Hi All, Does anyone know if any of the 6 cylinder 49-51 cars came with or utilized overdrive transmissions? I need something that will allow me to drive my Shoebox on the highway? Another option I have been thinking is to install a 9" rear with 308's but wondering if I would lose all of my bottom end. Thanks, Steve
I think pretty much all the fords were available with the o/d in those days and all the way into the 60’s. You should be able to find a stock trams with the o/d, which will probably be a R-10 Borg Warner. Great little unit used up till the 292 y blocks. Doesn’t like abuse, but driven they’re fine. I don’t know about the shoeboxes, but by 55 a six o/d would probably have had a 4:11 rear end. Station wagons 4:27 with the Dana’s. It’ll be a great and proven combination.
I have the original rear which I believe are 3:78's, I am about to narrow a 9" rear 1" on each side as there is some tire rub outside of the fender wells, it is very difficult to remove the rear tires...get a rear flat on the road and I have a problem. I am also running a Hurst floor shift which I would like to retain. It is looking as though the solenoid would be in the way of a floor shift unless I can configure a shifter bracket of some sort. I do have an origional Borg Warner OD that would have come with the car, all set to go if I can figure out the logistics. Steve
Not sure if they came in 6's from the factory but one from a V8 is a bolt-in. '51 has a different rear mount location and crossmember so if you have a '51 make sure your OD is '51. If you put a '49 or '50 in a '51, use the crossmember from the trans year.
Yes, overdrive was an option with the H series engine. The 6 cylinder engine actually had more horse power than the 239 V8 engine. Overdrive would be a great option and once you learn how to use it to it's best potential it's essentially as good as a 6 speed. Your stock gear ratio is rather high for use with an over drive with the engine you have, 4:10 being the one used with the overdrive. Quick off the line but great for highway speeds. 3.08 is awfully high for the engine, too. You would be constantly down shifting and slow getting started. Not good. The best and easiest way to get what you want would be to use a 5 speed overdrive******* from an earlier model Chevy Blazer with mechanical speedo drive. Easy conversion and no wiring, controls & relays or other problems with using the Ford unit. Conversion bell housing, etc. is available from Krylon32, listed in the parts for sale section here. You would have to have a new drive shaft made with the Chevy slip yoke up front. Any good driveline shop can do this.
Thanks Glenn, This is what I have been struggling with, in addition to the early overdrive is the fact that it utilized a stock column shift, mine has been converted to floor shift. S10-T5 with cable speedo is probably the way to go. Additionally I have a 9" rear end which I need to narrow so that I can get the rear wheels off. Currently that rear end has 3:08s, I was thinking of 3:78s, which is what the current car rear has in it. Works well but need that overdrive for highway speeds. Steve
This link takes you to a HRR article. It shows the bracket set up for a Hurst on an o/d transmission. It’s a little different than your set up, but it’s close and will get you started on making the brackets the way Hurst did when they were available. https://www.hotrodreverend.com/post/2017/09/20/55-ford-restoration-blog-part-10
This may help: https://ophelia.sdsu.edu:8443/henryford_org/03-25-2015/exhibits/showroom/1949/specs.html
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