Let’s talk transmissions, shall we? Any vehicle restoration is going to require some careful planning when it comes to getting things in gear. The transmission you decide to use will often depend on the exact type of project you intend to create, particularly when it comes to a car you intend to put back in box-stock condition.
As an example, a scrupulous OEM restoration to the exact specifications of the car as it came off the assembly line is going to require some very specific components. In the most rigorous cases, it is even going to require a matching date code for the one and only type of part that will satisfy the data on your VIN plate.
In these situations, it helps to have someone who has the experience to obtain and verify these very specific needs. They will also need to find that one particular needle in the haystack of transmissions that are out there. It’s easy to say that you are going to need a Muncie Rock Crusher built sometime in July of 1972, but where do you find this rare bird?
You can always order a fresh M-22 out of a catalog, but the chances of it meeting your date code requirements are very small. It is going to look like the original, but it won’t meet your needs. Quite often, you will have to Frankenstein one together. You might find yourself squirreling away things like a case out of this shredded donor and a mainshaft out of that one while you search for the original GM floor shifter for it. These parts were somewhat rare even when they rolled out of the factory, and now finding one with a matching date code is close to impossible other than in junk condition.
Most guys don’t have the experience or the connections to make this work. They need someone who can spot the fakes and determine if a part is within the proper specs and salvageable, or else nothing but expensive scrap. Even if you can rustle up all the parts, a skilled builder still has to put it together in a way that won’t shred the sync rings in a week. Constructing a matching date code transmission is a very exacting process that is seldom cheap. Getting stuck with the wrong parts or parts that are not usable can only extend your agony.
Do yourself a favor and don’t try to shortcut the process. Find a reputable shop that has dealt with these issues before, and let them handle it. Kilgore Kustoms Rod Shop in Atlanta has a long list of people they have helped out with this problem. See what they can do for you.