<VV> FC TRANNY

[NicolCS at aol.com]

You are correct regarding late '61 through the end of '63, certainly the  
bulk of FC production, but in addition to the early '61 model FCs with their  
4.21 first gear, 64-5 FCs also had transmissions that were different from their  
passenger car cousins.

 
61E FC models: unique 4.21 first gear ratio transmission
61L through '63 FC models: same as car trans except for no external  drilling 
of reverse switch or throttle lever bosses
64-4 FC models: unique combination of the new '64-5 internal design  features 
, 14 spline input shaft and EM-style 3.65 first gear  ratio (cars went to 
3.20 first gear)
 
The history of this development is chronicled in the October '04  Communique 
and I have the GM part number matrix detailing the unique part  numbers used 
in these transmissions. 
Craig N.


<snip>The "FC transmission" is a common misconception,  perpetuated by the 
information in the shop manuals.

Unique-to-FC  4-speeds were produced in 1961, only, and only for a brief 
portion of the  model year before a switch to same-as-car transmissions for 
the rest of the  production.  These early 1961 transmissions are the only 
ones with the  4.26:1 first gear; once the switch was made to a common 
transmission first  gear was 3.65:1.  These early-1961 FC transmissions can 
be identified  for their having no provision for a back-up lamp switch at 
all, no hole, no  plug.  The later transmissions have a small plug in the 
provision for  the back-up switch.<unsnip>