Classic/Antique Car Repair: Speedo gear problem, j c whitney, oil gauge

Question
Hi,
A PO replaced the 400 tranny in our 69 Firebird 350-4 Convt with a 350 tranny.  The tranny has a red 7 tooth drive gear (maybe a 10 teeth could be broken off?) and the housing that holds the gear has 41,42 and 43 on it.  It has a 2.78 rear end. I tried using the speedo gear formula and odered a 19 tooth from a vender but it was to small in dia to engage the red drive gear.  A friend let me borrow 44 tooth gear that is about 1 3/4 dia and it engaged the drive gear, the down side is the the speedo cable end is about 1/8 in the gear needs a 3/16 in cable end and I call CI industries and was told that the 1/8 in is standard for the cable. I called TCI and talked to someone and he said I needed a 22 tooth gear and I would have to change the tail housing to use this gear.  Sorry for the long post but I like to find out if I can get it to work without taking off the tail housing because who ever put in the tranny welded in a bracket on the cross member and it will have to be cut off before the tail housing can be taken off.

Thanks in advance

Sam & Marissa Andolino


Answer
SAM-wow I do not believe that someone would weld the tranny bracket- what an ass. ok can you get some epoxy that comes in the two tubes that look like a dr.needle. than mix up a little so it can fill the gear to 1/8. or you can always go with a hot rod spedo. like a tach, or a oil gauge you can mount it on the column or dash and run it to the l/f wheel or the trany depending on the type you get,I would not go nuts with the spedo, if there is that much b/s involved- I would go to ( J C Whitney.com) or (summet Racing.com) and see what they have for you to use- they will sell you the entire kit ad it should not take so long to install. and I bet it will be a lot more accurate . ok