My earliest experience with ‘somebody‘ needing a transmission for sale, was actually the time I broke the transmission in my dads 1966 Dodge wagon. ‘Just moving it up‘ in the driveway! I did not even have a drivers license back then. That car had an automatic transmission in it, but I had terrific skills at breaking manual transmissions back then too. It is probably why I really got into racing automatics at that point in my life, they were very new and cool, and were less prone to breakage.
As it turned out I was a transmission and clutch breaking machine. I broke the transmission in my Shelby Mustang several times and had to pay for that broken transmission too. The car that I needed to find a source of transmissions for sale on a regular basis was my 1966 Corvette. In retrospect, I should have kept a junk yard on retainer!
The transmission hungry car had a Big Block Chevy engine in it, the L-72, 425 horsepower model to be exact. It had the “Muncie” (made in the Muncie, Indiana Chevy Plant) rock crusher M-22 transmission and posi-traction rear. BYW, the ‘Vette was a bad ass car, it was the first American car to have 4 wheel disc brakes and an independent rear suspension (of production cars).
The L-72 model and had an aluminum intake manifold and giant carburetor. The crankshaft, pistons and rods were forged steel instead of nodular iron. It came with an aggressive camshaft design and solid lifters. The heads were cast iron, but had the same port design as the aluminum L-88 heads. With 11 to 1 compression, it was a serous performance engine, not for the light hearted.
These motors were transmission breaking, tire burning propulsion devises that started the generation of cars with lots of power. Like the Dodge Magnum with a 440 cubic inch engine, or the GTO with 389 cubic inch engine, three deuces and a 4 speed transmission or the Boss Mustangs. Even the Camaro and Firebird were not exempt from the giant ‘motors’, as we called them back then. It was a fun time for young car lovers to grow up. It was also one of the reasons I became a mechanic. Plus I had to support my habit!
My friends and I were putting ourselves in spots where we needed to find a used manual transmission for sale fast constantly. I had plenty of clutch problems too. Eventually I settled on the L-88 Chevy clutch.
I drove the heck out of that car too. I broke a lot of Muncie M-22 transmissions. I don’t think it was luck that I never needed a rebuilt or replacement engine though. It was simply more power than a manual transmission could handle when driven the way I did on a regular basis.
Every one should have a ride in one of the real, original muscle cars. If you think you have a fast car now, you ain’t seen nothing yet! It is remarkable to think about how computerized and luxurious it is to go fast now. Porsche makes the highest rated and most trouble free cars every year, and it is worthy of that title, for that matter it will outperform my old Vette. The difference is the raw unadulterated power and lack of any luxury devices, just pure, raw exposure to going fast. The ultimate feeling for a car enthusiast.
Back then if you needed a replacement transmission, you had to call about 50 junk yards, locate the transmission and actually go to the junk yard with your own tools and remove your own parts, a transmission in this case. No guarantees, other than it works. For a small faction of people, like me it was fun going to the junk yard, but most people don’t like to. Now, we can call a reputable supply company who has GotTransmissions for sale, and order a guaranteed pre-tested used transmission, or a long term guaranteed rebuilt transmission over the Internet or phone at a great price and have it delivered to your door or your favorite repair shop in no time at all. Good luck.
