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Grew up in a junkyard (oh the cars we saw come and go...)I have had the trans since I was 16, 38 years, and after keeping it safe all this time, water got in the box and mixed with the lube. Most of the gears are salvageable and merely stained. I put it on the bench and tore her down using the manuals (and a fair bit of experience)as my guide.

I have laid out everything tagged and bagged ready for cleaning and detailing, and ultimately reassembly.

The big snag and worst damage is to the mainshaft of course, which is an assembly and I doubt I can save due to corrosion of synchro ring and bearings. It could make a good core for Kanter or someone to rebuild, about 650, bit rich for me at the moment.

Do other mainshafts cross reference or any advice about reconditioning? I feel I owe it to the old gearbox to try and save it, after failing to keep it safe, plus I enjoy the project.

Thanks.

G'day miller91,
to PackardInfo.

But sorry I can't help with the mainshaft, although there must be someone here who has a spare they'd be willing to part with? Or maybe the Flackmaster, '37 parts Guru, will see this post and respond?

And if, by the merest of chances, you have a Packard to wrap around the trans I invite you to include it in the Packard Owner's Registry!

35-37 Six and 120 trans are identical, everything interchanges. 38-up virtually nothing does

The 1935 to 1938 Six and 120 trans. are the same. The 1939 trans. was redesigned to handle the power of the 320 super 8 which was used in the 120 body in 39, and the new 356 coming in 1940...

Thanks for the responses and welcome.

The site is terrific, as I downloaded all the service manuals and tech bulletins regarding this transmission.

I suppose in the end I can see if the mainshaft core is viable to be reconditioned, of course I peruse eBay to see if I can get lucky. Hoping to avoid the 650 expenditure from Kanter or Max Merritt, but if I have to pony up I will.

So far things are cleaning up nicely, but boy, what is up with the universal joint nut? I know Packard made a special thin wall socket to get these off, what a pain in the you-know-what! Can you adapt a modern u-joint carrier to these boxes? Jeez...

Not all parts interchange between 115s and 120 for 1937 for sure. The 115 cane was painted whereas the 120 was chromed. I have 7 of those. 35-38 trannys and have some mainshafts removed. PM me if interested.

Correction- The Packard parts book gives one part number for transmission assembly from '35 120 through '38 16th series six and 120/Eight. All parts interchange from '35-'38 with the exception of the shifter cane but not because there is a difference in finish. From what I see it is the relationship of the dash, seat and cane that may require a different cane.

As a unit without the cane all '35-'38's interchange.

I sacrificed a box end wrench for that universal nut. I ground it down thinner to fit in there.

Willie

Quote:

Tight clearance on the flange nut indicates a transmission from a 6 cylinder car which used a smaller u-joint than the 8 cylinder models.
Outside width of the flange is approximately 3-1/4" for the 6 and 3-3/4" for the 8.

Yeah what a pain the ass! Maybe I'll look for an 8 flange...what a bear to get off.