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05-27-2016, 04:53 PM | #1 |
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Posts: 157
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51 merc needs a little speed up
getting tired of the cussing and the one finger salutes im getting from the a holes im on the road with. im sure they think im doing 60 in a 70 mph zone just to peeve them off but the merc is stock motor and 3 speed od. 60 seems where it wants to be,about 2050 rpm. what i like to know from the gurus here is can i go to a different rear gear and not tear the clutch out of it when starting out in 1st.its got the 4.11 in it now. or am i baby it to much at the lower rpms. she seems very content at the 2050 rpm. tires are 235 75 15s thanks in advance.
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05-27-2016, 05:09 PM | #2 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
have you looked into a Mitchel Overdrive? That's the way I would go.
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05-27-2016, 06:19 PM | #3 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
already have the 3 speed trans with overdrive. nice car in the avatar by the way.
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05-27-2016, 06:29 PM | #4 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
I dont think 2050 is any problem at all. 2500 isnt an issue either. Stick to two lane roads or put your foot in it....... Mark
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I'm thinkin' about crankin' My ragged ol' truck up and haulin' myself into town. Billy Joe Shaver |
05-27-2016, 06:41 PM | #5 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
You won't hurt it. Those engines are made to run. I'm older and gentler now but used to run my '50 75 - 80 mph all the time on the open highways of Nevada. Still run my F1 70 on the interstate. (T5 trans with 20% overdrive and a 3.78 axle.)
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05-27-2016, 06:48 PM | #6 | |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
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05-27-2016, 07:24 PM | #7 |
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Location: Gloucester VA
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
Maybe an internal or external balance problem in the engine.
Lonnie |
05-27-2016, 07:49 PM | #8 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Star, MS
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
Run it on up to 70. If the car handles fine and there are no warning signals from the engine you won't hurt it. We would like to see a picture of your Mercury.
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05-27-2016, 09:31 PM | #9 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
Trade it in for a model t and really pizz em off
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05-27-2016, 09:39 PM | #10 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
Even at 70 mph you'll piss off some people. Most down here are doing 80+
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05-27-2016, 09:47 PM | #11 |
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Location: Glens Falls NY
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
My stock '47 with an 59AB, BW OD and 15" Merc wheels loves doing 60 or 65 but doesn't mind 70 or +. It just has that sound and torque feeling at its sweet spot.
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05-27-2016, 10:34 PM | #12 |
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Location: Williamsburg, Virginia
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
Even though that Merc is a bigger and heavier car, I can't see a problem at running 23-2400 rpm. Flatties love a challenge! I do not think your od is much different than my avatar with a 5 speed. At 2500 I am doing 75. 23-2400 should put you right at 70 and hopefully getting more thumbs up vs the middle finger pointing skyward!
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05-28-2016, 07:34 AM | #13 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
Are you sure you have a 4.11 rear? Stock '51 Merc OD came with a 4.27 rear.
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05-28-2016, 08:47 AM | #14 |
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Location: San Antonio, Texas
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
Most stock 1951 Mercs that had overdrive transmissions, came with the Dana 44 rear axle with the 3.91:1 gears. The next lower ratio was the 4.27:1 and it was for hill or mountain country. If a person wanted to pull the long long trailer then they would need the 4.55:1 ratio. The number on the little metal tag back on the rear case cover will tell the story as to the ratio installed when new.
The standard gearing would easily do 70 mph all day long. It may be that the car has the hill country gearing. |
05-28-2016, 08:56 AM | #15 |
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Location: Boulder, Colorado
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
I feel like you're floating a golden raft in a sea of turds. If you got your car up to 70 then someone doing 80 would be pissed. People trying to cut 5 minutes off a twenty minute trip will never be satisfied, and will always arrive only 30 second sooner than if they did the limit anyway. Folks keep moving to my little town for the scenery and peace and quiet and then rush all over the place running stopsigns, and giving me dirty looks for going 30 in a 30! Thanks, legal weed and Google! Best thing to do in my opinion is to feel sorry for those that cant afford the extra time in their lives, drive your fully taxed and registered car however you want to within the laws and then give them a big smile and an emphatic "thumbs up". Angry drivers seem to really, really, hate that lately, it's been quite fun.
- Chris, Driving slow in Boulder |
05-28-2016, 09:19 AM | #16 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
The Cooch has it. 2300 won't hurt that engine.
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05-28-2016, 09:37 AM | #17 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
thanks guys. i couldnt find a tag on the rear end so last night i jacked it up and turned the rear wheels yeah its probably a 4.27 it goes 4 and a quarter turns on the drive shaft. i think i will look for a 3.91 or just kick it up a little on rpm.
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05-28-2016, 10:22 AM | #18 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
I have a '51 Merc. It has a 3sp w/ o/d and 4:27 rear gears. I cruise it at 65-70 all the time.
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05-28-2016, 10:29 AM | #19 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
Oldman41: Before you go searching for another ring and pinion do some calculations.
It may not be worth the trouble. http://www.advanced-ev.com/Calculators/TireSize/ Also, here's a good article. If the Merc OD unit has a .7 ratio, then the final drive ratio for your 4:27 rear in overdrive would be 4.27 x .7 = 2.98. Why change? http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/transmi...ner-overdrive/ Last edited by 19Fordy; 05-28-2016 at 10:37 AM. |
05-28-2016, 10:32 AM | #20 |
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Re: 51 merc needs a little speed up
You might call Randy at Randy's Gear Supply. I think new R&P sets are available for the older Dana 44 axles in more than a few ratios. They would be the same basic axle as the F1 pickups had in the 50 through 52 years and on into the early F100 series. The Dana 44 had the 6 5/8" ring gear bolt circle in the 1951 model year with 19 spline axle shafts. If you use any ratio smaller than 3.92:1, you will have to change the carrier to a smaller bolt circle design. The overdrive Mercs like that ratio. Smaller ratio will get the rpms down but might make it lug in low gear. The smaller ratios were for the Merc-O-Matic drive. I wouldn't go any lower than 3.78:1 myself but then I'm perfectly happy with the OEM 3.91:1 ratio. If you find an early Dana 44 out of an F1 pickup, it would likely have the 3.78:1 ratio but may have a 3.91:1 too.
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