Transmission for a straight eight

Hi..Newbie here. Pardon me if this has been covered somewhere...I couldn't find anything, so, maybe someone can point me, or, has an idea.

I am using a 248 to power a sort of vintage English "hotrod" on a 1934 Alvis frame. Looks like a good fit. However, I want a floor shift, and perferably one with a granny gear because this thing looks more like civil engineering than automotive engineering..and it has a 2.72 rear end and big 20 inch wire wheels. Mine came with a 3 speed column shift...I guess I could figure out some rube goldberg arrangement, but, using a SM420 or SM464 out of a GM or Chevy truck like the jeep guys use seems like it would be the most "era appropriate", and effective...I have seen the T-5 adaptors which I would like to avoid because of expense and really, inapproriatness.

Someone else said that a 37-38 Buick top shifting tranny would fit my bell housing..not ideal as a three speed, but, could be the ticket...the top two bo;ts are about 8 and a quarter " center to center, and LITTLE OVER 4" BELOW ARE TWO MORE BOLT HOLES 7" APART...the tranny I have has a 6 and ahlaf inch stick out and a 19/32 pilot and 10 spline shaft...any suggestions or ideas out there or can anyone remember a thread?
Bill

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Originally Posted by PolarRoller

Hi..Newbie here. Pardon me if this has been covered somewhere...I couldn't find anything, so, maybe someone can point me, or, has an idea.

I am using a 248 to power a sort of vintage English "hotrod" on a 1934 Alvis frame. Looks like a good fit. However, I want a floor shift, and perferably one with a granny gear because this thing looks more like civil engineering than automotive engineering..and it has a 2.72 rear end and big 20 inch wire wheels. Mine came with a 3 speed column shift...I guess I could figure out some rube goldberg arrangement, but, using a SM420 or SM464 out of a GM or Chevy truck like the jeep guys use seems like it would be the most "era appropriate", and effective...I have seen the T-5 adaptors which I would like to avoid because of expense and really, inapproriatness.

Someone else said that a 37-38 Buick top shifting tranny would fit my bell housing..not ideal as a three speed, but, could be the ticket...the top two bo;ts are about 8 and a quarter " center to center, and LITTLE OVER 4" BELOW ARE TWO MORE BOLT HOLES 7" APART...the tranny I have has a 6 and ahlaf inch stick out and a 19/32 pilot and 10 spline shaft...any suggestions or ideas out there or can anyone remember a thread?
Bill

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The 37/38 floor shift trans will work fine if you find a good one, but its for a Buick torq tube rear end. A same year Pontiac or Oldsmobile trans is the same and will bolt onto your Buick, they are the same basic trans, and are open drive. A 2.72 rear end ratio is pretty tall gears for your engine. You can adapt most GM 4 speeds to your bell housing, check out 'jyrkis buick site.

http://www.roadmachine.fi/Buick/august2001.html