One other comment that goes along with what Joe posted. The Saginaws were not considered desireable so the price for a used one was pretty cheap as he said. Because of this when one needed to be rebuilt or repaired they usually got tossed in favor of a used unit from a salvage yard for about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of an overhaul.
Just be careful when you are shopping for a Saginaw and keep in mind that it might have been removed because it needed repairs. The typical failure on them was the snap rings and wave washer on the 1 - 2 synchro hub would break and the hubs would then slide enough back and forth to crash into the shoulders of the mainshaft gears for 1 & 2. If driven long enough this way the trans also needed a new first and / or second gear and complete synchro hub assy, in addition to the regular overhaul kit.
The last one I repaired cost $155 for the o/h kit and another $125 for a first gear and a hub. This is in a numbers matching car so a different tranny wasn't an option.
Don't be afraid of a Saginaw, just be careful what you buy and what you pay.
For all sorts of 4, 5, and 6 speed info and tech go to
www.gearzone.net
