Columbia for 39 Merc

[blucar]

Originally Posted by joel

Thanks for the info from Blucar and Kube and I've been considering using later controls.

For the life of me I can see no reason why someone would even consider going to all of the trouble to modify a 46-48 Columbia axle housing to lesson the width by approximately 3/4", actually less than 2" overall if a complete '46-48 assembly is used in lieu of the '39-40 assembly..
In my minds eye, anytime you start cutting/welding axle housings, the potential for trouble is ramped up.
I guess some people just like to beat themselves up..

[Kube]

Originally Posted by blucar

For the life of me I can see no reason why someone would even consider going to all of the trouble to modify a 46-48 Columbia axle housing to lesson the width by approximately 3/4", actually less than 2" overall if a complete '46-48 assembly is used in lieu of the '39-40 assembly..
In my minds eye, anytime you start cutting/welding axle housings, the potential for trouble is ramped up.
I guess some people just like to beat themselves up..

While I agree this is not a necessary modification IF the car is not being properly restored, the fact is, the machining and welding is really rather easy
Plus, anytime I restore a car, I always make certain the axle housing is true. I think many folks would be surprised at how the axle housings have become distorted through the past decades.

[joel]

I should explain a little, the 46 Columbia was buried in mud and overgrown with weeds on the driver side. I cut that bell up to get the rear apart and save the Columbia parts. The rears I have to restore the Columbia are all 39/40. I felt fortunate to get this stuff at all and all the Columbia parts where in good usable condition.

[blucar]

I got to thinking last night, just how much further into the rear wheel well does a '46-48 rear end extend, and how much does it encroach on the fender clearance?
I went out to the garage and checked my '36. The 600 x 16 tire on a '36-39 wheel is 1-3/4" inside of the fender bead.. Plenty of clearance for the tire.
Of course it is a little late to be worrying about such a thing on my car, it's been that way for almost sixty years.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by blucar

I got to thinking last night, just how much further into the rear wheel well does a '46-48 rear end extend, and how much does it encroach on the fender clearance?
I went out to the garage and checked my '36. The 600 x 16 tire on a '36-39 wheel is 1-3/4" inside of the fender bead.. Plenty of clearance for the tire.
Of course it is a little late to be worrying about such a thing on my car, it's been that way for almost sixty years.

The 46 - 48 rear end pushes each wheel out about 3/4" vs the 39 - 40 rear end.