G'day all, my name is James and I am a new Slant6 enthusiast from Australia. My dad has told me a lot of great stories about his youth when the Slant6 was a real performance icon. I am interested in building up an early Valiant Slant6 and using it for occasional historic track days, and am looking for some information. I have to have the car as original as possible (maintain original transmission type, number of forward gears as well as column shift). I have searched the forums, and found heaps of information, plus it looks you guys really know your stuff! Please forgive any obvious/already answered questions! All this being so, my questions are as follows:

The Australian Valiant I am looking at came originally with the 'A-903' transmission with the somewhat untrackable 2.95 first gear. This gear would be too low to use for all but the tightest corners, which limits me to essentially 2 gears and decreases enjoyment factor somewhat! Are there any of the A903 transmissions (or gear sets) still around that utilise the closer 2.12-1.43-1.00 ratios as found behind the 318 in America?
The above being possible, this still presents a problem. The A903 is non-synchro first which increases the likelihood of me mucking up a down-shift and crunching. Is there any way of fitting a synchro out of an A230 or similar (or machining the shaft to accept one as I read you can do on reverse) so that I could use first more readily?

I guess what I'm saying is, is there any way to get the tallest possible factory gearing in a 3-speed column all-synchro Chrysler box? (Yes, I want my cake and I want to eat it too )

Im sorry....your accent confused me....did you say you wanted a 5 speed?

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Hehe, sorry. Must be the kangaroo I had for breakfast!

Nah, I want it to be a 3-speed, column shifted, factory Chrysler box with the tallest ratios available and synchros.

Thanks for the prompt reply!

I'd use an A230 and just rework the existing linkage if you need the syncro 1st gear. Big block A745 transmissions had 2.55, 1.49, 1.00 ratios which is about as close-ratio 3-speed as you're likely to find. I don't have a list of A230 ratios.

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Joshua

The mid-70's ratios were stuck at:
1)3.18
2)1.77
3)Direct

The early versions behind V-8's could be: 2.55,1.49,1.00- but how to identify one in a junker would be a new one to me...

The A-903 I think was 2.55,1.49,1.00

-D.idiot

The A903 behind a 225 is supposed to have a 2.95:1 low gear in 1966 at least.

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Joshua

It's been a while but I seem to remember that the A903 in 1960-61 had a 2.71 first gear. I believe that 1961 225 Lancers had a 2.55 first. The ultra rare Daytona cars were supposed to have a 2.31 first and a 1.55 second. In those years the transmission was tilted over 30 degrees but the I think the internal parts would interchange with the 1962 and later straight up and down type. All these are non-synchro which I can't imagine downshifting. Good luck.

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If you didn't drive it there, it's not a street car.

Thanks everyone for your replies! The page I gathered my information from is below:

http://cjford.stormloader.com/Tech/mantransinfo1.htm

If such boxes are rare as you have said, perhaps using one with a 2.55 first would be the way to go (A745?)?

The reason these transmissions are hard to find is that most get thrown into the scrap pile.
I have a few around but I don'r know what the ratios are.
In the end, you still have a non syncro 1st gear... there is no way around that.
DD

No way around the crash first, oh darn. So lets say I don't want standard, are there ANY all-synchro, 3-speed, column changed Chrysler boxes that will mount behind a slant?

The A-230 is the other choice when looking for a synchro box...

Ah ok, I figured there had to be one. How different is the A230 to the A903? I take it from Doc's post that nothing is interchangeable?

Old Car Gear Boxes Pty. Ltd. in Moorabbin Vic can probably do what you want.
They can do new gear sets with improved ratios.
I would think it will be quite expensive though.
Their number is 03 95533207

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Richard (aka Fingers)

You got a 3 speed bellhousing... take 1970+ A-230 and bolt in place of A903/A745...etc.. "done"....

BTW Accomotors, do you have any IHC stuff?
Just thought you might going by your forum name.

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Richard (aka Fingers)