Buck,

I got a 3rd gen rebuilt box yesterday from Cardone.....cost me $110 with exchange. They didn't care what box i traded, just as long as they got a core. Cheap enough, with a 2 year warranty. (This is the final item I was needing for my sub completion). Happy day!

Go get a remanu box....

Rut

 

I don't belive that '73 box is a "firm feel". Fast ratio does not mean "firm feel". I would replace it with a 16:1 variable ratio from AGR or do as suggested with a 3rd Gen. box.

 

Hey Buck, A great choice is a box from a LE-1 3rd gen Camaro. Not only is it a fast ratio but it is very beefy inside due to that unit being ordered for State Trooper cars. If you by chance find one in a junk yard remember to get the fluid cooler it's a good combo. Also remember the fluid lines are metric so you would need to up date your pump or get conversion lines as with any late box. Food for thought AGR boxes are built off this unit.

 

The gear and intermediate steering shaft in the picture is NOT OEM from a 1973 Camaro/Firebird. The gear has a 3/4 diameter input shaft. That shaft started in production on all GM power gears in 1977. The intermediate steering shaft that is shown attached to the gear was used in production on the F-cars starting around 1979. So the gear and I-shaft couldn't be original from a 1973 car.

The only way to externally tell what gear you have is to be extremely lucky and find a two letter code ink stamped on the aluminum end plug or the aluminum side cover. From the picture, it appears that the side cover has been polished so no ink stamp on it. You might get lucky on the end plug. The casting numbers and other numbers on the gear housing or side cover do not tell you anything about it.

JIML82

 

You will be much much happier with a firm feel box than that one. A 79 Z/28 had a 14 to 1 ratio with fairly firm feel. The late third gen boxes are the best with 12.7 to 1 ratio and very firm feel with the IROC box. The third gen boxes require hose adapers or get an AGR box that will fit right in but have all the desireable features.

 

That box would have worked just fine.