Whats the difference in gear ratios and performance between the M21 and M22, I know someone locally that has a M21 with bellhousing for 175.00 in good shape, id still get it checked out... but this is super cheap. This is hooking up to a 461ci, probably around 475hp? Wouldnt see much, at all any track, a daily driver with kick basically.

ratios should be the same

Really? Are there any differences then?

M20 is a low ratio ,short distance between 1-2-3 shifts(alot of shifting) for highway gears 3.31 3.55
M21 is high ratio long distance between shifts for drag gears 4.11 4.56
M22 is the same ratio as the M21 but has a different angle (less angle) on the gears(stronger, noisy too)

Try this http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98108&highlight=m21+m22

Yeah I just read that the M22's were noisy, I never heard that before. Ive never driven on one. I think my old 69 blazer had an M20 in it. Anyways, I have stock gears as far as I know. At some point im going to change them, if needed. Not sure how things will drive and hook up on daily street with my combo. Whatever gears were stock or cheap on a small block 71 Chevelle, Ive probably got em' - its the one area I havent touched or replaced, and when I got it, it wasnt anything special so I doubt anyone geared it.

Still alot of people say get a Turbo 400 and a nice floor shifter and leave it alone. Auto's are ok, but not nearly as fun as punching your own gears... I miss it greatly! Plus I have no where to put my right hand when I drive =) But yeah... thats that I guess.

Don't Nobody Say Nothing About That Right Hand!

Don"t Do It!!!!!!!!!!

Curt! Hey! Dont do the swap?
This specific Trans came out of a '68 Camaro, it has M22 casting but he says its a M21, and opened it up, the gears look like M21's. Just how noisey are these M22's?

Curt! Hey! Dont do the swap?
This specific Trans came out of a '68 Camaro, it has M22 casting but he says its a M21, and opened it up, the gears look like M21's. Just how noisey are these M22's?

Depends, some are fairly noisey. Hard to explain the noise.

More noisey than old chevy rattles and a big block? I can barely here my sterio as it is, I dont think Id care.... Actually my car has toned down alot. I ripped up my carpet and added another layer or 2 of that fake dyno matting stuff, big big difference. Feels better too!

I called the guy, it seems pretty good to me, I didnt think it had the tailshaft and stuff. But its 100% complete, he has some linkage that comes with also. $175 seems like a steal even if it needs a rebuild.

They aren't all noisey. I just did one that was in excellent shape except for the front bearing and retainer. It is quieter than almost every used std Muncie I have heard. Just the slightest bit of a whine nothing like the so called grinding rocks sound.

Just how noisey are these M22's?

I recorded my M22 while I was driving a few years ago and will put it on my web page later today. I had it there before but deleted it to save web space before Rogers joined with Geocities.

Phil;

(geez, I gotta explain everything... :) )

You said you've got nothing to do with your hand and I can just see the comments coming.

Not talking about the tranny...!

Haha. Yeah I figured so much. When I typed it I was like hmmm, possibly a good time for backspace. Well I get paid on thursday I have plans to pick up the tranny. It should be good as is to just drive but I dont want to have to pull anything so I'll probably have someone in town check it out. Anything special to look out for? Other than obvious damage and hairline cracks... which may be hard to spot... err.

Maybe sliding into another chat here, but Ive been checking out clutches. I have no idea how to shop for or install one! Is this something somewhat bolt-on to the muncie? Im going to read up...

Mine is brand new and it whines and sounds pretty rough in first gear. If I didn't know it was new I would be pulling it, thinking something was loose.

Hi there.

Yeah, M21 an 22 are same ratio wise but 22 is much beefier. About the noise - I had an M22 "rock crusher" in my 1966 SS 396 325HP Chevelle I had back when I was 17. Bought it new. I loved the tranny whine so much that I took the rubber boot out of the console around the shifter. Man, was that noisy but it sounded like we were ready to blast off. Oh, the silliness of youth. I sold that car in Aug. 67 to go off to college. Recently I purchased a car that looks just like it (doubt I would ever find the original) Little did I know at the time I sold it that only 12 1966 Chevelle SS's came from the factory with the M22 trans. That would be very collectible today if documented.

Carl

Basically the M22 whines like a medium duty truck transmission. To the average civilized, non gearhead it is too noisy. If you like mechanical sounds then it can be considered music. Personally I'd have gotten an M22 and passed on the radio in the day, just to listen to the sound of a solid lifter, hot cammed big block with a set or 4-series gears. Today I have a quiet daily driver and my Chevelle has a quiet inline six. The only whine is from my Powerglide in park. There you go.


Phillip, is it your feeding time? How about some nice peanuts:)

Haha. Peanuts! Well I guess I'll find out, live and learn. I'll have quite a few questions probably next month on linkage and clutch selection/ install. I'll also have this TH350 for sale! Id love to build a 327 4 speed '65 nothing too extreme, someday when I get the space :( well... maybe a big block... 8)

I recorded my M22 while I was driving a few years ago and will put it on my web page later today. I had it there before but deleted it to save web space before Rogers joined with Geocities.

It's using too much bandwidth so if someone want's a copy of the M22 .wav files I made then send me an email and I'll fire it off.