[Grady Clay]

Tab,

Mark is exactly correct above, it is easy if you combine your 4-speed with a (somewhat decrepit) 5-speed. This way you use the necessary parts from the 5-speed and you can use the best parts from both to build the best transmission. You will need some new parts.

You can help pay for this by selling your 4-speed 2nd gear and 3rd gear pairs to racers. These are desirable for gearing a race transmission to a particular track.

You have plenty of help on the Forum for you to DIY. You also seem to have some good ‘in person’ local help.


Back to your 4-speed.
It sounds as if you may have a shifting issue external to the transmission.

While you have the gear cluster out, make sure each gear engages and disengages properly. One-at-a-time engage each sliding sleeve to each gear by fingers. Are they all the same ‘feel’?

Reassemble the gears and shift rod in the transmission and install the nose piece. Using the shift coupler from the car, shift in and out of all the gears. Does everything operate properly? Remember, you may have to rotate the gears while shifting for smooth operation.

Hopefully you have retained a sample of the shim gaskets between the intermediate plate and the main casting. This is necessary to maintain the proper pinion depth position and correct R&P clearances.

Best,
Grady