1964 Chevy Impala 292 six 3 speed overdrive

I've had this car for almost 20 years. I found it slowly rotting away on a farm.
I've brought it back mechanically, but it needs paint yet.

Engine: 292 six cylinder, stock.
Trans: 3 speed overdrive (Borg Warner)
Rear axle: 3.36:1

Options added to car:

Bumper guards
Door edge guards
Power brakes
14x6 station wagon rims
6-way power seat
Soft Ray tinted glass

This is the 3rd engine I've had in this car. When I bought it, all I had to put in was
a 230. When a 250 became available, I put that in. This summer I pulled the 292
from my station wagon project that I sold and put it in. The 292 was bought from a
salvage yard in 1987, and spent the last 20 years in a station wagon. I have put over 100k
on it, it has never used any oil, and starts in any weather. Never done anything other
than a carb kit, or change oil.

The 3 speed overdrive usually requires a complicated wiring harness utilizing a kickdown
switch, governor and engage switches. That is stupid. I just run it myself utilizing a relay
controlled by an old Mopar cruise control switch. When the overdrive is not engaged, you can
shift up and down easily with out using the clutch. The trans allows the driveshaft to freewheel
faster than the engine, thus there is no deceleration drag with the engine. When engaged, then
the engine will slow the car down during decelerations. You can't run the overdrive in reverse, the
trans will lock up. I can run it in all 3 forward gears, however, the torque of the engine will
hurt the planetary gears in 1st, and generally 2nd gear with overdrive is too close to
3rd to bother with. I run it as a standard 3 speed, shifting all three gears (no clutch needed), then
turning on the overdrive solenoid, letting off the throttle, then the overdrive will engage.

When Chevy installed the overdrive from the factory, they would include a 3.70:1 axle.
Whats the point of that? Add an overdrive, then take it away with a crappy rear axle?

Car gets 24 mpg at 55.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• 1964
• Chevy
• Impala
• 292
• six
• cylinder
• speed
• overdrive

[deadcatlicker]

Hi there, I dig your car. I have a '63 Belair four door sedan with a hot 383, but I'm also building a '62 Belair hearse. I'm going to use a 292 in my hearse with a T5. I already have the engine, box, bellhousing etc ready to go, but the car currently has SBC mounts in place. Could you tell me what you did with motor mounts, or maybe send me some pictures? Did you use a standard 250 mount on the driver's side and make a custom one on the passenger side? I assume that's what I'll have to do.

[yoyodynepropulsion]

@deadcatlicker A standard 250 motor mount works perfect on the drivers side.

I used another drivers side mount on the passenger side and an adapter plate

to get it to fit on the crossmember. No welding required, and other than the plate

uses all stock items. 

[Junqueboi1973]

I like what you did to this car. What RPM does your 292 turn at 60mph? I have an '81 Shorty Cargo van with the 305/3-on-the-tree & would like to do this.

I agree with your wiring: I did a similar thing to my '83 S10, wiring the TCC solenoid to a dash mounted switch & hooking the transmission pressure switches up to indicator lights just for fun. Makes driving the 2.8/700R4 combination a little less miserable. Is the 292 a direct bolt-in replacement for the 250? Love the 4K tach.

[yoyodynepropulsion]

@Junqueboi1973 Hi, 60 is about 2000 rpm. 292 has different motor mounts on the

right side, that had to be custom made, and it is a taller engine. I had to watch

the crankcase vent and air cleaner with the hood clearance. Otherwise it is a direct

replacement.

[DPitts1993]

thats a sweet find man it seems like 292 is a good engine

i might be gettin one for my 81 c10

[yoyodynepropulsion]

@DPitts1993 You will love it. I've put one in a '73 Dodge 3/4 ton and it works great. Two others

sitting in the garage for future projects. I've had this 292 for about 25 years, put over

100k on it in a '64 wagon, just recently put it in this car.

[deadcatlicker]

@yoyodynepropulsion

Thanks for the info. Since I posted that comment I've ordered a set of mounts for a '75 C20 (which is what my engine came out of). They mount flush against the frame itself, with a solid steel bracket that mounts to the engine. If this doesn't work I'll do it the way you said.

[yoyodynepropulsion]

@stevefromstllouis Borg Warner made everybody's overdrive back then, they adapted it to

fit behind any standard three speed transmission (replaced tail shaft and housing). This overdrive

is a mid 60's chevy. This car was originally an automatic car (tilt steering, too), I replaced the

column and added the clutch.

[62view]

This guy is really genius. Cool car, same age as me. So many kids have never even seen a car with a three on the tree tranny.

[stevefromstllouis]

Based on the use of the Mopar cruise as the control mechanism for the overdrive I assume the car did not originally have overdrive. Out of curiosity, what was the donor car the overdrive transmission came from or what brand (i.e. saginaw, borg-warner, muncie) is the transmission? I ask because I am considering adding overdrive to a '60 chevy that I have. Thanks,