Can someone help to identify what vehicle this transmission may have come from? It is a full syncro, wide ratio, 4 speed that bolts to a pre '49 style flathead. I've had it for years and thought the internet would let me find its origin, but no success so far. The case has no name, only casting numbers. The guy I traded it from had been told only that it came from a sports car (in a wrecking yard). Thanks.
Never seen anything like it?! Allard maybe? Looks awfully big to be in a sportscar. I'll give ya $10 for it!
That could be, but I can't find that the Vedette had a full size flathead. Weren't they all the 60 hp? This was still bolted to a large one, with forged aluminum oil pan, '49 location distributor (though not interchangeable) and top radiator hoses that pointed straight forward as if the radiator was no taller than the engine. If I'm wrong about the Vedette being only small flatties, then you're probably right. As you know, it became the Simca Vedette and later was bought by Chrysler, who produced overhead valve versions of the V8 60 (Brazil, if I remember) into the seventies.
The throwout arm is on the left side, probably rules out Allard as they were English and would be RHD. Export model? The Vedettes we got in NZ were 4 door sedans, never saw anything that had bucket seats. Note the oil level bung on the side of the box, looks late model almost even plastic? I have never seen a box like this. I'll go to $20.00
The Brazil engines are called "Emi-Sul", ardun like hemis but V8-60 based. See YouTube for a couple videos of an engine.
Roadrunner, the hardware is metric. The oil plug says 'huile' which most of you probably know is French for oil. Go ahead and laugh, but I didn't know that when I first cleaned it and found the word. I thought for years that I was onto a manufacturer or something.
Hello, I don't think it's came from a Vedette, as far i know (I can be wrong) Vedette have 3 on a tree.
Here are some info,, http://rides.webshots.com/album/569950084iPSlqF http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Comète Lars
I thought the late Lincoln V12 overdrive transmissions were the coolest of the flathead trans. Now I have to change my opions, this thing is great. Ravenwood, if this thing is not a good fit for you, let me know and we can trade to something that fits better.. maybe a nice '39 or so ;-)
Measure the ratio of first gear -- if it's a granny, you have a French or Belgian 1-ton truck. Marmon-Herrington made light truck ch***is in Belgium. Ford fitted them out with 85HP V-8 for the Belgian army as ambulance, staff cars, APC and towing vehicles for light artillery. The ch***is is model 91Y. They were made from the 1930s into the mid-1950s, with COE and 4X4 versions. I don't know if Ford of France did similar work. http://www.network54.com/Forum/3303...elgian+Ford-Marmon-Herrington+91Y+armored+car
I remember taking one of these apart when I was a kid, I seem to remember we only wanted the ch***is and 4x4 stuff to make an off-road vehicle of some kind. Don't remember it having a flathead or the trans shown above.. don't think it had much if any aluminum on it, mostly cast iron I think. But then again that was probably 30 years ago so memory can be faded on that one.
It looks to me like this box can be made to be a top shifter right on top of the box. That shifter looks like it's pushed way back and uses rods and levers to shift remotely from farther back in the car. Too cool!
Thanks everyone. Lars, you nailed it. I should have asked you long ago! I acquired the transmission years ago, stumbled across it soon after seeing a Cotton Werksman done rod in a rodding magazine. He placed the floorboard beneath the frame, and the transmision was exposed. I liked that and planned to do something similar, polishing the ******. Traded a sportsman dirt track racer ('36 Ford 3 window) for it and its engine. We had idle racing flatheads sitting about, so the rod made sense, but it never came together. Still have the flatheads, though, so who knows? Thanks again, HAMBERS to the rescue!
The early Comete came with the V8 60, later changed to a 3.9 liter flatie from Mathis trucks, and was called the Comete Monte Carlo. Apparently this same transmission came in the Facel Vega AND a few 1960 Chrysler 300F: " Only 15 of these "short" ram cars were built, mainly for Daytona or Flying Mile race cars. The $800 "short" ram option also included a rare four-speed Pont-a-Mousson manual transmission, a French made trasmission made for the Facel Vega, a Chrysler powered French luxury car. " It so happens that Facel made the bodies for the Comete, but I see no evidence that Facel ever made a car with a flattie. One source says that the Comete Monte Carlo with the big engine came with 3 on the tree or a semi-auto Cotal trans, which is not what you have. Another source mentions the Pont a Mousson 4 speed, but not which engine it bolted to. If you can find a pic of the short ram optional ****** on a Chrysler 300F site, it might look like what you have. Similar trannies were used in French Mathis trucks behind flatties. I just now discovered it's all been covered before at http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-150959.html
I'm currently reawakening a 1960 Facel HK500 that has a Pont -A- Mousson 4spd in it. At first glance your trans appears to be different. The tail shaft is much longer. If yours is an earlier model it could explain the slight differences. I'll look closer at the car Monday to confirm . You could send an email with a picture to Mark Morgan at markontheweb@cox.net . He knows the Facels and the Pont a moussons better than most here in the States.
Thanks Palosfv3. With the great tips given me by you HAMBERS (especially the web sites you've sent me to), I've learned more than I could've believed. The Pont-A-Mousson 4spd I have is the Series I, used in the French Ford Comete '52-'54, (became Simca Comete for a few months in '55 before being discontinued.), and used in the Facel FV '54-'58. During '58, with the change from the FV to the HK500, Facel had Pont-A-Mousson build the Series II, which yours probably is. The transmissions shared the same internals. The Series I had an aluminum case. At least some of the Series IIs had a cast iron case, with aluminum tail shaft housing and aluminum shifter housing. I am very interested if your case is aluminum or cast iron. Some of the Series II (cast iron case) were used in Chrysler 300 series in '59 and '60, the engines producing as much as 400hp. Your ****** must be one tough son-of-a-gun! If you don't mind, would you let me know about the case material. Thanks a lot.
Just a thought,. Maybe this ship has already sailed,.... but you remember all those French military flathead's that came out of trucks?,.... I thought those trucks had a wide ratio 4 speed. (haven't had time to rear the entire thread)
I thought this was already figured out,,, are there more questions about this transmission? The problem is pretty easy if searching a little on the internet. WikipediA,, The Ford Comète (also the Simca Comète) was a car built between 1951 and 1954 in France by the Ford Motor Company's French subsidiary, Ford SAF Intended as the luxury model in the range, the Comète's bodywork was built by FACEL, who later produced the better-known Facel Vega luxury cars under their own name. The original engine was a 2.2 L V8 produced by Ford SAF of French design, also used in the Ford Vedette, and a Pont A Mousson 4-speed manual transmission was used. The original model had a single, horizontal bar across the grille with a chromed shield or bullet in the center, somewhat similar to contemporary Studebaker products, a**** others, and steel wheels with chromed hubcaps. Although the car's looks, features and build quality drew admiration, the small engine rendered the heavy Comète underpowered and unreliable. In 1953, a new "Monte-Carlo" model was given a 3.9 L V8 normally fitted to Ford trucks; this engine, befitting its truck heritage, delivered 78 kW (105 hp) but also plenty of torque. Performance was much improved, but the new engine did not endear itself to buyers; it was not only known to be a "truck engine", but its large engine displacement meant that its tax horsepower rating was 22CV, making for high road taxes. This new model was fitted with wire wheels, a fake hood scoop, and a very typically Ford egg-crate grille (vertical and horizontal equally spaced bars). The French called this grille a "coupe-frites": a "french-fry cutter". During the production of the Comète, Ford SAF was taken over by Simca, and the final year's production was under the Simca name. But I know,, dont trust everything on the internet,, Lars
Transmission is from a 1954 French Ford. It was made by a French company Pont a Mousson. This one was used only in the French 105 hp flathead which was made in France only in 1954. Transmission is impossible to get parts for now and is completely different from other Ford transmissions. I have one but have not put it in my French Ford. Gary
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