Transmission Options

Hi All,
I'm still looking around for a spare A-745 to rebuild for my van but they are obviously rare. I'd like to build a mild street/strip 318 and drop in the new engine and trans together.

Are there any options other than an A-745? I know the A903 was the A-body lighter duty option compared to the A-745 they used in trucks, but will it work in a pinch?

I'd rather not go for an auto-trans conversion but it may come to that, the 745 just wasn't made to go fast.

I'd value feedback and ideas, thanks

The manual trans in a friend's A100 V8 is pretty much unusable for street usage - 1st is way too short leaving essentially just 2nd and 3rd. I'm just not sure if he has the A-745 in. He'd opt for the auto / A-727 anytime.
Only downside for the A727 is, that you'd need a short output shaft at the rear of the trans.

69 wrote:The manual trans in a friend's A100 V8 is pretty much unusable for street usage - 1st is way too short leaving essentially just 2nd and 3rd. I'm just not sure if he has the A-745 in. He'd opt for the auto / A-727 anytime.
Only downside for the A727 is, that you'd need a short output shaft at the rear of the trans.

Yeah 1st is way short, iirc the A745 was all they used in A100's for 3 speed manuals.

No real way to make a hot rod out of it unless you swap to an auto trans but I seem to remember that can be a pain as well.

I rebuilt the A745 in mine with all new gears, since they were rusty/pitted after it got water inside. It was very expensive and parts were very hard to find.

I have been in a A903 as well and can tell you that they are much wimpier the then the A745. They did come in light duty A100's, I believe behind 170's. Every 14" wheel/10" brakes/2200lb axle light duty I have seen has had an A903. The A745 is all they used behind the 225 and 273/318 (and chrysler even put them behind big blocks in other vehicles). They are a pretty strong trans but have the pin type synchro's so do not like to shift fast, and of course that non syncro 1st gets old. The easy way to tell them apart is the hump in the top cover. If completely flat it is an A903.

There are two input shafts and different bearing retainers for the A745: 10 Spline and 23 Spline. The 10 Spline is the stronger option, not sure if they ever came in A100's or not. The 23 Spline is fine for most 273/318s though I would think.

I am in the same boat as you; I would like to do a V8 swap as well, but I will stick with the A745 since I have parts to do it and the trans is like new now. If money/availability was no object I would go 727 automatic in a second. But gave up trying to find a V8 (van specific) 727 after I rebuilt the A745. I am a manual transmission fan, but this is one vehicle I would convert to auto if I could, but only with a V8..

As for ratio's, I find my 1st gear a bit long for starting out on hills, wish it were lower. They did come with different ratio's, but not sure which got what.

I also looked at installing a short tail A833OD. A bit too long like everything else, but a 4 on the tree would have worked fine and use similar linkage set up.

But yes, if looking for a drag machine, 727 auto all the way. You'll have over 2K into a good short tail built auto, easily.

Mark

Slowflapper,
Check out the "A Vans For Sale" here on VV. There is an '65 Sportsman, V8, automatic for less than $1,000 for sale in Alabama. You could even go look at it first.
Richard

I have one here but shipping a 80lb chunk of iron could be costly.