So I picked up an 3 speed trans for a flathead today, and not sure about identifying the aftermarket parts that were on it. It's closed driveline, but the case where the torque tube connects to the back of the trans is aluminum. The only markings I could find were CAE (Culbert Automotive Engineering?). It looks like a heavy duty peice of equipment, but I can't figure out why they changed it from the stock one, aside from a grease fitting (or did stock ones have that too?) Also got the torque tube that goes with it... Both ends of the tube are aluminum as well. Didn't get a chance to check that for markings yet. Transmission also had a short shifty with aluminum knob, but that might just be a homemade or modified stock one. The guy got it from his brothers estate, his brother was big into racing but no idea what time frame. Anyone seen/heard of a set-up like that? Will get some pictures tomorrow of it....
Those are race car parts. With an avitar like yours, you should know that! Don't think I'd use aluminum torque tube stuff on the street though. If the clamshell area was made of alum it might gall easily.
I pretty much figured they were for a race car haha, I'm just curious what era these were, and what the advantages were.. Aside from a little bit less weight that is.
Alright, went and took some pictures of it... Should have done that in the first place probably. Only marking I've found "CAE" I've only dealt with the newer open drive 3 speeds, but shouldn't there normally be a rear mount on there?? Also didn't notice it last night, but it looks like the short shifter was chrome at some point. Seems I spoke too soon on the torque tube... The end that bolts to the rearend is aluminum, but the "ball" end that goes into the transmission is steel. Anyone have some thoughts?
How do you get the rear half of the clamshell over the ball? I think it could be made to work for the street, but probably best left for the track. I'm not sure how the racers mounted the rear of the engine/trans. Maybe a rear plate in front of the trans? They probably used an in-out box instead of a whole transmission. I'd guess those parts are from the 60's.
Dont know too much about the race stuf, but it would be worth taking the lid off to see if it has a full set of gears or just second and top. I don't know what you intended to do with it but it's worth knowing what you have. If unsure, post some pics. Mart.
I did take the top off of the transmission... All of the gears are accounted for. One of the forks was not hooked into the gear "slider" (sorry... not good with termonology) but the top was only held down with two bolts and no gasket so they must have just stuck it on. The other stuff the guy had didn't really suggest sprint/midget race car, but I could be wrong. There was an extra ball included with the lot, but not torque tube. That was steel as well... Not sure if it was the same as the ball end on this torque tube or not, didn't pay close enough attention. Not real sure what I'm going to do with it, but I know a deal when I see one so I picked it up for pretty cheap.
I'd guess that the top doesn't go with the ge****t anyway..... with the slanted shift tower, it looks to be no newer than '35.
It is definately cool piece... Good for conversation anyways. Heathen, that's good to know on the shift tower, don't know all the differences on these.
I think the Sprint car apps used Chevy type torque tubes which had some sort of fore&aft slip arrangement...dunno much more or why. My flying guess...torque was actually handled by split radius rods on these things, so the slider type tube allowed suspension to work with separated radius rods because driveshaft would not fight the rods as things moved. Since the torque tube no longer serves as the main suspension locater...perhaps they used it mostly to protect the driver, who might have been a tad nervous with an open driveshaft between his legs...
If that steel tube could be pulled out of either of the collars at it's ends, that would answer how the clamshell was supposed to be installed.
The rear end of the tube does look a bit boogered where it goes into the casting. Hard to say exactly what's going on there. If you want to take a pic of the gears we might be able to id the ge****t for you. Mart.
I'll try and take a picture of the ge****t tomorrow, but now that I think of it only the front fork would fit into the gear "slider", I couldn't get the rear one to go down where it should. I just figured I didn't have it aligned just right..
After looking at the pictures it appears that you have a CAE transmission conversion for a race car closed drive line application. The trans runs 2nd and high gear. The torque tube you have uses the Chevy ball collar as it is designed to be a slip joint collar to remove the bind. The collar is removed from the torque tube and inserted thru the CAE collar retainer cap and then reinstalled on the torque tube.. The tube and drive shaft are then brought into position, the drive shaft splines indexed to the U joint spline and the collar is recoupled to the trans mount. just like you would with any old Ford torque tube application. Signs that the tube has been welded to the banjo collar and cracked indicated a tough life.
Thank you for the detailed ID! Any idea when CAE put these out?? The banjo collar wasn't actually welded, its actually some silicone around the joint, although looking at the pictures it definately looks like a broken weld. There is one area of it that had seen better days... Looks almost like someone jammed a wedge in between the two to get it to stay on. I'm guessing that wasn't the stock/correct way to fasten it on there haha
Alright, I was wondering that. That is the slider that the fork wouldn't fit onto. However, there was some chips out of the 1st gear sections. Nothing too big, but it had definately been used.
Those gears were used on 1936-39's actually. '39 had mixed production using your set and the later type with br*** blocker synchros. '36 used the '35-6 case, versions of the '37 case were used for all later production of this basic trans. Serial number right above the little inspection number on bell will give the actual year, though it doesn't actually matter for anything but its original car... Your shifter is the general type used with the '32-5 gear sets that had straight cut gears on first and R, and unless considerably modified won't work with the ge****t you have...paint on it suggests it was just taken off another trans and dropped onto this one.
Skidmarks and Bruce have ID'd the gear set, nothing wrong with it for your application. The large collar (2-Hi synchronizer sleeve) with the centered groove in it is for the early style shift fork. The later synchronizer sleeves have the groove offset to the front and the groove is a larger diameter. The tower you have is from approx 1933-35 era because of the angle. The fork opening is 2 7/8" and will fit all early synchronizer sleeves. Since your picture shows the syncro ring shifted in 2nd I think that is why you are having a hard time indexing it to fit. To get the cover to seat you need to align both front fork to the syncro and the rear fork to the large 1/R rear gear groove when in neutral.
Shaun, The CAE part is called a Championship U-joint housing, along with the bell collar, intended for use on the back of an in-out box. This page is from an old Nance catalog from around the early 70's, long out of business. In your case you will probably use a stock Ford transmission mount. If you do not use that part, I might be interested in it for a Track Roadster I am building, let me know if you decide to sell it.
the slant top shifter used narrower forks, so it's not a direct bolt-on, for use with the 39 style trans cases. The forks had to be modified, to fit the "later" syncros. A slant top was desireable for use in 46 -48 p*** cars, when going to a floor shift. That rear piece appears to be an adapter for use with , as said, a sprint car application. The Ford factory piece did, in fact, include the "ears" for the rear mount. 4TTRUK
Wow, thank you all for the great insight! Amazing the knowledge people on this site have... So on the trans, that top should work with the ge****t? Seems like two different stories there... As for the "paint" on the top that was just from some WD-40 I sprayed on things, although it really does look like paint in the picture... And Special thanks to Marty for the image... Would have thought it was an earlier piece then that, but I guess its hard to say how long they made them. As for my car, I've actually got an F1 trans with open drive (what the car always ran for a transmission... Or at least as long as the original builder drove it), so I'm not sure what I'll be doing with it. I've actually got a build thread on here for my race car http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=707009 Marty, I may be interested in selling the set-up (I'm ***uming you only wanted the CAE unit), really don't have much of a use for it right now, just couldn't p*** up a deal on an oddball unit like this. Anyone have some idea what this thing is worth? Pretty limited market I'm guessing... I'm fairly certain it would yes. From what I've seen on old stock cars that used this transmission it was a pretty common practice... I know my old jalopy has a sort of bar welded into the dash where you would put the shifter in to keep it in 2nd gear.
I would be interested in the setup as well for my vintage super modified. I have a very nice freshly rebuilt open driveline trans but don't want the shaft spinning between my legs.... Randy 805 610.3930
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