Over Drive

I have a Mitchell in my '29 Phaeton and have put over 98,000 miles on it with no trouble.
The rear end is a 4:11 and the overdrive is a 26% ratio. The engine is modified some to provide between 55 and 60 hp and I think the ratio is ideal for a touring car. JMO.
I also have a T-5 overdrive conversion with an open driveshaft. The overdrive is 27%. It is good also and fully synchronized for easy shifting.
I still prefer driving the Mitchell as it keeps me more engaged to the driving experience because of the need to time the shifting of the primary gearbox to avoid grinding.
Good Day!
 
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Dave in MN said:
I have a Mitchell in my '29 Phaeton and have put over 98,000 miles on it with no trouble.
The rear end is a 4:11 and the overdrive is a 26% ratio. The engine is modified some to provide between 55 and 60 hp and I think the ratio is ideal for a touring car. JMO.
Good Day!
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Wow, 98,000 is a lot of miles on one of those. I have a MItchell O/D and synchro gearbox in my Phaeton, the one I use for long distance touring and the synchro in both is getting pretty tired at less than half that.
I am rather disappointed in their (lack of) longevity, especially when I think of the number of times I fill and pull onto the highway to start my next leg, shift into top O/D and don't change gears again till I need more fuel. That is, the synchro hardly gets used.
 
A jewel of a unit is the old Ruckstell dual high transmission but sadly, they are unobtanium now days. They had kind of a weird gearing but they worked.

The TwinX rear axle is another rare bear.
 
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Cape Codder said:
So can a Mitchell be installed in a "AA" with 5:60 rear end and if so how much help would one get from it?
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I installed a 36% Mitchell in my 1928 AA firetruck and have had amazing results. Before the Mitchell, I could not do more than 20 mph without the engine screaming. Now 40-45 mph is easily obtained and is very comfortable to drive. Highly recommend it...


Frank
 

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li went with Dave Delmues F150 Kit for my roadster w/ 3.78. 9,000 miles and I still love it.

I went with it over Mitchell becasue it was $1,000 cheaper, no modifications to anything, 1 gearshift lever, fully synchronied. Mitchell is not synchronized in first gear and with mitchell you need 1 box for overdrive and 1 box for syncho. To me that is just plain stupid.

If i had to do it over i would really look into something with a 5 speed, even though modifications must be made.
 
Lawrie said:
You could fix the gearbox by fitting a v8 one,they fit straight in.
Lawrie
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Not true, the FH V-8 transmission has 1/2 of the bell housing cast into it, the other 1/2 is cast into the block of a FH V-8. (Prior to 1949)
 
You buy or make the adapter, and easy thing,and has been done way before,like when we were 15 years old.
Lawrie
 
I wonder if you could adapt a columbia to the A rear axle,I have both in my shop at present,I should look,
Lawrie
 
Thanks to EMF!!
Has anyone put a Mitchell in a '30-'31 AA with a 5:60-1 rear end with a ring and pinion installed?
 
I missed that you have a ring & pinion rear. Mine is the worm drive with 5:1 gears. Does yours have the 10 spline input shaft? If so, it may be the same as mine. Mitchell would know...


Frank
 
emf Thanks again for your response! I don't know what the spline input shaft is like. And I forgot to say "really a nice truck you have there"!!
 
Cape Codder said:
emf Thanks again for your response! I don't know what the spline input shaft is like. And I forgot to say "really a nice truck you have there"!!
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Thanks for the compliment. I asked about the input shaft, since the worm drive has a 10 spline shaft on the input. If yours is the same, there would be no change to attach. However, it might be a larger version of the car set-up. In that case, something else would have to be done. Either way, I'm sure Mitchell can make it work. The nice thing about the Mitchell is that, at least in my case, it's all bolt-on and removable. If your tastes change, you can move it to another truck with little hassle...


Frank
 
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