1951 Ford Coupe 6 cyl

Smitty

Smitty

Well-known member
Hi All,
Does anyone know what the rear gear ratio is in a 1951 coupe 6-cyl?
Also, my 1950 ford Tudor does not seem to have a hole in the firewall for the
heater blower wire. I've looked everywhere. Any thoughts?


Thanks, Steve
 
The ratio depends on the transmission and perhaps tire size. 15" and 16" tires were available.

Passenger 3.73 to 1
Passenger with O/D 4.10
Fordomatic can be 3.31 or 3.54.

The heater wire goes through the fire wall in the wiper vacuum hose grommet.
 
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The H-model 6-cylinder has nearly the same horse power rating as the V8 of that era so the rear axle ratio would be the same as for the average flat land car. Lower gearing would be used for mountainous country. The 3.73:1 was the standard ratio while the overdrive equipped cars had the 4.10:1 ratio. The automatic cars in 1951 had two choices but the six cylinder cars didn't get the automatic until the 215 OHV 6-cylinder came out in 1952.
 
Thanks Guys, great information.
Gear ratio I had been considering installing an overdrive unit for better highway driving.
Anyone have experience with the Overdrive units that came with these cars? I have one here...but mine is a floor shift car.

I am also thinking on a T5 transmission..
Thanks, Steve
 
rotorwrench said:
The H-model 6-cylinder has nearly the same horse power rating as the V8 of that era so the rear axle ratio would be the same as for the average flat land car. Lower gearing would be used for mountainous country. The 3.73:1 was the standard ratio while the overdrive equipped cars had the 4.10:1 ratio. The automatic cars in 1951 had two choices but the six cylinder cars didn't get the automatic until the 215 OHV 6-cylinder came out in 1952.
Click to expand...

It is ultra rare, but a while back on Ford Barn a brochure was posted that said the Fordomatic was available in '51 with the 226 flathead 6 cyl.
I guess that doesn't necesarily mean any were built. Pretty sure they were though.

Sal
 
My recollection may not be that accurate any more but I remember them being very good....as long as they were shifted normally.

Second and over was a great passing gear.

I'm working on one to install in my '49 coupe because it has the 4.10 rearend in it. I think it had the OD trans when it was new.
 
501075


Available Engines and Transmissions - 1951 Fords
 
scicala said:
It is ultra rare, but a while back on Ford Barn a brochure was posted that said the Fordomatic was available in '51 with the 226 flathead 6 cyl.
I guess that doesn't necesarily mean any were built. Pretty sure they were though.

Sal
Click to expand...
Not only the brochure, but the fellow searching for a Ford-O-Matic for his '51 flathead six actually found one! As I remember, he was able to get the complete trans, including the bellhousing, flexplate, steering column and linkage. He went by the name Lazarus, I believe. Haven't seen him post for quite awhile so don't know if he got it installed. He was having health problems and about to lose a leg so needed the automatic.
Edit: Checked further. He goes by LazarusLong. Check this thread: "Yes, there IS such a critter as a factory FOM flat 6 Ford!" dated 8-26-21
 
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I think that it turned out that the parts he found were bogus. In my opinion "Lazarus Long" (check out Robert Heinlein's "Methuselah's Children") was trying to fulfill a personal fantasy.

I don't think any were made. (I have seen a '51 Ford brochure that shows a Crestliner with standard "Custom" side trim.)
 
tubman said:
I think that it turned out that the parts he found were bogus. In my opinion "Lazarus Long" (check out Robert Heinlein's "Methuselah's Children") was trying to fulfill a personal fantasy.

I don't think any were made. (I have seen a '51 Ford brochure that shows a Crestliner with standard "Custom" side trim.)
Click to expand...

Wow! I hadn't heard that the parts were bogus! Thanks Tubman.
 
The light duty transmission with the R10 overdrive is a decent unit and is a bolt in for any shoe box Ford. The shifter housing needs the stub for the clutch mechanism for a 51 but they should be out there.

We went round and round on the flathead six with Ford-O-Matic and it just never made it. The automatics were a mid year thing in 1951 so Ford only made them to fit the V8s. The plan for the 215 was in the build up stage already for 1952 so all development for automatic sixes went there. The 226 was on the way out so it was not developed for it. A person might be able to make one work for a 226 but it would be a custom instalation. The crank would need to be fit with that huge air cooled torque converter and an adapter plate would be required to fit the automatic type starter. A TV linkage would have to be fit to the throttle linkage to make it work. It would be a lot of work to install an antiquated transmission that a C4 would be a better choice for.
 
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Anyone else notice that there are lines going to all three transmissions from the V8 engine, but only two going to the conventional and OD transmissions from the six in the brochure posted by "mercman"?
 
If you blow up and read the printed part is say's Ford 6 has 2 choices conventional or OD. The lines do make it look confusing. The green lines for the V8 lead to all 3 choices, the purple 6 lines only show leading to the manuals. It has me confused too, had to edit 4 times for poor spelling.
 
I don’t see where that brochure says the automatic was available with the six. I agree the C4 would be the way to go if you needed an automatic. It’s what I would do if I couldn’t use a clutch.......Mark
 
rotorwrench said:
The plan for the 215 was in the build up stage already for 1952 so all development for automatic sixes went there.
Click to expand...

Back in 1997, I took the 215 I-6/Fordomatic out of a '52 Ford 2-dr sedan that had been in the junkyard at least since 1973 (that was the first time I went to that junkyard). So I can confirm that the Fordomatic was factory installed in the '52 with 215 I-block 6. Exactly what brochure above shows.
 
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