Drivetrain options

[63 F85 Cutlass]

Hey Guys
Im looking for ideas for drivetrain options. The car is a 1963 F85 Cutlass. It has the 215 cid aluminum V8,and 3 speed hydramatic transmission. The rear end is either a 3.07-1 or 3.36-1.

One thing I'm looking for is a new tranny. I had in mind an overdrive automatic such as a 200R4 or a 700R4. I've found a supplier for transmission adapters to the 215's, so just about anything will fit.

I would also like to swap out the rear end gears to something with a little more pep to them, but I don't really have a great Idea on what type of rear end unit it came with, so if you happen to know, that would be greatly appretiated.

I may be building a 215 stroked out to a 265 for it. The rough estimated output of 200-220 horse and 220-240ft/lbs torque if I dont stroke it, and about 285 hp and 310 ft/lbs tourque when stroked and using the piston and rod combo I have in mind. These numbers are just rough calculations, but I figured id put them up to give you guys an Idea of what the setup was going to be using.

If you guys have any suggestions about the drivetrain or anything else you think would be cool with the car let me know. I'm sure some of you guys could think up some real boss ideas for her.

Thanks
-Ryan

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by 63 F85 Cutlass

Hey Guys
Im looking for ideas for drivetrain options. The car is a 1963 F85 Cutlass. It has the 215 cid aluminum V8,and 3 speed hydramatic transmission. The rear end is either a 3.07-1 or 3.36-1.

One thing I'm looking for is a new tranny. I had in mind an overdrive automatic such as a 200R4 or a 700R4. I've found a supplier for transmission adapters to the 215's, so just about anything will fit.

I would also like to swap out the rear end gears to something with a little more pep to them, but I don't really have a great Idea on what type of rear end unit it came with, so if you happen to know, that would be greatly appretiated.

I may be building a 215 stroked out to a 265 for it. The rough estimated output of 200-220 horse and 220-240ft/lbs torque if I dont stroke it, and about 285 hp and 310 ft/lbs tourque when stroked and using the piston and rod combo I have in mind. These numbers are just rough calculations, but I figured id put them up to give you guys an Idea of what the setup was going to be using.

If you guys have any suggestions about the drivetrain or anything else you think would be cool with the car let me know. I'm sure some of you guys could think up some real boss ideas for her.

Thanks
-Ryan

Save yourself the cost and headaches of trying to increase the stroke of that motor and just get a 3.9 liter or 4.6 liter version out of a Rover. It's the same basic motor. Comes with a really cool EFI setup also, as well as an OD trans.

[J-(Chicago)]

We ripped one of those out, and replaced it with my 72 buick 350. Definitely not a direct bolt in, but it will work if you have the time and patience to make it. It's a 61 buick special my buddy Dan traded his Tahoe for. It wasn't fast enough for him, so I gave him a big red spray painted upgrade. 20 bucks says he'll blow that rear end doing burnout videos for the Ebay sale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vwXEW0EKr8

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-...1%7C240%3A1318

[63 F85 Cutlass]

How simple was the motor swap? Ifit doesn't take too
much hasel i'll just find a rocket 350 to build up for it.

[old.n.bold]

hi,i too have a '63 cutlass with the orig.215 & orig.roto-hydramatic(non-working,of course)that i purchased 2mos. ago on ebay from N.Car. i was
guaranteed b4 i bought it that it shifted well,correctly.well it runs,but
only in low or 1st,but will not shift at all,not even manually.it does move
in all gears forward & in reserve,but just will not shift.i tried adj.the link-
age from carb to tranny,because i thought maybe it was way off & had
to be revved up to shift.so far no good.well,now im ordering a filter &
pan gasket & drop pan,try to do some cleaning&adj.,new fluid&see if any
change.if anybody has any helpful input or knows that im wasting time &
money&what i should try,please let me know A.S.A..P. thanx,Don
330 652 7336 old.n.bold@hotmail.com

[d2_willys]

Originally Posted by old.n.bold

hi,i too have a '63 cutlass with the orig.215 & orig.roto-hydramatic(non-working,of course)that i purchased 2mos. ago on ebay from N.Car. i was
guaranteed b4 i bought it that it shifted well,correctly.well it runs,but
only in low or 1st,but will not shift at all,not even manually.it does move
in all gears forward & in reserve,but just will not shift.i tried adj.the link-
age from carb to tranny,because i thought maybe it was way off & had
to be revved up to shift.so far no good.well,now im ordering a filter &
pan gasket & drop pan,try to do some cleaning&adj.,new fluid&see if any
change.if anybody has any helpful input or knows that im wasting time &
money&what i should try,please let me know A.S.A..P. thanx,Don
330 652 7336 old.n.bold@hotmail.com

Stuck governor is probably the cause, or it has a a stuck valve in valve body. I would check governor first if what you say that you adjusted TV rod correctly.

[d2_willys]

Originally Posted by 63 F85 Cutlass

Hey Guys
Im looking for ideas for drivetrain options. The car is a 1963 F85 Cutlass. It has the 215 cid aluminum V8,and 3 speed hydramatic transmission. The rear end is either a 3.07-1 or 3.36-1.

One thing I'm looking for is a new tranny. I had in mind an overdrive automatic such as a 200R4 or a 700R4. I've found a supplier for transmission adapters to the 215's, so just about anything will fit.

I would also like to swap out the rear end gears to something with a little more pep to them, but I don't really have a great Idea on what type of rear end unit it came with, so if you happen to know, that would be greatly appretiated.

I may be building a 215 stroked out to a 265 for it. The rough estimated output of 200-220 horse and 220-240ft/lbs torque if I dont stroke it, and about 285 hp and 310 ft/lbs tourque when stroked and using the piston and rod combo I have in mind. These numbers are just rough calculations, but I figured id put them up to give you guys an Idea of what the setup was going to be using.

If you guys have any suggestions about the drivetrain or anything else you think would be cool with the car let me know. I'm sure some of you guys could think up some real boss ideas for her.

Thanks
-Ryan

Other than what Joe suggested about the Rover, the only other real choice is to go with a more reasonable solution such as newer Rocket engine as was mentioned. Beside newer engine, you should be able to bolt a 700r4 or 2004r OD trans to it. Biggest issue is the engine compartment. Not alot of room around the firewall. And the mounts may be wierd too. Another issue is the floorpan as the Roto5 hydramatic (aka F85 slim (chances of working) jim) is very shallow and may need a little finessing to get newer transmissions to clear.

[old.n.bold]

hi,thanx for your quick reply.1st of all,i did adj.&try,adj.&try,etc.;but i did not have the t.v.lever guage to start with the 1st step adj.the t.v. lever.so i kinda just did
a trial&error.so if you can help me with that measurement i might get it right.i also
didnt know 4sure if that would keep it from not shifting at all?so like i said,i did try
going faster to see if it would shift at higher speeds.im going to try adj.again today
so if u know what measurement the guage is please let me know asap.now for the
governor,can i just clean it or have to replace it?also the sticking valve in the C.V.A.
can it be cleaned&how?im not dropping the pan til i get my new filter&gasket(cant get it local,so i have 2 wait til shipped from fatsco)probably a week.so let me know
asap if u know lever on tranny adj.length.if u dont want 2 email,feel free 2 call or
send your # & i can call 4 free.thanx alot,Don 330 652 7336

[d2_willys]

Originally Posted by old.n.bold

hi,thanx for your quick reply.1st of all,i did adj.&try,adj.&try,etc.;but i did not have the t.v.lever guage to start with the 1st step adj.the t.v. lever.so i kinda just did
a trial&error.so if you can help me with that measurement i might get it right.i also
didnt know 4sure if that would keep it from not shifting at all?so like i said,i did try
going faster to see if it would shift at higher speeds.im going to try adj.again today
so if u know what measurement the guage is please let me know asap.now for the
governor,can i just clean it or have to replace it?also the sticking valve in the C.V.A.
can it be cleaned&how?im not dropping the pan til i get my new filter&gasket(cant get it local,so i have 2 wait til shipped from fatsco)probably a week.so let me know
asap if u know lever on tranny adj.length.if u dont want 2 email,feel free 2 call or
send your # & i can call 4 free.thanx alot,Don 330 652 7336

The idea of the TV rod is to track the accelerator linkage. So typically the tv rod is set to back most stop on transmission with engine in idle, and at forward most stop at WOT. I will see if I can scan the procedure from my motors manual tonight. Still think it is a stuck or broken governor.

[old.n.bold]

hi & thnx again for quick reply.in my manual the 1st step is to disconnect
the lower t.v.rod from the lever on side of tranny.hold lever rearward &
then use guage(that i need 2 know the length of)to line up the hole in
lever with hole in guage with the other end of guage in its spot(lining up
with a hole in frt.corner in block just above the frt. corner of tranny pan.
that is the distance i need to start 1st step.the rest i have to read as i
do it.now if it is the governor,i need to know if it can be cleaned&fixed or
replaced.can i do this with tranny in car.my manual i think says yes,but
i have never tried,but id sure hope so.i dont want to take it out until i
have tried everything possible!let me know if u find that distance i need.
Don