What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

465 curious

7

78C20Reaper

Registered Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2020
Posts
35
Reaction score
11
Location
Norman, OK
So I’m wondering if anybody anywhere ever races with the 465. I have one in my 78 C20 single cab flatbed former farm truck. I love L and 1st taking off and even on a 350 that looks and sounds like it’s about to die it still chirps letting off in 1st with a little over half throttle. I know people use them in 4X4 mainly but the leave the line speed and power is just impressive to me and my crew cab Hemi was a low 11 second truck when I had it that would pin people to the seat thru third. Also I’ve been playing with the idea of a 3.55 rear gear to get a little more highway friendly use but who knows what’ll happen. I do know by the end of this year I will have a 454 in my garage to swap out the tired 350 tho! I’m getting a little off topic now but basically: Does anybody race with a 465? Also I did search for a little bit and even a full on google search too and didn’t find answers that I was looking for.


If I put this in the wrong spot please lemme know and do whatever you need to do.
 
I figured it was never gonna break records of any kind on the strip but light to light it seems to have the get up and go for that. What does it take to break one? I have seen a few stories but those are all hardcore off-road breaks, not pavement only. I know it’s not good for it but where my house is I have to cross 3 decent size speed bumps and I’ve never hit the brakes going over them and the truck as a whole just eats them up. Also is the 3/4 rear, don’t know if 3.73 or 4.11, enough when coupled with 1st enough normally to chirp or spin when using Low? It’ll only do it if I start in Low, if I “clutch dump” directly in 1st from a stop it tries to kill over on me.
 
Had one wipe the 1-2 shift fork and come out of gear, slamming the reverse gear into the others and wiping out half the teeth. Ruined the 1-2 slider, so wouldn’t go into second

Drove it home from Moab to northern Colorado that way
 
It’s a good thing it’ll do 10mph in 3rd then! Actually mine absolutely hates under 25 with 3rd so I’m not sure what’s goin on but it’ll go slower
 
the 465 with take all the abuse you can throw at it.
That said the gear splits are really wide and hard to stay in the power band of the engine when upshifting. It is also really slow to shift compared to other options.
With yours being a 2wd that opens up other options to use some faster shifting closer ratio muscle car transmissions like the M20/21/22 or T10. Or if you want overdrive NV3500/4500 or T56/TR6060. Really depends on your goals and your wallet.
 
I really wouldn’t mind a NV3500 but in all honesty I don’t have any end goals for this. I really just wanna push “a little” more power than stock and not be screamin trying to do 75 on the highway. Other than that I have absolutely no idea what’s gonna happen in between. IIRC all 350/5.7 bellhousing bolt patterns are the same to bolt to the block right?
 
78C20Reaper said:
I really wouldn’t mind a NV3500 but in all honesty I don’t have any end goals for this. I really just wanna push “a little” more power than stock and not be screamin trying to do 75 on the highway. Other than that I have absolutely no idea what’s gonna happen in between. IIRC all 350/5.7 bellhousing bolt patterns are the same to bolt to the block right?
Click to expand...
Small block and big blocks used the same bell housing pattern from 1955 to today. Bell housing to transmission is very dependent upon the transmission.
 
I know the bell housing to engine pattern is the same from 1955-87,at least on V8,s,the early straight sixes like 235's had a weird one off bolt pattern,the other straight sixes are the same as V8's..
I have no idea if any newer engines (LS ) are different (Chevy 305 says they are the same to present day ,he'd know better than me on newer stuff)..

The bell housing to transmission mounting can vary--as an example the SM465 bell housings have a larger "hole" for the input shaft retainer,compared to a Muncie M21 or Saginaw,Borg Warner 4 speed,T-10 car type 4 speeds..

You might be able to still put a car 4 speed onto the SM465 bell housing and get away with it (if the 4 bolt mounting pattern is the same,I think it is)--but it'd be best to have the bell housing that "matches" the transmission..that way the input shaft retainer helps take the load ,and its not all on the 4 mounting bolts..kind of like a hub centric wheel vs an aftermarket one that has a "too big" center hole and relies on the lug studs alone to carry all the weight and torque loads..
 
I’ve heard bell to engine is the same from early 60’s all the way to the last 5.7/350 and I’ve also heard that the changed them with body styles. The first part I’ve heard multiple times from my parents and grandparents friends and the latter has just been internet reading so I’m kinda skeptical of that.
 
I know GM had many different styles of bell housings..
Early ones were cast iron up until 1972 (in trucks) and had an open bottom with a dust cover that bolts on--those also had the castings for rear motor mounts still,despite GM not using them after 1960 or so,earlier cars & trucks had no transmission cross member,the engine had 2 mounts facing forward (near the fuel pump boss and under where a P/S pump went,GM kept the blocks the same there till '87 )...
Also they had bell housings for 10.5" and 11" clutches,the 12" clutch usually required a specific bell housing,though I was able to use a 12" clutch with an 11" bell housing before..

After 1972 they started using aluminum bell housings that were a one piece design,you had to remove them to replace the clutch..
Those also came in 2 sizes ,one for a 12" clutch and another for the smaller ones..

These are one of those parts many say "they're all the same"--till you go to assemble a collection of salvage yard/swap meet used parts...then discover they aren't..:doah:
 
yblow said:
Ranger od in front of 465 will help at 75mph and give u 8 gears. Maybe not what your looking for.
Click to expand...
I just reread this whole thread and then looked this up. If I had the money to do that, I probably would go that route because I mean essentially having an 8 speed in a 3/4 truck would be kinda fun. Plus I’ve been looking at OD units in the past that bolt onto the back of the trans that have High and Low basically so if one was to get both of those that would turn into a 10 speed truck right??
I just discovered the 454 I’m getting is still in an RV... I don’t know if that makes a difference or not but is there a major difference in RV big blocks and 3/4 and 1 ton big blocks? I really hope someone tells me I can keep my 465 tranny with that one. Also I did some reading just for fun and saw that Chevy had a 632 (10.4L) I believe. Now I’m sure that would have plenty of go power but if I ever was lucky enough to nab one, would that even fit in my truck??
 
No difference in the RV 454's that I know of--might have 4 bolt mains in some,but externally they are the same overall..

Some RV's came with TH475 transmissions that had more clutch packs and a external drum brake for the E-brake on the tail shaft,those had straight cut gears in first and second according to what I've read about them,and are beefier than a TH400,but look the same externally..

The "gear splitter" add on gearboxes to the tail shaft are either overdrive or under drive,not both..the Ranger unit that goes between the bell housing and transmission does provide a hi and low range,like a 4wd transfer case has and can be shifted back & forth..both units are very expensive and I'm not sure if they are rugged enough for drag racing use,they can tow heavy loads,but banging gears may not agree with them..

I've seen 637 gas V8's in GMC school buses--from what I've read they are not really high performance,they are just "big" and have long stroke torque--not sure you could stuff one in a pickup without serious modifications..GM also had a "Toro-Flow" diesel based on that engine design..they were not highly praised either..

GM also had some V12 engines used in fire trucks and other big rigs,that were based on their 351 V6 engines,but it wasn't just two coupled together,they were all one casting..again,more for low rpm pulling,some rat rod guys put them in trucks to show off,but they aren't practical for any high performance use really..
 
78C20Reaper said:
I just reread this whole thread and then looked this up. If I had the money to do that, I probably would go that route because I mean essentially having an 8 speed in a 3/4 truck would be kinda fun. Plus I’ve been looking at OD units in the past that bolt onto the back of the trans that have High and Low basically so if one was to get both of those that would turn into a 10 speed truck right??
I just discovered the 454 I’m getting is still in an RV... I don’t know if that makes a difference or not but is there a major difference in RV big blocks and 3/4 and 1 ton big blocks? I really hope someone tells me I can keep my 465 tranny with that one. Also I did some reading just for fun and saw that Chevy had a 632 (10.4L) I believe. Now I’m sure that would have plenty of go power but if I ever was lucky enough to nab one, would that even fit in my truck??
Click to expand...
There is no difference in the 454's installed in trucks or RV's. There was tall deck big blocks in the 366 and 427 sizes that do differ somewhat in the intakes due to the taller deck height. The tall deck big block was never installed in the P-chassis for RV use, only for medium-duty trucks.

The 454 shares the same exact bellhousing pattern as the small blocks. So any hydraulic or mechanical clutch bell housing for a 465 would fit it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom