Re: Over-Drive vs Gear Change for a '34 Coupe

Posted by Ernie Vitucci On 2016/11/8 11:15:37

Good Morning all...Just a humble comment. I would agree with O.D. that the only proper change would be an overdrive. I have an R11 in our 1949 packard Deluxe and it works very well.

I also have a 1931 Model A Tudor with a Mitchell Overdrive. It is a gear splitter that gives the Model A six speeds forward. In low overdrive, the car is a normal Model A that cruises at 40 miles an hour.

In overdrive, it sort of depends on how strong your engine is and how good your brakes are. Ours just has a lightly higher compression head and a Model B carburator, our mains and rods are babit, and in overdrive she is happy at 55 miles an hour.

The key is that the only change to the car, is the overdrive, and the car has not been cut up/changed so that the driving experience is not as it was when the car was built when not in overdrive.

Mostly, I go 40 to 50. I like to look at the flowers...If I want to go fast, then I drive the Packard or a modern machine...Ernie