Sloppy transmission?

[PeteVS]

I've got a trans that appears to be a mutt. Case is possibly '32? (Serial number appears to be STAR I8, rest is unreadable. Top is straight up with single detent. First and reverse are straight cut gears, second and main gear are helical. There appears to be significant (.030?) side to side play where the input shaft sticks out of the front. What causes this? Is this common? If so, what's acceptable? End of shaft that goes into the pilot bearing is rusty but should clean up OK- what's acceptable diameters here? I know- I have to get MacVP's book. Thanks for any answers!

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

Pete...here's an old discussion with basic trans part ID info, much less detail than Mac's book, of course:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=91515&highlight=1939+trans+prices&showall=1

Slop...issues here iswhetehr slop is in front bearing or shaft. Test with another bearing...also check pilot area where rear shaft pilots into it as another place possibly worn by the slop. Check flywheel end when clean against a decent pilot bearing...if dodgy, it could be fitted into a new roller one instead of the bushing.
Normally, mixed gear set would be one of the '32-35, requiring a slant tower shifter.
I remember from some service bulletins that some commercials got the striaght cut 1-R for a few years later than that, never looked into that. Could be the commercial lash-up or an early with '36-87 cover bodged on.
18 prefix was used on all 221's, so could be at least as late as 1942...even a few digits or a digit count would help place it.
Look at the description of case taper in that article above: Taper all the way would be a '32-4 case, short straight section before the funnel taper means at least 1935 as case. ID the parts on the assumption that it may be a mongrel.