stickshift trans question

[springspeeddemon]

I was at my Dad's tonight, and we were looing at half a dozen transmissions he has. One of them has a metal tag attached to it that says TRANSMISSION RATIO 1.65. Is this something out of the ordinary?

[PaceRacer50]

Dany,
someone once told me that the Hudsons with the Drivemaster & Supermatic Drive units had different second gear ratios. the way it was explained to me was that since these units started out in second gear it gave a lower ratio to help get the car moving.
I do not know if this was true but the source is second to none in my book.
Maybe this is what he was talking about since 1.65 is too high of a ratio for a first gear maybe its the second gear ratio.
By the way I am hoping to get the 50 PaceMaker to the drag strip next saturday.
I will let you know how it does with the dual quads.
later,
PaceRacer50

[Park W]

As I recall, that ratio number relates to that between the mainshaft and countershaft ("cluster gear'). I believe one cluster gear has 26 teeth and the other (lower geared) has 28. Of course the gear on the input (mainshaft) is also different, to match up with the cluster. The lower gears were indeed used on the Drivemaster cars, but they went into all models beginning in 1950 or '51. Maybe they figured the cars had gained a little weight by then and needed the lower ratios.

[Uncle Josh]

It's the long tranny right? Betcha it's an Overdrive unit. 1 turn of the engine gives you 1.65 turns of the output shaft in overdrive.

[springspeeddemon]

This one is not an OD trans.

[super651]

Danny, I used one of these Trannys in my 54 308 drag car many years back. It had a close-ratio from first speed to second. That 308-+ would jump when you hit second with very little R.P.M. drop.
Then came the day when I was on line and at 4000 R.P.M. side-stepped the clutch and that was the end of that Close-Ratio,parts went all over the track.
I did not have the dang thing all the way in first. End of that. Went to 4-speed hydra then.
Thanks to all. Rudy

[Uncle Josh]

On second thought, since the OD unit is 30%, 1.65 is too much. It would be more like 1.3.

Checking the 41-47 Tranny manual, however, there were 2 different model 10 trannys used in '41. A lower ratio one for the 3 x 4 1/8 engine, and a higher one for the 3 x 5. 2nd gear in the latter was 1.65, but 1 and R were different also, so that doesn't make much sense.

Interestingly, from 42-47, yea all the way to early 52, all trannys were the lower ratio, ie 1st at 2.88, 2nd at 1.82 and R at 3.5, and they apparently controlled the total ratio with the rear ends, offering a 4.78, 4.56 and 4.11.

Incidentally my 49 Commadore came with the Drivemaster, 30%OD and 4.56 rear. Starting in 2nd is easy for normal driving, and the Drivemaster only shifted between 2nd and 3rd and used the OD for the 3 normal gears.

I think we're still confused, but at a higher level, and about more important things probably.