VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 33 transmission value?

Can anyone give me a ball park value for a 1933 Chevrolet Master Eagle transmission. The number on the case is 590532. It has the free wheeling set up. I took the top off and the gears look to be in good confdition.

Any help would be appreciated.
Bruce2

Hi Bruce:

Here's the '36 Chevy Master trans I bought on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_rdc=1&item=120613497550&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_npmv%3D3%26_trksid%3Dp4522.m570.l1313%26_nkw%3D120613497550%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&viewitem=

It is item 120613497550. I'm not much of a techie but hopefully having the item number and knowing the auction ended 9-1-10 will show you that I paid $36 for it.

It was advertised on Chevy Chat for a very long time before being listed on ebay. The ad may still be there.

Ray

Bruce, a realistic value is from 100.-250. That is what I get when I sell one. They are slow sellers.

I agree. A realistic value would be in the $100 to $250 price range and a real nice 1933 transmission would bring around the $250 figure.

$50 to $100 is my range, but I guess it's all about how bad you need it.

I just bought some '33 stuff last Summer, 2 short blocks, 2 transmissions, 2 heads, a rebuilt 235 head, 5 wheels and a re-chromed set of aftermarket bumper guards, all for $200.

Roger

Roger, I'm looking for just a '32-'36 synchromesh empty case with cast in lugs on the sides tapped 3/8" 16 tpi for bolting on the e-brake handle and pedals/MC bracket. I have seen 590532 and other casting numbers on those.

I bought a complete perfect '36 Master trans on ebay last month for $36, and I was the only bidder. It was item 120613497550 and can be checked by those think these items are worth hundreds of dollars.I guess the reserve was set at the year of the trans. In order to use it in my '36 pickup I need the case with the lugs on the side. Do you know of one available?

These things are pulled by street rodders and thrown onto the scrap pile. It just takes a little work to find that guy and a little luck to find him before he sells it for scrap value.

Thanks.

Ray

Hi Ray,

I looked it up when you posted the eBay number. I would think the car and truck case would be the same? I will look at my case numbers to see what I have. All my transmisions have the freewheeling unit attached.

Roger

Hi Roger.

The '34-'36 pickup 3-speed transmission cases differ from car cases of the same years in a minor looking but very important way. The truck cases have threaded lugs on the sides for the e-brake and the pedals/MC mount to bolt to and the car cases do not. The truck cases work fine in cars but not vice versa.

The cases with the threaded lugs were used in both cars and trucks in '32 and '33.

I really appreciate you chiming in with the actual prices you paid for the parts lot you bought. The actual value of a piece is what someone is willing to pay for it.

Some sellers need a reality check. It's a lot like home sellers checking "comps" to put a realistic price on a property for sale. I really did pay $36 for a complete '36 Master trans, not just a case but a complete trans, on ebay and was in fact the only bidder. People are not breaking down doors to buy those.

I'd like to send you a photo of my '36 pickup that I bought in 1965, restored in the early 70s and still drive and enjoy today. Would you be willing to send me your email address? Mine is rwaldbaum@aol.com

Hi Ray,

Just in case you were thinking I was a head case and forgot about your case of needing a case, your wrong. Case in point, the case I have is the case you need. It came off a 1933 Master, that has the freewheeling unit, so some disassembly is the case. If it's the case only that you require, then I could sell just the case for $40 plus shipping. Case closed.

Here is the number............


Let me know what you think and I will get busy with it this weekend and have it ready to ship next week. Oh, my email is in my profile.

Roger

Roger; If Ray doesn't want the transmission I would like to get it from you (of Course Ray would be firtst in line). I'm looking for the free-wheeling trans for my '33 car.

ron

Ray; I don't know if you received my previous message but I'll see if I can remember tomorrow to check and see if I have one of those trans. You could always just braze a couple of lugs to the side of the case to bolt the clutch/brake pedal frame to it.

ron

Roger, you seem really averse to using the word "Case". Why is that?

Seriously though, I appreciate the photo you sent. Ron in Vallejo and I are practically neighbors. I'm sure the 3 of us can work something out.

I've had a really exhausting day with a challenging client (I'm a geologist).

I will read your email and Ron's again in the morning as soon as I've delivered Mr. Client's report to the County and try to offer a suggestion that is win-win-win for you, Ron and me.

Ron, Roger has a complete trans. I need only a case and you need a complete trans. I would like to suggest that you buy Roger's complete trans and I buy an empty case from you if you have the one I need with threaded lugs on the sides.

It is very generous of Roger to offer to disassemble what he has and sell me the empty case. It is less work for Roger, possibly better for you and certainly better for all of the parts that will come out of that case if the stuff is not separated.

The problem I have now is a 3-speed trans that was pieced together from parts in the early 70's and for some reason won't shift smoothly from 2nd to 3rd once it's at operating temperature. I want to start over with a trans that has always been a unit and all of the pieces are "used to each other". Replacing bearings and synchronizer drums, if necessary, should not affect the basic compatibility of the parts I have in a complete '36 Master car trans.

What do you guys think?

Ray; I'm having trouble fiquring out who is who in this conversation. Originally Bruce said he had a transmission for sale but doesn't return messages, guess he's out. I did find the trans you're looking for, it's the last one I have. I would trade this for the free-wheeling trans if you can get one. Again, for all the trouble it seem easier to just weld the lugs to the side (braze) to brace the clutch/brake/ master cylinder. These things come up occasionally so if we can't make this work it wont be the end of the world. Take care.

ron

Shade Tree Mechanic

Registered: 07/14/03
Posts: 168
Loc: vallejo, ca Ray; I'm having trouble fiquring out who is who in this conversation.
Roger is "IMFALCO" in Milton Washington. I'm "BRINO" in Santa Rosa. My name is Ray. And you are Ron, in nearby Vallejo.
Originally Bruce said he had a transmission for sale but doesn't return messages, guess he's out.

Yes, Bruce appears to have vanished.
I did find the trans you're looking for, it's the last one I have. I would trade this for the free-wheeling trans if you can get one.

Any horse trading where I end up with a 590532 case is fine with me. I already have all the internals in a '36 Chevy Master complete transmission. If your price on a 590532 complete trans is similar to what I paid on ebay for the '36 Master complete trans maybe I could just buy it from you. We are practically neighbors.

Again, for all the trouble it seem easier to just weld the lugs to the side (braze) to brace the clutch/brake/ master cylinder.

In order to do that without damaging the case it would have to be pre-heated in an oven, then brazed or welded with ni rod, then cooled in an oven to avoid distortion and/or cracking. That is in addition to making the threaded lugs and a jig to make sure they are properly located.
These things come up occasionally so if we can't make this work it wont be the end of the world.

Because we live so close together I'd like to see if we can find a way to do it. Thanks for hanging in there.

Roger, I think I'd like to take you up on that. The other guy around here, Ron, who I was trying to include in this deal seems to be confused by it all.

One of the quirks with those transmissions is that the input gear (front) bearing is in a cup that is pressed into the front of the case. If there has ever been a loose pilot bushing, the cup distorts the bore in the case, loosening up the cup-bore fit. I wonder if you would be willing to check the tightness of that cup and actually include the cup with the case? It might be easier to simply toss the input gear with cup still attached into the case.

I had that problem when I first restored my '36 pickup in the early 70s. The cup was loose in the case and the trans would jump out of 3rd gear on deceleration. Finding another case with a tight front bore solved that problem. Because I assembled that trans from individual parts, I didn't know the cup was supposed to be a really tight fit.

I could use the case I have but I guess I'm getting a little lazy in my old age and I'd prefer to simply prepare another complete trans to swap in.

My regular email is rwaldbaum@aol.com. It's probably better to use that in discussing the "case".

Ray

Ray - I sent you a personal email telling you that I was out of town until this morning. I don't know why you are telling people that I must not be interested in selling my trans, or that I dissappeared. I had even emailed you that I would bring the trans to Vacaville, near Santa Rosa, where you could look at it before buying it. My transmission is still for sale. Anyone who is interested in a complete 1933 trans in good working condition can contact me at kbruces@verizon.net I live in Apple Valley, Ca. The trans case number is 590532.
Bruce2

Here's a link to one of those 1932-33 freewheeling transmissions that someone found in a Canadian U-pick dismantling yard and posted ion Stovebolt.com:

http://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=692490&#Post692490

Apparently they're still out there.

Thanks everyone for all the imput.

Brino - I sold my transmission for a little less than the place in Canada. Thanks for the imput.

Bruce

Hi Bruce. Can you please email me the contact information for Ron in Vallejo. He has one of those 590532 transmission cases. All I need is an empty case. My email is rwaldbaum@aol.com.

Thanks!

Ray; I've decided to keep my transmission.

ron