Mitchell O.D.

Jack Shaft said:
Quick shift the mitchell,shift it as fast as you can.to me,the mitchell stick is too short.
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I extended my Mitchell shifter ~4" to bring it up to a more comfortable position and closer to the original. This also eases gear splitting, for me anyway.


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our Mitchell was installed by previous owner in 1995.
I have put around 12,000 miles on it since 2009, and expect it to outlive me.
These are well-built and very tough units.

This year it was a little hard to shift at times, I checked and oil was low.
Drained it and it was FILTHY (no memory of when it was changed).
I will be more attentive to this in the future.

Mitchell recommends 85-145 GL-5 gear oil and annual changes.....
 
I bit the bullet a few days ago and ordered my Mitchel O.D. Steve and Cyndi were super helpful. They are still 12 weeks out on orders but I know it will be worth the wait to cruise a little smoother and quieter in the Town Sedan. This thread has been very helpful as have other Mitchell threads in the past. Thanks Ford Barners. I ordered the stick shift. I need to get in touch with a club somewhat near to me, maybe Raleigh, to see if they have a loaner pinion puller.
I'm in Nashville, NC but my daughter lives in Wake Forest so I get over that way often. Bob
 
Would like to see how it fits in the vehicle and how much cable throw is needed before ordering.
 
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The cable throw isn't much, a couple of inches +. One may need to fabricate a mounting plate to suit location. Not sure how to put the cable in a "neutral" position, just in is for OD and out is for stock gearing ?
 
I'm no wiz when it comes to computers but I'll get a photo up as soon as I can. Nothing is needed that is not in the kit. The shift knob is mounted on the gear stick and is pulled straight up for O/D, down for O/D off. Throw is about 2"
 
Synchro909 said:
The shift knob is mounted on the gear stick and is pulled straight up for O/D, down for O/D off. Throw is about 2"
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Not doubting you, but I would have thought it be the opposite since you push the shift lever forward for O/D thus it pushes the O/D shift rod in. Down on the cable would push, not pull? Or does it work on a bell crank type setup. Inquiring minds. :p

duke36 said:
Not sure how to put the cable in a "neutral" position, just in is for OD and out is for stock gearing ?
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You should be able to feel the neutral detent between low and high? There are three distinct positions with the shift lever. Again inquiring minds. I have the shifter but would like more info on the cable shifter.

Pdgx said:
Ya, buts that’s a pretty crude pic. Would like to see how it fits in the vehicle and how much cable throw is needed before ordering.
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Well perhaps next time I won't bother then.
 
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Bob/AZ said:
I bit the bullet a few days ago and ordered my Mitchel O.D. Steve and Cyndi were super helpful. They are still 12 weeks out on orders but I know it will be worth the wait to cruise a little smoother and quieter in the Town Sedan. Bob
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Good to hear the Mitchell are getting caught up. It took almost 16 weeks for mine to arrive last year. Still worth the wait.

If you can't find a pinion puller locally the Mitchells sell a really nice one for ~$100. They will ship it with the O/D.
 
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Can't remember where I got this pic, but my local club had a different pinion puller that I used.

Edit: I see this is just an installer.

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I'll probably have Steve ship the $100 one with the O.D. Not much in the scheme of things considering the savings you get by ordering direct from Mitchell. Besides, I'll have a loaner on hand for future eastern NC Mitchell installers.:)
 
Mitchell arrived Friday going in the Vicky. Contemplating adding a extra leaf in the spring pack for some dropped floor clearance. Any advice or ideas.
Thanks
PS
16 week wait on the Mitchell
 

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The Mitchell overdrive housing for a Victoria is 4.5 inches further forward on the drive train to help clear the dropped floor pan. It should also have the top rear corner machined off at an angle. Gluing a strip of quarter inch thick rubber onto the machined area will cushion it if it bottoms out. Replacing the 8-leaf spring with a 10-leaf spring also provides a little more clearance.

The floor pan is not that hard to remove from the car. You can take it to a sheet metal shop and have the front section cut away and boxed if you carry a lot of weight in the back.

Tom Endy
 
Thanks Tom. I really did not want to mess with the spring. I was leaving it installed with a spreader when I do the od. I will see how it clears and if needed modify the floor. Great thought.
Thanks
 
Tom Endy said:
The Mitchell overdrive housing for a Victoria is 4.5 inches further forward on the drive train to help clear the dropped floor pan. It should also have the top rear corner machined off at an angle. Gluing a strip of quarter inch thick rubber onto the machined area will cushion it if it bottoms out. Replacing the 8-leaf spring with a 10-leaf spring also provides a little more clearance.

The floor pan is not that hard to remove from the car. You can take it to a sheet metal shop and have the front section cut away and boxed if you carry a lot of weight in the back.

Tom Endy
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The O/D unit needs to be a few inches further back for a Tourer. They hit the curtain tray under the floor.
 
The Master Cylinder said:
Not doubting you, but I would have thought it be the opposite since you push the shift lever forward for O/D thus it pushes the O/D shift rod in. Down on the cable would push, not pull? Or does it work on a bell crank type setup. Inquiring minds. :p
Click to expand...

The cable is quite long and does a loop behind the O/D and connects from the back via a bracket mounted on the unit to holes that are already in it. You may have seen the tapped holes and wondered why they were there.
 
Synchro909 said:
The O/D unit needs to be a few inches further back for a Tourer. They hit the curtain tray under the floor.
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Mitchell makes an overdrive for a slant window sedan that has a dropped floor pan in the front for tool storage under the front seat. The housing is located 4.5 inches further back from standard.

Tom Endy
 
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Synchro909 said:
The cable is quite long and does a loop behind the O/D and connects from the back via a bracket mounted on the unit to holes that are already in it. You may have seen the tapped holes and wondered why they were there.
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Yes exactly. i have wondered about those holes. Thanks for the explanation. Makes perfect sense now.
 
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