Thanks Carl, is this info from a parts book? 3:08 would be OK for what he wants it for.  I would like to know if GM did the same thing as the 55-56   3:70 with standard trans and 3:55 with auto.   Did GM use different gears from auto to standard in 58-64.  There are still a few parts cars around and I want to know which one had the best highway gears. We installed a 700r4 in my friends 56 Nomad and with the stock 3:55 and a 265 power pack we averaged 27 mpg with 3 adults and luggage on a 1500 mile trip. The person in South Africa wants to increase his fuel economy in his 58 Parisienne due to the high cost of fuel there. He plans on an 283   turbo 350 combination.  I suggested leaving the 261 3 speed standard trans and changing the third member to a better highway gear and lowering the 261 rpm at cruising speeds of 60 -70 mph

Thanks Al

I did tell him Todd in my emails to him. There was a picture of his car in the letters to the editor section of Old Autos two issues ago. His email address is rongrace@mweb.co.za  I don't know how to send him a direct link to here I just told him to Goggle Canadian Poncho.

Al

Straight out of the 58-66 Canadian Pontiac B body parts book, yup.