New here and have a couple of ???

[Yeti]

Hi guys I'm new here and well new to early fords

As a quick bit about me

I'm from Sydney Australia & Few months ago my wife got herself a 38 standard sedan, it's around a 20 year old resto but over all quite a tidy car

Any how as nice as it is it's a bit of a pain at 100kph / 63mph put simply it's revving to hard for my liking

On Saturday I was at an early ford show and talking with a guy who had just fitted a Mitchell 26% overdrive to his 39 convertible he reckoned it was the best thing he had done to it

So I have a few questions

Where's the best place to get the kit.
Are they noticably noisie

What's best the cable or the 2nd leaver (leaning towards the 2nd leaver)
So more research shortly will answer the next question but who has contacts for purchasing one?
This guy had a cable selector but from what I've seen there's a second leaver option and I thought that was pretty cool but how does this work with regards to fouling on the main gear leaver and or the bench seat?

What other options are there out there for this,
put simply what I'm trying to do is make Becs car a little more comfortable when cruising at 100kph and the ability to split all 3speeds seems pretty cool

What's best the cable or the 2nd leaver (leaning towards the 2nd leaver)
So more research shortly will answer the next question but who has contacts for purchasing one?

[Lawrie]

Mate, you want to check the diff ratio first,my 33 had the 4.11, I fitted a 3.78 from a 46 and it hums along at 100ks no worries.
Lawrie

[deuce lover]

Goggle, Mitchell overdrive and up comes a wealth of information.Be prepared to spend some money.

I just Goggled it and here they are.Mitchell MFG PO Box 236 Healdsburg,CA 95448.The kit is $1950.US

[ford38v8]

Yeti, I agree with Laurie. You can reduce your RPM's by as much as 500 RPM with a change of gears. You may have a 4.11 gearset, or even a 4.44 as I found in my own '38 Ford. The best thing I ever did was to put in a set of 3.78 gears. 3.54 gears are also available, but are not favored in hill country.

[Yeti]

Thanks guys I'll jack her up and do some counting, I have a spare axle as well I'll check as might be better than the one that's in it, as much as I love whizz bang do dads I like spending as least amount of money possible better

[41ford1]

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If the gears were never changed the ring and pinion tooth counts are stamped on the bottom of the gear housing. Divide the smaller into the larger # that will give you the ratio the car was built with. The pickup is marked 11 and 39 for a ratio of 3.54:1. 60 - 65 MPH is no problem.

[JWL]

The Mitchell OD emits no noise. There is no ring and pinion gear set which will give you the overall performance of the overdrive. If you intend to do "split-shifting" the lever might be the better choice. If you intend to use the OD for cruising the cable is a fine choice and does not require any floor modifications. If you have the V8-60 engine the 26% might be a good choice. Otherwise I suggest the 36% unless much of your terrain consists of hills.

[G.M.]

I would go with a 3:54 ring and pinion if not in real mountain country. Or a 3:78 in mountains. A Columbia 2 speed with a 3:78 is my first choice and the 3:54 second. G.M.

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by deuce lover

Goggle, Mitchell overdrive and up comes a wealth of information.Be prepared to spend some money.

I just Goggled it and here they are.Mitchell MFG PO Box 236 Healdsburg,CA 95448.The kit is $1950.US

Your price is a little old. They are making one for me next week and the price is $2,350 including $115 shipping. Shipping would be considerably more to Oz. BTW I have a Mitchel OD in my Model A and like it a lot.

[Yeti]

Thanks Guys, I wont get to the shed till the weekend to jack up and check, I'm sort of hopeing its the standars 4.33:1 thats in it and the spare axel I have is somthing a little nicer like a 3.78:1 (I can dream cant I) I think the 3.78:1 would be best for us, were not in mountain country but we like to get out and about and have a trip up over the bluemountains planed for later this year and if we can shave 500rpm of at 100kph I think it will make it a much nicer care to drive

heres some pics of the old girl

next to the XP I recently sold










my friends tell me this is what flatheads do best

[41ford1]

Very tidy indeed. Nice score on that one. What's in it for power? 60 or 85 HP? It might give you a better indication of rear axle ratio. 60 HP would be a more likely candidate for 4.33s.

[Yeti]

its the 85hp model

[cvstl]

Very nice!!

[Mike in AZ]

welcome to the 'Barn....very nice car....tho the steering wheel is on the wrong side...lol..hopefully you can figure out the gearing so you can enjoy driving it....Mike

[Lawrie]

A bonus using the 3.78 gearset is they are readily avail and most often free,also being ford gearsets they are easy to set up and quite.
Lawrie from sunny QLD.
Go the Maroons

[31chevy]

Very nice, but as someone said you need to put that steering wheel on the other side. Enjoy your flathead.
Gary.

[38 coupe]

If your car was born with a 60 horse motor you would have 4.44s unless the axle got changed too.

Be careful with the Mitchel. I have never seen a Mitchel installed in a 32 or later car without cutting into the floor to make it fit. Some people on this forum say it has been done, but no pictures ever get posted. I'm not trying to talk bad about the Mitchel, if one can be fit with no floor mods I'll put one in my 38.

[felix37]

Nice car! The 38' is standard is one of my favorite old Fords! Welcome to the Barn!!
Have you considered using a T-5? many of us on the Barn are using them!

[Henry/Kokomo]

Great looking car. Welcome to the Fordbarn and good luck with your re-gearing project.

[Ol' Ron]

Welcome, you do nice work, but the steering wheel is on the wrong side.