Columbia change out

[Matt in Alameda]

I have a 1937-40 rear axle set-up....torque tube..wishbones....and axle assembly that has a Columbia on it. For the near future I want to remove the Columbia so I can just use the axle set-up as I already have an overdrive transmission. If I remove the Columbia what do I need to buy to rebuild the passenger side of the axle? I know I need a new axle housing, bearings.....but what else? Thank-you for any responses.....Matt in Alameda

[uncle buck]

I would suggest getting a standard 37-40 rear and freshen it. Leave your columbia together as it has more value that way.

[Dave D]

I'd be happy to swap you a stock rear for your Columbia!

[Juergen]

Mechanically, you need a good axle housing, a stock spider, the assembly with bolts that holds the spider and a gasket set for shimming, if the rest of the Columbia is good.

It is a messy job, so as Uncle Buck says, it is easier if you find a good stock rear with the proper gears. Normally a Columbia could have a higher numerical gear set because it has overdrive, allowing more torque in first gear w/o overdrive. Since you are planning to use an overdrive trans, are you switching to an open drive? I don't know of any closed (torque tube) overdrive trans. If you go without overdrive, you may want a lower numerical stock rear end as a compromise between acceleration and cruise engine rpm.

[TJ]

Juergen, the Mitchell Overdrive is a torque tube drive unit. The Ryan overdrive is also a torque tube drive unit, but I don't know if it is still made..

[Matt in Alameda]

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The overdrive I am using is a Ford 1983 truck 4 speed with 4TH having a .72 ratio. It is used with the torque tube.......If I am happy with this set-up I will probably sell the Columbia. If not I would install the Columbia. The reason I don't want to use the Columbia right now is that I have no controls at all and what is available is very expensive, and it needs to be bullet proofed, even though the unit itself has been rebuilt. . The Ford Transmission shifter comes out within an inch of stock and is out of a 4X4 and there for bulletproof in a 100 HP flathead powered Ford. All gears have syncro too. Plus it has been rebuilt and machined and is ready to go in. Also having the Columbia attached to the axle with torque tube and wishbones makes it essentially impossible to ship if I sold it. I can easily ship just the Columbia. I have a brand new tubular shock and anti sway bar kit that will fit the 37-40 axle, that will not fit my present 1935 axle....hence the desire to switch axles. There for, I am trying to find out what parts I need to replace the actual Columbia unit to make this axle "whole" ........Matt in Alameda

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by Matt in Alameda

The overdrive I am using is a Ford 1983 truck 4 speed with 4TH having a .72 ratio. It is used with the torque tube.......If I am happy with this set-up I will probably sell the Columbia. If not I would install the Columbia. The reason I don't want to use the Columbia right now is that I have no controls at all and what is available is very expensive, and it needs to be bullet proofed, even though the unit itself has been rebuilt. . The Ford Transmission shifter comes out within an inch of stock and is out of a 4X4 and there for bulletproof in a 100 HP flathead powered Ford. All gears have syncro too. Plus it has been rebuilt and machined and is ready to go in. Also having the Columbia attached to the axle with torque tube and wishbones makes it essentially impossible to ship if I sold it. I can easily ship just the Columbia. I have a brand new tubular shock and anti sway bar kit that will fit the 37-40 axle, that will not fit my present 1935 axle....hence the desire to switch axles. There for, I am trying to find out what parts I need to replace the actual Columbia unit to make this axle "whole" ........Matt in Alameda

You will be happy with the 83 trans. I second to get a complete new rear end setup, cheap and readily available and sell the Columbia.

[Dave D]

The first question is, are you trying to build a rear for the 35 style mounts or the 37 style?

[52merc]

TJ is the ryan o/d the onethat bert hiller sold pout to ,,to a guy in ca,

[Juergen]

Originally Posted by Matt in Alameda

The overdrive I am using is a Ford 1983 truck 4 speed with 4TH having a .72 ratio. It is used with the torque tube.......If I am happy with this set-up I will probably sell the Columbia. If not I would install the Columbia. The reason I don't want to use the Columbia right now is that I have no controls at all and what is available is very expensive, and it needs to be bullet proofed, even though the unit itself has been rebuilt. . The Ford Transmission shifter comes out within an inch of stock and is out of a 4X4 and there for bulletproof in a 100 HP flathead powered Ford. All gears have syncro too. Plus it has been rebuilt and machined and is ready to go in. Also having the Columbia attached to the axle with torque tube and wishbones makes it essentially impossible to ship if I sold it. I can easily ship just the Columbia. I have a brand new tubular shock and anti sway bar kit that will fit the 37-40 axle, that will not fit my present 1935 axle....hence the desire to switch axles. There for, I am trying to find out what parts I need to replace the actual Columbia unit to make this axle "whole" ........Matt in Alameda

Matt, then go with what I originally wrote; get a good axle housing, a spider and its housing and a gasket set. These parts should be good even in a "bad" rear end. I understand that selling the Columbia whole suggests a large shipping fee versus sending just the original kit (and then you can verify that nothing is broken or cracked). I did not know that a later Ford 4 speed could be modified to a torque tube and was only thinking of stock Ford.

[32phil]

You can ship the Columbia a lot easier if you remove the torque tube, unpin the drive shaft and unbolt the rear radius rods. Probably at least $400+ today by truck strapped to a pallet. It's cheaper it you just send the Columbia only parts. The center section, 1 axle housing and the axles are common Ford. You may want to keep the center section with the Columbia as the pinion should be matched to the ring gear.

[klicker]

What did you have to do to install the 4x4 4-speed to mate it to the flathead and torque tube?

[oldford2]

I am curious also on how you mated the 83 4 speed to the torque tube. Sounds good if it works. Does it just bolt in?
John

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by oldford2

I am curious also on how you mated the 53 4 speed to the torque tube. Sounds good if it works. Does it just bolt in?
John

There is major machine work and hacking to be done the make an 83 4sp work in a flathead. Not for the faint of heart!

[TJ]

Trev, I'm not sure about that on the Ryan. A guy in Redding, Ca. used to sell them, but I haven't seen them advertised for a long time. You might ask the question on the V-8 Club site. Supereal, who posts often has a Ryan in his 47 convert.

[Matt in Alameda]

Ford made aluminum cased four speed overdrive transmissions for their 4x4 F150 trucks approximately 1982-1986. There are 3 different transmissions....the best choice for v-8ers is the one used behind the 4.9 liter engine (6 Cylinder)...the ratios are 1ST.3.25:1....2ND...1.92:1....3rd 1:1 and 4TH 0.71:1....or use the one found behind the 5.8 Liter engine which has 0.72:1 OD which also has a 3.01:1 first gear ratio..the one used with the 5.0 engine has a 0.78:1 OD which I think is too low of an OD for my use. It bolts directly up to a Hogs Head ( the late Ford truck bell housing adapter) which then bolts up to my 59AB block. To make this transmission work you must shorten the output shaft and re-spline it. I am fortunate to have a machinist that can do this for $200. Then an approximate 1" aluminum plate is drilled and fitted to the back of the tranny ..at this point you simply bolt on everything that you have already in place...the rear mounting flange, clam shell..differential ...clam shell etc. You wll have to move the mounting brackets back in the frame a bit and you will have to take about 2" off the drive shaft and torque tube. You will need a new clutch disc to fit the different spline count. Yes it is a bit of work, but you end up with a bullet proof transmission that looks almost stock and gives you a 65MPH speed at 2228 RPM WITH a 4.11 rear ratio and 2049RPM with a 3.78 rear ratio. My transmission was purchased at a junk yard....completely rebuilding it and all machining ready to install, I have $728 in it. I have to move the mounting tabs and shorten the drive shaft and it will be ready to install. My friend has installed two of these ...one in a Model A with a hopped up 4 banger and has driven it 4000 miles,...the other is in a ford truck with a 1942 flathead in it and he has 8000+ miles on it. I will adapting a swan shifter to mine and of course the 'giveaway' will be when I start out with the shifter in 'reverse' But other than that and of course the real reverse....no one can tell the difference from stock as I said above the shifter comes out of the floor in nearly the same place as stock. No cables, no levers no expensive vacuum valves. There is a man in Texas that builds these (and sells hogs heads for $100). He wanted about $3000 for the set up, trans ready to go, torque tube and drive shaft cut and new mounts . His name is Gary Bernard in Fort Worth and his number is 817-624-4342, it has been 5 years since I talked to him. A very nice man to talk to. I hope this answers some questions....I would prefer to have mine in and running so my comments would be more based in personal experience on how well it works, hopefully later this summer. Once I get it in I will re-post....Matt in Alameda

[52merc]

way to go matt