Opinions wanted on 3.78 in a Columbia

[Steve in Denver]

Ya, Dang, Darn too.

[Bob G/Spanaway]

My '40 coupe and pickup both have 3.78s with columbias with warmed up flatties.
They work good on the freeway at 65 - 70 even up hills.
I love 'em!

[Tinker]

If you can find someone hotrodding a car and get the complete banjo or just buy a old junk banjo. Chances are it a 3:78 and the gears are mostly protected inside the housing. It's the most common gear set.

[Steve in Denver]

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out.

[Tinker]

Steve maybe I missed it, but maybe adding a location you are around might help.

[Steve in Denver]

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Sorry, thought I posted it earlier.


Steve in Denver, CO

[Ol' Ron]

Do I understand you're putting a Hemi in front of a Columbia??? Think about it!!

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by Steve Kennedy

Sorry, thought I posted it earlier.


Steve in Denver, CO

You might have in the post.



Look at others side do-hickeys. They have a location added under there description. No big deal though.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

Do I understand you're putting a Hemi in front of a Columbia??? Think about it!!

Think that was 32Phil Ron, not the original poster. 32Phil's post was #12.

[Steve in Denver]

From the original poster, I have an 8BA 49-53 flathead in my '36 5-w. The rear axle is currently the 3.54. The motor seems to top out around 60 mph and the tach I have, which may be incorrect says the motor is around 3000 rpm. After I get several other projects done on the car, I will look into the 3.78 and a Columbia.


Thanks everyone for your input.
Steve in Denver, CO

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by Steve Kennedy

I was just going by what my tach says, maybe its wrong. The engine sounds wound up at that speed.

Do you know for sure what your rear axle ratio is? Sounds like it may be a 4:11.

[32phil]

Ol' Ron
Yes we are using an early Hemi.
It's a 55 Dodge 270, mild cam and 3 97's. It's more for Show than Go.
I do have my concerns about the Hemi eating weaker drivelines.
I have a similar set up..... 56 Chevy 265, mild cam, 3 97's, 39 trans w LZ gears, 33 Ford rear in a 32 2 door. It has 3000 miles....so far so good.
We don't beat them up too badly so I think it should be OK.
I guess we'll see. Hopefully, they will be on the road next year.

[Steve in Denver]

It is definitely 3.54. I road on a friend's 3 window with a 4.11 and Columbia. His motor tops out at about 50 mph before he shifts the Columbia. Mine runs up to around 60 before it is topped out. Sure it has more but the motor sounds strained. And I have looked at the numbers stamped on the housing, not that doesn't mean they have been changed but the numbers are 11-39.

[JSeery]

The original hp ratings on the flatheads was at over 3500 rpm. Seems to be a lot of concern about what rpm range a flathead is capable of, the stock hp/torque curves went to over 4000 rpm.

[Steve in Denver]

Well, maybe next time it is running, I'll have to run it a bit harder and see how it does.

[blucar]

The one factor that most EFV8 drivers overlook when discussing engine noise it the Ford fan.
Fords prior to about '41 were commonly referred to as being "screaming eights". If you remove the stock fan blade from a flat-head Ford, the engine is surprisingly quiet, especially at highway speeds.
The original engine in my '36 was quite under-powered with 3.78 and a Columbia. In 1954 I re-powered the car with a 59AB that has been been built up with a lot of goodies. The 59AB engine made a big difference.
I should point out that my coupe is a DeLuxe that has just about every accessory on it that Ford made. As I recall the car weighs over 3,k

[32phil]

I think Kube is 100% correct in his concern over braking/handling.
Getting these cars to go fast is no problem.
Swerving around an obstacle in a 32 Tudor going 60mph is a whole other story.….
With freshly rebuilt Lincoln brakes all around it stops OK,...…….
Certainly not like my new Explorer... but it stops pretty good.
Going around stuff,...……...even at low speeds...……. can be interesting.
Be careful what you wish for...

[Ol' Ron]

In JWL's book, the stock 239ci engines put out aprox. 80 hp@3200 pm. He modifies them in steps until, there is nothing else you can do to it except install a cam. But the engine still hasn't reached 100 hp. The Max #1 cam jumps the power to 112 hp at 4000. All this doesn't sound like puch, but a 32 hp gain is a reasonable increas over the original 80.. Buy the book.

[Boryca]

I recently got my '35 Ford truck together, and let me tell you, the Columbia makes all the difference.

I had 4:11's in it to begin with, as 10-spline 3.54's and 3.78's are hard to come by, but I finally found a nice 3.54 set. Installed those and it's a world of difference. I can cruise comfortably on the highway at 75-80+, and it still gets out of its own way around town.

Lightly warmed over 59AB and '35 trans, 28.8" rear radials - Excelsiors.

I know I'm not going to win any stoplight races with it, but I built it to drive, and drive a lot. The 3.54's keep the RPMs way down near 21-2200 at 70 or so, and like I said, feels very comfortable in traffic. Plus you get a little more out of first gear when you're in the neighborhood. Would not go back to the 4.11's.

[Cool Kat with Hot Car]

Columbias are a great addition to a V8 Ford. I put a Columbia in my 37 panel truck with 4:11s and a hopped up flathead. After 10s of thousands of miles and 30 some years of driving it still gives me pleasure to shift into OD. It is happy as can be at 65 mph on the freeway and happy around town with the 4:11s. I have run across Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada at 75+ mph out on the open. I have Columbias in 7 other V8 cars. They are all 3:78 ratio. They work fine around town and on the highway. For a passenger car or pickup I recommend the 3:78 ratio, for a heavy vehicle like my panel the 4:11 seems a better choice.