It was another restoration I did 5 years ago . 307 sbc . stock bottom end with some top end mods . Its not a power house , but it moves me down the road comfortably . I can get 18 if I try , and for a full size 4x4 , I'm happy with that. .It's not a daily driver . I like the old square body 4 cyl S10 Chevy trucks for everyday use . Did you have those in the 80's down in Australia ?

Sorry I didn't notice your comment till now Daryl. Glad you liked it. Did you purchase a Gear Vendors for your truck ?

Cool. Thanks bro

whats a brownie adapter box ?

A brownie box is basically the same thing as a gear xender it was originally meant for commercial vehicles back many many years ago

Looking to put a gear vendors unit on my 1972 Mustang! We're located in Vancouver, BC, wonder how you went about getting your unit and if you ahah any tips?

It's a pretty easy bolt on really, except for shortening the driveshaft. You may have to allow for some more clearance in the drive shaft tunnel for the GV unit . I also live out of Vancouver and it cost me around 4300.00 to get it to my door. I purchased it on the GV web site. The truck is way more usable now and is great on the Hwy. I love the truck so it was worth it for me ! Keep on wrenching !

Have you found a way to make it shift into OD smoother yet? would clutching it help or perhaps off the gas when you shift it in, then on the gas a bit to shift it out?

Yes your right. These combinations help to smoothen it out. It's more of a feeling of smoothness. The Overdrive unit is designed to shift hard so if it is maintained it should hold up to the stress.

3.73 Yah that will really help you out on the hwy. Just remember to change the oil in them every time you change engine oil. They say in the manual every 3000 miles

I would say if you have a 350 it would be cheaper to change the diffs ratio only if you don't haul loads or pull trailers . If you have a 305 then you will benefit more from the Gear Vendors unit . I only use 3rd and 4th OD with my set up .

@@squarebodychevyoverhauls6982 can you use it in 2nd gear or is it limited by speed? Changing gear ratios in the diff doesn’t help the spread between gears of the transmission. I have 4.10 gears. I’ve always hated the huge rpm drop between 2nd and 3rd. Hard to keep an engine in a good rpm range with that big of a gap

As the decal says " 8 SPEED " that comes with the unit , you can use it in any gear . I find with my 5 litre that it needs a gear between 3-4 and thats the only gear I use it in

The truck is all nice and warm in the garage . I built this truck as a keeper and have no intention of selling it . Glad you like it and thanks for your comment .

Actually it helps in different situations to half clutch it

Hey Bo Yes I have those support bars in the shop. I should mount them back up. I'm going to mount my Sony Action Cam on the chassis and go through the over drive gears and see now much flex there is in the drivetrain.. I only feel the torque flex when the Gear Vendors is applied. Standard gear shifting feels fine. I also half clutch and that seems to smoothen the OD shifts. I was under there looking at the possibilities and there is a perfect part on the frame where I could fab up a small mount to cradle the Overdrive unit, if it comes to solving the problem . Yes those connectors will give you voltage drop before you know it. I'll put a dab or RTV on it, and the driveshaft went well and was easy to do. It feels as smooth as before. Thanks for your input

My truck today developed a rusty brake line in the worst place: right on the proportioning valve. Argggg. I knew it was coming someday, just wanted it to cool off a bit before I tackled replacing all the lines.

I find leaving the old ones in place and zap strapping the new ones is the fastest way, but you may not like the clutter . Good luck with that.

Not a bad idea, but your engine will have to work harder to keep it in the power range. You need some good toque or it could turn into a dog

I had the same set up in my 83 K20. It was so reliable that 6.2 with the 700r4 w/lock up convertor. It wasn't a power house. More of a cruiser. I found with the gearing I had 3 :73 it was perfect on the hyway. Great mileage 23 mpg. . Anything steeper in gearing would have turned it into a dog. Those 6.2 's are a bit of a slug. They need a Bullydog turbo if your going to put a Gear Vendors O/D on it. I would be careful if you already have an overdrive and lock up.

why in the hell with 3.73's and a (sorry) doggy 6.2 would you ever in this lifetime need a Gear Venders. I am running 4.56's with a 35-14.50-16.5 radial and am running in the 2650 range-----perfect torque band range for pulling hills with a trailer/ this set-up is in my '70 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4. I've sold /built and nut and bolt body-off restored over 250 of these trucks since 1980, so I am ---let's just say, fairly experienced in 4x4's. TO EACH HIS OWN AND IT'S YOU'RE MONEY AND TIME!!!!!! Jim.

P.S. I have a beautiful K20 hugger/white in this months "Wheeler Dealer" magazine!!!!!!

Hey buddy I don't have ANYTHING TO PROVE only that the figure of 250 '67-'72 Chevy/GMC 4x4's was light!!!!! It's more like between 350 and 400 trucks bought/sold/restored either body-off frame or frame on resto's since 1979. I am the leading authority in these trucks in the Midwest and can be verified by Stein'ys Classic Truck's in Ohio to Brett's Classic's out in Washington State, both of which have bought and sold from me and have posted numerous video's. Don't comment on crap you know nothing about!!!!!! I've got no reputation to uphold----it speaks for itself in what I've done in 40 plus years in sales in Canada and the lower 48.

Yes I still have the truck and I was going to do a video about the chassis paint I used and how its holding up 6 years after the restoration . I've been busy on the LeMans so I have't got around to it . I guess I could have gone with a 5 speed OD , but I figured this was the easier way of getting more gears . No regrets on the Gear Vendors

Have you ever ridden in a car with a automatic that has a shift kit ? It feels like that . Hard shift and yes it kindda bucks

I think it was $ 4,300 to my door in Canada 4 years ago , so probably more now

I'm glad you enjoyed it

Not really . It may be more of a problem if your doing rock crawling but those trucks would have lift kits anyways .

Probably a good idea cause it could get high centred easier now. I have a steel one from my donor I could install. This is more a truck for hauling my camper on the Hwy and I don't get myself into these challenging situations,….but you never know whats coming at you down the back trails.

If you mark the shaft like I did before you cut and get the balance weights in the same spot, do a nice square cut, dress your welding job up then you shouldn't have any troubles. Mine is smooth as can be. Just get your measurements right. The slip yolk should have the same clearance as before.

Sorry, richaroodledoodle is my other channel. If you can weld and you have a cut off saw, you can do it. If you screw it up then all you have to do is have it rebalenced

I was concerned about that too , but there doesn't seem to be any problem so far ? I was thinking about hanging a go-pro under the chassis and video the amount it flexes . I can build a cross member to support the tail end if there's too much flex . I sure like the unit and the rpm reduction . it cruises nice on the hwy

@@squarebodychevyoverhauls6982 I bet it is really nice. I just wish it came in a lot shorter package.

It actually is a short little package . Its just not the best installation on a square body . The cross member mount is set back so when you add the units its last support member now seems stretched beyond its limits . So far so good , but you can feel it flex a little in the drive train when shifting harder . I'm sure the boys have done all the testing other wise they would include in the kit a mounting device ? If I were to cover a means of supporting the tail shaft it would need to have good give. to it . You want some Cush

It helped this trucks performance , and lowered the revs 500 on the hwy which is fuel savings . Its suppose to be a tuff unit , and I'm only going to be using it for 3rd and 4th gear over so it should be reliable . We shall see . Requires an oil change even 3000 miles .

@@squarebodychevyoverhauls6982 thanks for the answer sir, have a good week.

you too !

Its good . it gets a couple more miles per gallon on average and you can keep it in the power band longer

@@squarebodychevyoverhauls6982 problem is that the 305 HO was never a solid truck engine. In a car it can be put to more use as it is not pushing an extra 1000 pounds of weight. I plan to put one in my 89 Cheyenne C2500 with the 465 heavy duty transmission. Difference also is mine has a 3.73 rear end ratio with the 9.5 inch 14 bolt rear end as well and 245/75-16 wheels over the 235/65-15 wheels you have. On top of that I don't have a cat converter and a thrush glass pack. And can top 100 mph roughly in my 2nd after low hole gear (3rd gear being 1.70:1 with a 3.73 rear end can run up to around 125 mph at 7200 rpm). So figured this can give me rough a top average fuel range of 16 mpg with about 18 to 20 highway, 14 to 16 city mpg.

I talked to the Gear Vendors Rep and he said that's how they are. It's a cone clutch and it's designed to slams into gear.

lemoose1000 I've got a '99 Cummins with an NV4500, I was wondering, did it help yours much?

A 12 volt signal that is hot when the key is in the on position . Use a useable link to the overdrive unit

@@squarebodychevyoverhauls6982 Cool thanks. I just wasn't sure which was off when cranking.

I'm not sure what amperage the fuse is cause I came already in the inline case and I never checked it. Do you need to know what size it is?

I'm not sure. Here's their website. www.gearvendors.com/cg2wd4s.html

It smoothens out your down shifting a little if you half clutch it when going down a hill , but other than that, if doesn't seem to smooth out the shifting using the clutch

@@squarebodychevyoverhauls6982 are you happy you bought it? I am thinking of one for my 2 wheel drive

@@8mywal8 Although you can buy a lot of fuel with the money I spent for the Gear Vendors unit , Now it has better pulling power up a hill, and better all around gas. mileage . I'm never selling my truck so I may as well make it more useable as a truck . That in its self puts a smile on your face and now I forgot how much the unit cost me . I depends on how much you like your vehicle ?

I am not saying you are, but in the event of ,...You shouldn't have the unit engaged under 30 mph. I only use mine for the 3 and 4 over just so I don't forget it is on when driving slower. That can damage the cone clutch in the unit. You are suppose to change the oil and run 75w90 synthetic gear oil every 3000 miles. I baby mine and I have not heard a noise like that. It bangs into gear, but that is normal. They are suppose to shift hard. I would have to go for a ride and hear what your listening to. Do a service on it. You will be surprised how dirty looking the oil can be. Good luck. Oh this is my other channel.

richaroodledoodle Im very good about servicing it and your right its amazing how dirty it gets in such a short period of time. As i said before it only bangs out of gear and its only when the unit is hot and has been running for a few miles. I have contacted GV about it and am waiting to hear back. Anyways, I know this isn't a forum so thanks for the help!

Try using the clutch. With mine it smoothened out the shift some if I half clutched it. Sometimes depending on the grade, I would give it a little rpm then shift. Almost like you would if your double clutching. Play around and see if that works for you . If your having a banging noise and it wasn't there before, that's not a good sign. I would check the oil after a change with a magnet and see how much metal is there. That will tell you a lot. I really only use mine in forth over. Sometimes 3rd over and keep the miles down.

Hey Jon, how many miles are on the unit? Did you buy it new and installed it ? How much is your slip yolk sticking out of the unit? Are you using synthetic w75-90?

The 73-87 Restoration Shop " Keepin em on the road " Hi, yes i bought it brand new and installed it. There is less than 3000 miles on it but i just recently changed the fluid. And yes i am running the synthetic w75 90. There is probably about 1 1/8 inch sticking out on my slip yolk

I'm interested in taking your mpg test. I'll do that in the next week or so and post a new video with the results.

I have a 71 I am thinking about installing this kit on, what was your MPG originally, and what is it now, looked like RPM's dropped about 1000 when you went from fourth to fourth overdrive?

I think they changed over to a 208 in 1981 . The 203 weighed a ton and was a nightmare to re & re in your back yard !

The modifications were easy

@@squarebodychevyoverhauls6982I'm concerned about driveshaft shorting. That is not original and not cheap. And then there is installing a cross member to hold it all.

I had no problem with shortening it. If you have a slip yoke style then figure the most travel on the suspension and mark the yoke in the centre of travel then calculate how much to cut off the driveshaft. Make sure you cut the yolk off like I did . Also be sure to use an accurate chop saw. , Tack it in place all around before you weld, and you shouldn't have a problem

@@squarebodychevyoverhauls6982I'm loath to move away from original, but I guess I could find another drive shaft and save the original.