Ford Model A Overdrive. How it works, what it does! Mitchell overdrive overview

[Model A Canuck]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4un3JUgn4TU

[LeonardS]

Is Paul paying you to post all the YouTube links?

[Model A Canuck]

Originally Posted by LeonardS

Is Paul paying you to post all the YouTube links?

No i just like his video's

[Bruce of MN]

Too bad the camera broke when it was getting interesting. I liked using a spreader and leaving the spring on the car. I discovered worn out shackles as a result.

With my 6:1 head, I don't need to wind it out so far in 2nd to get going in high. I have tried high 2nd to accelerate better, but the shift into low 3rd seems to throw away that progress.

[nkaminar]

I use overdrive in second gear a lot in the hilly country I live in. Works good up or down a grade.

[butch chase]

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A V8 transmission or Mitchell transmission will give 15-18% more speed in first and second gear. When combined with the Mitchell second + overdrive is even more useful.
Here in the Ozarks First+ overdrive is handy.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Bruce of MN

I liked using a spreader and leaving the spring on the car. I discovered worn out shackles as a result.

I do the same, I found this when installing my Mitchell O/D.

Originally Posted by butch chase

A V8 transmission or Mitchell transmission will give 15-18% more speed in first and second gear. When combined with the Mitchell second + overdrive is even more useful.

I have a Mitchell O/D in my Town Sedan and I recently installed a Mitchell Transmission. I use 2nd & @nd O/D most of the time now. If I had installed the Mitchell Trans before the O/D, I don't think I would have bought the O/D. I love the synchro trans with the 15% over 1st and 2nd.

[Tom F OHIO]

How old is that video? Did he make a new video yet on this subject?

[Keith True]

I have two of them.One is in a Coupe,that has 3.54 gears in the rear.Seems like most of the time I forget and leave it in OD.I realize it when I come to a big hill.The other one is still standing against the wall in the Model A shed.I've had that one around for a while,the slip is still taped to the box showing I paid $1600.for it.I wanted to put it in my 28 Phaeton,but it has that early style pinion and won't fit.A few years ago I bought two sets of 3.27 gears.I had called to order a set,and the woman said,we only have two sets left,would you like both?For me that is the way to go.I put one set in an open pickup,the guy that bought it rarely went over 35 and didn't like them.So I put a set of 3.70's in and took the tall gears back.I used a BW OD in my 30 open pickup,but it has 3.54 gears and made it too high.That was a 33% over,and too much with the 3.54's.I was going to use the Mitchell in it,but I think I'll just use a set of the 3.27's.

[Bruce of MN]

I would have assumed tall gears like that wouldn't be good in hilly NH?

[TerryO]

.The other one is still standing against the wall in the Model A shed.I've had that one around for a while,the slip is still taped to the box showing I paid $1600.for it.

If you want to sell it I'll gladly give you your money back...lol


TOB

[Keith True]

I've never had trouble with the hills in my A's.I think something gets said on the internet,others pile on,and pretty soon folks get the idea that maybe they should be carrying a tow strap in case they have trouble on the hills.A few years ago there were a half dozen A's at a gas station,they were trying to find a little ice cream place on a farm called,The Milk Room.If you punch that address in a GPS it sends you to a hayfield a mile away from it.I grew up playing on that farm,so I said,follow me.It was less than 2 miles away.It is on a hill,and I just buzzed right up the hill in my Roadster,in high gear.The other A's came chugging up eventually,a couple had stopped at the bottom to select the gear they wanted to use.I generally hit the bottom of a hill running,and 9 times out of 10 it gets me to the top.

[Gene F]

Keith, people do not know how to tour in an A. Every time my local chapter makes a run into the Appalachian's I try to impress on all the drivers when you see a hill coming nail the gas. They all nodd, but then in actually one of them always gets mezorized at the time.

I have a B/W and if the hill is large I simply drop out of O/D and hold the thottle pedal down about 95%, which works well. Seems like it runs harder longer if not on the floor. I must be doing something right, because the guys in my local chapter all say "you got a good runnin' A".

[Gene F]

Originally Posted by Keith True

I have two of them.One is in a Coupe,that has 3.54 gears in the rear.Seems like most of the time I forget and leave it in OD.I realize it when I come to a big hill.The other one is still standing against the wall in the Model A shed.I've had that one around for a while,the slip is still taped to the box showing I paid $1600.for it.I wanted to put it in my 28 Phaeton,but it has that early style pinion and won't fit.A few years ago I bought two sets of 3.27 gears.I had called to order a set,and the woman said,we only have two sets left,would you like both?For me that is the way to go.I put one set in an open pickup,the guy that bought it rarely went over 35 and didn't like them.So I put a set of 3.70's in and took the tall gears back.I used a BW OD in my 30 open pickup,but it has 3.54 gears and made it too high.That was a 33% over,and too much with the 3.54's.I was going to use the Mitchell in it,but I think I'll just use a set of the 3.27's.

Early style pinion - I have never heard of that. Please tell me more. My car is March 1928

[Keith True]

The early pinion was not on a threaded sleeve like the later ones.The later ones you can hold the adjusted bearing and pinion unit in your hand.On the early ones the sleeve is not threaded to adjust and hold the bearings,but the driveshaft is.Early uses a big key also.Early ones have the pinion mounted to the driveshaft,with the end nut tightened,then slide the bearings on and adjust them I believe Tom Endy has some real good pictures,taken side by side that make the differences really show up well.

[Synchro909]

I have 4 Model As, all with a Mitchell gear splitter. I installed 3 of them. One has a Mitchell gearbox as well. That car is the one we use for our outback towing and for that, high second is a VERY useful gear.
I noticed in that video that Paul released the clutch during his change from high second to third gear. I don't but yo have to be quick. I've done it so many times that I rely on "muscle memory" without thinking about it.
Clearly, the engine in the outback car has a bit more grunt that original - quite a bit but there is a hill near home that has me back to high first and a runup to conquer.
I can't see me ever owning another Model A without one but I understand why the purist would think otherwise.