Hey, gang. Like a lot of us, I love old speed and power equipment advertising. They really bring home how active the automobile aftermarket parts world was… right from the start. I’m usually searching out banger speed parts ads, but I recently ran across a few vintage advertisements that got me thinking… What was the state of the aftermarket in the era before WWII for transmissions and rear ends? I’m going to be running a mild A engine and transmission with 3.78s gears, but it’s curious how an old piece of advertising can make a fella think. Anyone have knowledge or experience with and aftermarket transmission or add-on doohickey?
Here's a neat little read on Model T's. https://www.nwvs.org/Technical/MTFCA/Articles/2602AuxilaryTransmissions2.pdf
I haven't seen many for As, but there were plenty for Ts. Himico, Chicago, Warford, etc. I'd be curious to see how many manufacturers made the leap from T to A. v/r, jason
Years ago, it was popular to adapt a Borg Warner overdrive unit like was used on many three speeds in the '40s/'50s/'60s to a Model A torque tube.
@denis4x4 had a driveline installed Borg Warner OD installed in a Model A rear end. It may still be for sale Mitchell makes a modern driveline OD for the Model A. https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/product.htm?pid=984000&cat=41756 Of course there is the Quick Change rear end Halibrand 101 is Model A rear end flavor...I'm working on one for my Victoria.... I have a buddy that installed a Volvo OD in the driveline of his '28 Coupe but he has a whole machine shop in his garage I also know of a Gear Vendors unit that was put behind a B engine in an A Cabriolet that ran many Great Races.
Years ago there was a guy building and selling Model A torque tubes and drive shaft assemblies with Borg Warner Overdrives out of closed drive Ramblers adapted. I had a few Model A friends running them and they worked great. The supply of Ramblers and closed drive Borg Warners finally dried up.
There seem to have been many transmissions and rears and auxiliary units available for the Model T. The Model A doesn’t seem to have been as popular with the prewar aftermarket as far as transmissions go. Please correct me if I’m mistaken, but I think the Borg Warner units and the Halibrand 101 were both post-WWII. Did Columbia make a 2-speed rear for the Model A prewar? Somewhere I believe I may have read that Columbia also made a stand-alone A transmission or an auxiliary unit. I’ve read about modifying an AA under drive to make a “period” overdrive with differing levels of success… but I haven’t tracked down anything definitive that it was actually done prewar. Mitchell makes the OD and I believe a synchronized transmission for the Model A, but these are modern units. Above we have at least advertising for a Ruckstell transmission. Anyone know if these were actually made? Anyone have any experience with one?
I have a Rocky Mountain 3 speed in front of a 4.0-1 Ruckstell 2 speed rear end in my '27 T roadster. 6.0 Z aluminum head, B manifolds and carb and big exhaust, VW distributor. Been putting it through it's paces all week out in the Ochoco Mountains beating the heck out of it! Still running! Dave
Taller tires.... In the pre war era....a Hop Up or GOW Job would focus on loss of weight and horsepower increase for speed gains. Along with power increases can come RPM increases to help with the top end speed. A Model A/B equipped car would already go much faster than a T stock from the factory and the opening up of the exhaust would give either the appearance of fast.... A syncro 2nd and 3rd would help in speed of shifting and those were available from other models of automotive transmissions. B transmission behind a B motor on an A is a 'easy' gain. Also, with horsepower gains, higher rear end ratios could be pulled by the engine... but aftermarket speed equipment for a banger focus was on the engine, pre war....and then there was the introduction of the V8 how are you going to race your Hop Up?
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