Help Identifying A 50 woodie rear end

30aadoodlebug

Senior Member
Hey All,

So I am trying to get the rear end rebuilt for my lat 50 woodie. The car was such a basket case when I got it, I have no idea if it came with an over drive or not. I have a donor woodie that came with the factory installed overdive in it. My question is, is it worth my time doing the first rear end, or just dive into the second one?

The numbers off the the pumpkin other than the pat numbers are this:Top right, 18423; bottom right, 0112. I'm hoping these are not production codes from the factory, but can steer me in the right direction.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Jon
 
I think the woody rear end has a cover on the back and gears are inserted into the rear end housing. If you have a third member then you probably have the wrong one. At any rate hope to get this discussion moving for you. Also if you have two gear ratios use the numerically lower one with the overdrive. It'll be fine.
 
The books call out the Dana rear axle for station wagons. Now it could be a Dana 41 if it's an early model year car but I think most would have had the Dana 44 in 1950. Ford F1 pickups, Mercury cars, and Police cars were set up to use these axles since they were rated for a higher gross weight vehicle than the regular Ford passenger cars.

Dana axles have a rear access cover as was mentioned. The 44 has a little "44" cast mark just below the bulls eye on the right rear axle tube to casting joint on the web there. They should have a tag attached with one of the cover bolts. Most of them in that time frame were 3.92:1 ratio. Lower ratios were available in 1951 when the automatic transmission came out. They have the early 19 spline axles. Parts are available for them since they are still being produced for certain applications. Ford used them in pickups for several decades. Jeep used them since there was a front 4WD differential available as well.

Randy's Worldwide can supply ring & pinion sets but a person has to make sure they have the correct carrier diameter depending on the ratio needed. 19-spline units only lasted to the mid 50s but that only affects the side gears. The tooth count between the ring and pinion gears will tell you what ratio it is.
 
Wow, thanks guys!!! I have the inspection plate in my electrolysis tank "derusticating". I'll have to pull it out tonight and let you all know. And yes, the "derusticaror" works incredibly, and I'd recommend using the process for rust removal.
 
Please tell us your derusticator secret. I have three otherwise good engine blocks that are hard packed with corrosion so water will not come out the core plug holes or any other place.
I don’t understand why so many California guys flat refuse to use antifreeze or rust inhibitor.ya
 
The other rear end is likely a 3.92 which will work even better with the overdrive. It has for me for 25,000 miles.
 
Back
Top