201 - 230 swap

[Mopar-Boy]

sorry, going off pics.  yes that was a number on the head.  I found the one you're talking about.  1119729.  The block is sitting at the machine shop... soon to be the scrap yard.  all the parts/guts/etc coming back home to me.

[P15-D24]

That's good, gives you more choices. Is this a standard 3 speed? Standard clutch, fluid drive or Hy-Drive?

Make sure you get all the rod and main bearing caps back. 

[Mopar-Boy]

3 spd fluid drive.  Won’t the main caps mate to the block?  Meaning main caps stay with the blick you buy?

[P15-D24]

Yes they should but don't bet on it. Better to have spares than trying to find some after the fact. Check you PM, just sent you the Hollander info on your block choices. 

[Mopar-Boy]

tons of questions from me... can anyone tell me exactly what this thing does?  no place for it on a 230 as this is where the starter would be...   looks like vacuum from the intake manifold assists clutching?

[TodFitch]

3 hours ago, Mopar-Boy said:

tons of questions from me... can anyone tell me exactly what this thing does?  no place for it on a 230 as this is where the starter would be...   looks like vacuum from the intake manifold assists clutching?

It is your automatic clutch vacuum servo.

 

The hard lined cable/wire to the transmission works a spool valve to turn it on and off. That wire attaches to the freewheel lever on the side of the transmission. There is another spring protected cable, visible in your photo working its way past the automatic clutch, the attaches to the same lever and goes to the dash. Three positions on that dash cable pull: Off, freewheel only and freewheel + automatic clutch.

 

There is a rod, also visible in your photo, that connects to the throttle cross shaft running along the base of the firewall. This is the thing that detects the accelerator pedal position and engages or disengages the clutch as you drive.

 

The whole automatic clutch and freewheeling concept was dropped in 1935 at the same time as the full length water jacket was introduced (which moved the starter location). 1935 is also the first year for synchros in the transmission so the use of freewheeling and automatic clutch for smoother and easier shifting was not needed.

[Mopar-Boy]

Wow.  Thanks Tod!  So if I keep my 33 tranny, AND upgrade to a 230, will shifting be a problem?  In other words, what do I lose without it?  AND, is it impossible to find parts for, or repair?  I suspect it is functioning as intended right now.

[TodFitch]

2 hours ago, Mopar-Boy said:

Wow.  Thanks Tod!  So if I keep my 33 tranny, AND upgrade to a 230, will shifting be a problem?  In other words, what do I lose without it?  AND, is it impossible to find parts for, or repair?  I suspect it is functioning as intended right now.

 

Locked out mode and freewheeling will still work.

 

I’ve never seen replacement or repair parts for these other than the dust boot for the clutch actuating rod. The big vacuum cylinder is pretty bullet proof but the control spool valve (the thing the cable and rod attaches to) is a fairly soft diecasting and there was no effective air filter on the inlet so they can be worn out and leak badly. If yours is working properly it will be a rare one. Actually any automatic clutch, working or not, is fairly rare as they were problematic and often removed and tossed away when the cars were pretty new.

 

There were some folks in the Pacific Northwest who found that they could bolt a 1937 or so DeSoto overdrive transmission into their '33 Plymouths (I assume a Dodge would work too). Apparently you can use the weird shift tower and transmission cover off the '33 on top of the '37 transmission. Then they used the automatic clutch control cable to control the overdrive (the early overdrive units for DeSoto were fully mechanical). The person I spoke to about this update has passed away so I don’t know who one might talk to on this conversion but it sounded very simple with maybe only a new shorter driveshaft being needed.

[Mopar-Boy]

Thanks AGAIN Todd.  Great info.