jlking2010
Member
The 1930 Model A purchased recently has an overdrive or gear splitter with the following identification; Ahlberg Co, Culver City, Cal. I am looking for anyone who may have knowledge of this equipment?
Overdrive
- Thread starter jlking2010
- Start date
Herb Concord Ca
Well-known member
A picture of the unit would be helpful.
jlking2010
Member
Can’t figure out how to show picture?
rotorwrench
Well-known member
You have to click Go Advanced to upload photos from your hard drive.
In the model T era there were no less than 31 different auxiliary transmissions made for them due to the nature of the 2-speed planetary transmissions limitations. The model A trans was better but there have been a lot of overdrive set ups both in the early era and the modern era. There isn't much info about Ahlberg Company out there on the net so it's likely an old early era aux trans set up. Auxiliary transmissions could be overdrive, underdrive, or a combination of the two. It would be interesting to know how it's made.
In the model T era there were no less than 31 different auxiliary transmissions made for them due to the nature of the 2-speed planetary transmissions limitations. The model A trans was better but there have been a lot of overdrive set ups both in the early era and the modern era. There isn't much info about Ahlberg Company out there on the net so it's likely an old early era aux trans set up. Auxiliary transmissions could be overdrive, underdrive, or a combination of the two. It would be interesting to know how it's made.
Joe K
Well-known member
I spent some time looking for information on Ahlberg Co.
Culver City was founded in 1917 primarily to service the motion picture industry.
Ahlberg existed as an "offshore" producer of many industrial parts, including automotive.
Their existence as anything but a storefront selling auto parts in Culver City is doubtful - or anyone for that matter. Culver City was not where you went looking to modify your car.
Not that it didn't exist - it obviously did at least once.
Joe K
Culver City was founded in 1917 primarily to service the motion picture industry.
Ahlberg existed as an "offshore" producer of many industrial parts, including automotive.
Their existence as anything but a storefront selling auto parts in Culver City is doubtful - or anyone for that matter. Culver City was not where you went looking to modify your car.
Not that it didn't exist - it obviously did at least once.
Joe K
katy
Well-known member
Then click on the paper clip icon to add photos.
rotorwrench
Well-known member
The is also a manage attachments box down bellow. Click that and it allows a person to attach several files at a time.
jlking2010
Member
Here are some pictures. Thank you for your interest in helping?
Keith True
Well-known member
Now that's a completely new one on me.There were probably quite a few manufacturers of that kind of thing years ago that never made more than a handful.There is probably somebody,somewhere,that either has one or knows something about them.Ask in every possible place you can,you might shake somebody out of the woodwork.The only place I've ever seen that name before is on antique cameras.
jlking2010
Member
jlking2010
Member
Had a torque tube and appears to attach to the transmission the same as the original.
Keith True
Well-known member
Interesting vent setup tying the unit and the rear end together.Looks like they cut down a stock torque tube to build the unit,it still has the original speedo drive in it,and has the speedo re-hooked to the unit itself.
jlking2010
Member
Yes, the problem I am having, is fluid from the overdrive is getting into the banjo, causing it to be over full and then leaking through the axel to the rear brake drums. Unless I find someone knowledgeable about this setup, I will probably switch to the original setup since I have a torque tube and drive shaft off another car I put a Mitchell in.
Keith True
Well-known member
The original setup wasn't really properly vented,the pressure just kind of escaped up the torque tube,through the trans,and out the shft tower vent.With that OD unit in there that path is blocked off.The OD unit looked like it was originally vented,and somebody added the vent to the rear end,but tied them together.There may be a vent to the atmosphere but it isn't in the pictures.If that whole rear is sealed up oil can be forced out of the seals somewhere.That oil in the OD may be forced under pressure into the rear end.Then again there may be a bad seal in the rear of that OD unit.Old seals crumble with age,if you are planning to take it apart anyway you will see if the seals are bad.If that rear isn't vented to the atmosphere somewhere I would take that jumper pipe off and vent both parts to the open air.Then see if the same thing happens.
Y-Blockhead
Well-known member
Old, I think what you are seeing is the shifter, the Torque Tube is befind that.
jlking2010
Member
In addition to leaking fluid, It slips out of low gear. I haven’t checked the linkage yet to see if I can adjust it.
Y-Blockhead
Well-known member
What Keith says. I had to add a vent to my Rear End when I installed my Mitchell O/D. It started building pressure and weeping a little oil. You can see I also added copper washers à la Ford 9" to the banjo bolts in an attempt to control seepage thru the threads.
One thing I can tell you for sure, venting the rear end thru one of the banjo bolts like in jlking2010's picture (post #8) is the wrong place to connect a vent. My first attempt to vent my rear end after installing my Mitchell was in that exact same place and the turning ring gear pumped oil all over the bottom of my car.
Last edited:
alexiskai
Well-known member
You're probably confusing this company with Ahlberg Bearing.
Ahlberg Co. manufactured transmissions and small engines at their Culver City factory during the late '20s and early '30s. I've found references to this factory from 1928 to 1932. Ahlberg was Karl E. Ahlberg; he has a patent for a fluid pump filed in 1929 from Culver City.
(Attached screenshot is from 1926.)
That overdrive may be period correct.
