OK lunatics (and I mean that in the best possible way, I don't know how you guys keep all this crap straight), my 15-year-old son and I are trying to resurrect my dad's '41 tudor 80's rod. My dad gave it to my son, and it's going to have a flathead, probably with the Camden supercharger if we can make it work. The 59ab that was in it probably won't work, the cam, rods, Merc crank and Johnson lifters are all saveable. We may end up with an 8ba in it by the time it is all said and done, just depends on how things go. Here are the considerations: 1) I am not a millionaire. 2) The car still has the closed driveline with column-shift 3spd and a stock rearend. We of course want a floor-shift and my dad has a '39 trans we could use (there's a Columbia buried in his garage too. Yikes!), but I doubt sending my son into the future with that stuff is practical or smart. The flathead will be hard enough. I have done 9 inch swaps before and could do it here, with an open driveline of course and probably an 8ba. But what about the trans? I have read through all the flathead 4 spd thread I can stand, but it's still not really falling into place. I know the T5 is popular and I am looking at that. It would make sense from a future parts availability as well. I have seen the toploader/jeep shifter thing also. Can somebody boil this down to what would be the easiest and most reasonable way to put a more modern floor shift trans into a stock chassis '41, recognizing that mods will be required? If you can link me to a thread, that would be great. Here's a recent pic of the car and an old one of the engine. Thanks in advance.
Hi..........I'm a lunitic, crazy, asshole at times, nice guy most of the time, and I spend way too much time building hot rods, customs, and race cars. Your son's grandpas '41 from the photos looks like it wouldn't take but a few hours to get it running again, just the way gramps has it. Beautiful engine with that blower........then drive the wheels off of it. While driving the wheels off it you could slowly help your son learn the skills to build "his" own hot rod and along the way he will learn a lot of skills that will come in handly later in life. Thats what I do for a living. A few of my older customers have inherited their dads, or other friends old hot rods and because they left them alone some of them have become historic. I understand the desire to change the car your way, better highway speeds and a little better fuel economy, but unless its a daily the money you save putting in a 5 speed and different diferential will be nil. I drive one of my dads old rides '56 Merc, and although I can't keep up will the cars running 80 down the road I appreciate the "thumbs up" I get as they pass. Jerry
great looking project. many choices for tranny. later ford 3sp w/od would be nice and easy. just hit the threads on it and then you can get more specific. i would personally stay with the early flathead motor, no real incentive to change IMHO.
The block is 3-3/8 + .020, had water in it and other issues. It can be saved for a large expense, I just don't have the money for that right now. Hoping to find another block at a reasonable price. Point taken on the vintage stuff. The old school route is definitely preferable, I was just trying to be practical for a change. But if I was the practical type, I wouldn't be here, would I?
Whats in that 56 mercury , we restored my great aunts 56 merc ( she bought it new) for my brother 10 years ago stock 312 with auto. and it will run the interstate all day long at 80+
im a flathead guy through and through... why wont this work? keep it the way it is...theres no problem with drivability the way it is...as long as he knows how to drive it and doesnt down shift into first and break some teeth off...all the rods im building now all are getting 59ab with 39 trans and closed driveshaft rears....i cant get enough of them...i might change the paint on the car but thats it....
Hi 39 chevy kustom........made a mistake in my reply......its a '55 Merc Montery. Has a 292, stock with exception of 12v. Dad bought it new and it has only needed another "teapot" carb, upholstry, tires, oil and gas. Seems to like to cruise 60/70 all over the bay area.....even in slower speed zones.
No reason it won't work. The hang-up is the fact that most of my experience is with 50's-70's trucks. The old man has donated a banged up '56 F100 to my youngest son, and that's great because it's right in my wheelhouse. But with the '41 I look underneath and see wishbones, a torque tube, knee-action shocks, that old rearend--I just have no experience with it, and my son is used to asking me what we're going to do and this time I have to tell him I don't know. He's used to working on my '70 burb with me and I usually know which size wrench is needed for most bolts before I even look. But hey, you're never too old to learn something new. It will be good for my brain--or melt it. I'm sure we'll get it worked out.
hey im going to be honest with you....its like ant other car....buy a service manual and youll be in great shape....i just hate to see a car like that get ruined with a new trans swap....with the right gears in the rear no reason you ccant cruise at 75 all day...flatheads arent complicated....im 26 and currently have 7 flatheads all of them the 59ab style engine but one...the 8ba was rebuilt buy the same guy who did the rest i constantly have to piss with it...the 59abs run great and just go... im currently building a 304 stroker 59ab....and i have a fairly stock one with a 39 trans that im putting in a sedan delivery
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