"Gowjobs": Depresion Era Performance and Early day hop-up tech

I would think an aftermarket Ruckstell "Dual High" Transmission would be the pinnacle for a Model A until the availability of the Model B box and Zephyr gears later in the decade.

I asked about the worth of mating an early Buick 3-speed to a Chevy 'banger a few months ago on VCCA and they kind of laughed at me, either saying the '28 'box was good enough, or why not go all the way to a T5.

-Dave

 

What about a AA two speed underdrive run backwards?
Or is that what the Ruckstell is?

 

The Ruckstell is similar in concept to a modern 4- or 5-speed overdrive, but without direct drive. Top gear is overdrive, and second splits the difference between 1st and 3rd. There is no 1:1 gear as there would be on the Ford trans. I don't know how it would accelerate, but it would improve top speed and reduce cruising RPMs. Just the ticket for a highboy roadster or speedster.

-Dave

 

I only mention the AA 2 spd because my dad just bought a restored A truck that has this done to it. I haven't seen the truck yet, the shipper hasn't delivered it yet but I should get to go for a spin in about 2 weeks. I will have to report back after then. It does seem like a period mod though

 

Very interesting find Dave. I wonder if those were more common back then? I don't think I have ever seen one....so it might not be the most practical or obtainable option, but certainly a unique one. The taller Ruckstell "High" would sure give it long legs for racing at say Muroc, but you're right...I wonder what it would do to acceleration?

Did the B gearboxes have better gear ratios then the A boxes?

 

On page 29 of the book “Dry Lakes and Drag Strips: The American Hot Rod” by Dean Batchelor, there is a photograph of Regg and Dolores Schlemmer in a ‘31 roadster with Chevrolet-type hood sides, Packard wire wheels, and one of these transmissions.

Here's another thread on MTFCA.com discussing them.

That I don't know, but I have gleaned from the Monthly Banger Meets that one can run V8 gears in them and thereby get the advantages of the V8 trans without having to adapt the case.

-Dave

 

I will have to give that a read over...

Interesting! I didn't know that the V8 gear clusters would fit in a Model B gearbox. As far as I know, they won't fit in an A gearbox...but the B must have had a different case, like the V8 car...but without the integrated cast bell housing.

That would be a hot setup! ...V8 or Lincoln gears in a B gearbox backing up a hot A motor....I like that!

 

Oh yeah. So, does this mean you're starting a fourth project?

-Dave

 

Oh goodness no, I have too many as it is......but it gives me ideas for building my own overdrive for the Roadster

A B gearbox...with V8 or Lincoln gears coupled behind my T motor......perhaps with a Gallivan DOHC head....5-main T block.....Counterbalanced heavy crank and rods....Roots blower....

...need I say more?

 

Nice! Are you familiar with the Art Gerrick car? He ran an A trans behind a T block. Supposedly at one time there was an aluminum pan available to do that.

-Dave

 

Yes I am actually. Nicely built car....will have to read back over the specs though about the trans..

 

It actually looks like an early V8 transmission and not a Model A. I have the feeling that the adapter, dry plate clutch and pan are all custom. Don't remember ever seeing these in production...

 

I think on the Gerrick car, they are custom, but I heard somewhere (MTFCA?) about the aluminum pans for sliding-gear trannies.

-Dave

 

Clayton, I have been pondering a more highway friendly gear for my not yet built T roadster on an A ch***is/ A powered. I'm not sure when they started to turn up ( probably later than you are talking about) but I have been looking into a torque tube mounted overdrive unit. I ran across a picture this weekend of a '32 ch***is going together. I am not sure who's it is as it was in my "swiped pictures file" but I was thinking something like this...

 

Looks like a Borg Warner unit?

As an aside, I just picked up a '46 Lincoln OD for a different project and I am super geeked about it!


Sent from my Droid using TJJ ****a!

 

It's acually not that hard to adapt the v8 box to the A motor. The same basic box was used from '32 to '39 in cars and into the early '50's. You put a '38 perameter on the years so I would go with a v8 box. The '37 & 8 boxes are what I would look for. Any of the post-'39 box gears can be swaped into the earlier box even the side shift models.

Ron

 

That is actually a very rare driveshaft mounted overdrive used as accessories for the 1939 and 40 Lincolns, but they may have been used as late as '48 as accessories for Ford and Mercury cars too. Not sure who made them though...

 

You could always go with a Columbia Rear Axle. Ran a couple of those back in the mid '60s and they work good. With the right gear set in the ****** you can split shift and get six even spaced gears. Did that in a '47 coupe with a built flathead. Wish I still had that one, but I got drafted and it went away.

 

The Columbia was first avilable in '35 or 6 so that would be a viable rear end to use.

Ron

 

I love b model fords!! just saying lol

 

This one here has a Warford aux 6 forward gear and 3 reverse. Top end is around 90 mph.

 

You're up early, John !

 

Here we go:

-Dave

 

Interesting Dave, interesting!

If they were made by Fronty, there are a period accessory...but I think they would be RARE. They would have been issued during that transition period between the T and the A. Why go to that work to fit a an A trans/bell housing/flywheel to a Model T when you could just use an A engine from the start?

..I wonder how many they made?

 

The '32-'34 four cylinder transmissions do have an integral bell housing, but with the starter bulge in the appropriate place. You'd need a '39 style cover to go along with the '39-'48 ge****t for the shift forks to line up properly.

 

How long did it take for the Model A speed equipment industry to get up to speed? Especially at the start of the Great Depression, I'm thinking that somebody with a fully built T motor might have wanted to keep that and just move into the newer trans?

But yeah, I'm thinking hen's teeth on that one. Still, it's one of my reasons for deciding I'm not out of line to run an A trans behind my Chevy banger.

-Dave

 

Ah! Okay, now I understand how it works! Thanks for the clarification HEATHEN!

 

Another priceless tidbit of hamb information. Thanks for sharing.