Hot Rods How the Hell Does This Work……..

I was looking around eBay and ran across a listing for a ‘46 Merc and it has a flathead with a Lenco behind it. I know that motor isn’t putting out enough horsepower or torque to justify the expense and the engineering it took to put it in but damn this is cool as shit!! I bet that car made a few folks scratch their heads and wonder if they really wanted any of this

 

I have always wanted that tranny but I have never had the car to put it in...and that aint the car IMHO. Cool as shit transmission! Schwing!

 

Yeah the build is not really my cup of tea but it has one hell of a cool factor to it.

 

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do that thing.


But I'd love to have that Flatty for my '32 Sedan.

 

That's one disturbed individual!
A trait I feel a connection to.

 

We’ve got a guy in nearby Lodi, Ca who does stuff like that, strange combinations of parts and cars with an extremely radical look. All very well done but I look at them and think why? Did he just have that stuff lying around and put it to use?
Maybe that guy had a free Lenco lying around and built a car around it.

 

As a new guy to this type of transmission, can someone explain all the shift levers and how it works?

 

Hold my beer while I shift gears . That’s Kool as Polar Bear Sh*t

 

Kind of single purpose. But pretty good at that.

https://lencoracing.com/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=17

 

It's a series of planetary gear sets that each have 1:1 and some other ratio. Pull the levers in whatever order you want and it instantly changes the gear ratio.

 

It sold at Mecum in January, must have been bought by the dealer that's trying to sell it because it basically has the same mileage.

Weird build. Lenco transmissions are cool, but I'll never have a use for one.

 

Each are modular 2 speed planetary transmissions. [eg. 1.3:1 underdrive and 1:1]
When all 3 levers are forward you get 1.3 x 1.3 x 1.3 = 2.2:1 [first gear]
pull 1 lever you get 1.3 x 1.3 x 1.0 = 1.69:1 [second gear]
pull 2 levers you get 1.3 x 1.0 x 1.0 = 1.3:1 [third gear]
pull 3 levers you get 1.0 x 1.0 x 1.0 = 1.0:1 [forth gear]

You are able to stack a Lenco from 2 to 5 speed and various ratio options

 

That car is ugly as sin.

 

Dare to be different!
Not what I would do, even with a 102 fever and the parts.
Since it's a dealer, I'd guess the builder/owner (?) moved on.

 

A lot of cool touches on that car, not something I'd build but my Hat off to the guy that did ! He had an idea and went with it and finished it.

..

 

It needs the front sheet metal put back on.

 

Bad Chad, pick up the white courtesy phone...
Woof!

 

Yes, but at least the Model A grille surround will make it more saleable…………………….. ……

 

not by much, but a 32 grill would be an improvement.

 

Well, my wife won't allow an Orange car.
I think the '70s were rough on her.

 

Could so easily be just an elaborate transmission tunnel cover. Take a damaged, scrap Lenco unit and pass it through a bandsaw. Attach to transmission tunnel. For extra headscratching points make one lever operational to shift a regular auto trans. Desperate to be different?

Chris

 

Badly. Like...RIGHT NOW!!!

 

I wanna know if Anthony would drive it!

 

I'd want a close up of the seal around the transmission, bet its really noisy and hot to drive. Almost looks like a fake piece just setting on the floor.

 

Did anyone else notice the gas pedal?

 

Nope, my eyes hurt too much from the exterior.

 

That car does not look right without the front sheet metal. In my opinion that only works with the older body styles. I also think that if you wanted to put a 5 speed behind a flathead, that the Lenco is not the best choice. "Different strokes for different folks".

 

There is a ‘57 Chevy post car running around here with a Lenco and I was able to take a ride in it, yeah it’s loud as hell inside but so worth the cool factor. Now he does have a blown and injected big block so it is worth having that tranny in the car but with the straight ground gears it has a loud whine.

 

He’s over in Turkey getting 8000 plus hair plugs installed in his skull cap, can’t come to the phone right now.

 

The guy who built it was a big time mountain motor pro stock racer from Oklahoma. The Lenco was just laying around so... The front clip was in the yard. Car is pretty mild.