrow, would be a lot easier than getting it from the States if it was any good.
Sounds like you might have different synchronizers according to what Jay said though!

[Jeff Maltby 4194]

Tom in New York is an expert on these tranny's...email him at: thekingco1947@aol.com

[Jay Friedman]

The 2nd gear shown in the first photo and the countershaft gear (also called cluster gear) in the 3rd photo shouldn't be difficult to find.  But, as I said in my earlier posting, 51 to 53 transmissions have different 2nd gears than earlier transmissions. 

On the other hand, good synchros are somewhat difficult to find.  Another possibility is that Northwest Transmissions once told me that they can make new synchro rings (the 2 parts at each end with the grooves in them) for $200 for each ring or $400 total.   

I think the best first step is that you do as Jeff Maltby suggests and contact Tom King at: thekingco1947@aol.com to see if he has these parts.  If he doesn't have them, I might have a good countershaft gear.  I also might have a good 2nd gear, but it's quite possible it's a 1938 to 1950 second gear which is different from the second gear in a 51 transmission.  You can contact me separately at jaysfriedman@yahoo.com

[Matti]

Is it possible to confirm from the pictures that the transmission does have the newer 51-53 type second gear?
What is the actual difference in the gears and synchro, are they completely different so it's easy to tell them apart or is it some minor deviations in size or shape?

[Jay Friedman]

I cannot tell from your photo which second gear you have.  The difference is the angle of the surface where the second gear meets the synchronizer.  This angle in both the synchro and the second gear in a 51-53 transmission is different and it is not easy to see.  Send an email to Tom King at: thekingco1947@aol.com and ask his advice.