Bill, I just joined this forum and recognized your name from a Chevy truck forum. Since you were sort of a "familiar face", I thought I'd run some questions by you. Yesterday I bought a 1957 Pontiac Star Chief with a 347 engine and Hydramatic transmission. The transmission shifts really hard into 3rd gear, and if I get on it a little bit the transmission slips and makes an unusual noise. How hard are these transmissions to work on? Are parts readily available for them? If all else fails, can I swap it out for a TH350 or another GM transmission? I know that's several questions, but I know very little about automatic transmissions. Thanks for your response.