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LanceB

I am having my transmission changed in my '46 pickup to an over drive unit. With the added weight and length does the back end of the trans need to be supported or will the bell housing support it?

Hudzilla

Assuming it's an overdrive for a Hudson , you're fine. The only thing to change would be the drive shaft length.

Huddy42

G'Day, there was a support under the rear of the overdrive as per the pics I will show here, it bolts to the cross member and the overdrive just sits on the rubber cushion, helps support the overdrive .

This is one I removed from a '46 that I wrecked years ago, as you can see never been cleaned up.

Les.P.

Park_W

Lance, the factory OD cars did have a little crossbar and some support thingies to add some support to the tranny back behind the bell housing. My '47 had them, but I removed them some time ago (can't remember why ... they were in the way of something I was doing). But they evidently got considered as overkill, as the later cars, with basically the same mount setup, didn't have them.

LanceB

OK, that's all good information. Al Saffrahn is doing my conversion and is using a Hudson overdrive. It looks like I can get away with not installing the support per your thoughts about this Park. Thanks all.

usgrant7

Are you planning on changing the rear end too? As I have learned, top gear on any transmission is 1:1. And my 48 tops out at about 65. Not that I want to race the car or anything, but keeping up with the moderns without roaring down the road might be nice.

-Chris

Uncle Josh

Overdrive is 27% over. Standard rear end with OD is 4.56 That gives you about 2200 rpm at 60 mph. If you do a lot of level interstates, you might want to go to the 4.11 rear end, but it's a little high if you're in hilly country.

Park_W

I'd definitely go with the 4.11 rear end if that's not what's already in the truck (wasn't the 4.55 std on the trucks, without OD?). That gives you about 2.88 in OD, which is a nice highway gear (that's calculated on the basis of a 30% reduction, which I believe is what the ODs in Hudsons were. The heavier duty B-W ODs used in some other cars had a 28% reduction).

Roger Harmon

My 46 truck has a narrow 232 and overdrive trans transplanted into it. There are no O.D. wiring harness, relays or mechanical controls in the truck. Is there a 'lamp-cord-and-light-switch' test I can do to see if it works?

R/ Roger.

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