What I Did on My Lunch Hour

[Shadetree]

Maybe tomorrow we can get the transmission out of the '51 F-1.
Vic,
I was wondering about the OD transmission in your `51 and dropped by. Glad I did, there is always some excitement going on in your world. The Lincoln electrical system should have been patented! Wonder what happens when the second battery goes dead, just swap it with battery #1?

Anyway I have the transmission out of my `51 F1 and resting on an engine stand. I really had a tough time getting it out. I just put dual exhausts on it last fall and they were placed about 1/4" below the frame. The rear transmission mount bolts were in from the bottom up (nuts on top ) so I had to jack the transmission high enough to clear the bolts. I sweat bullets as I was afraid of busting the new headers but I just couldn't make myself remove that new exhaust system. I did remove the front exhaust supports to give me more room. Anyway the transmission is out but it is too cold to work on it in my unheated shop. It was 10° here this morning. Cold enough to freeze the balls off a pool table! Anyway it was a good day to order transmission parts from Mac VanPelt.

I was in Titusville, Florida last week and did a little flying in a 1946 Aeronca Champ. It brought back a lot of fond memories.

Keep up the good work and keep us posted on that OD transmission project. I saw one on eBay for $999. I think I will just put 18" wire wheels on the rear of my F1 .

Bud

[40grit]

Originally Posted by trainguy

I remember a battery set up like you discribe.It was two 6volt batteries in one case it used a sol to connect the 6v batt's in series to give 12v for starting and 6v for running. They were a bandage for other problems.as is using 8 volt batteries.I haven't seen one of those in years.Phil

Trainguy is correct. The 6/12 solenoid set up used to be pretty common in the old days. It was a way to get an old 6 volt system to start up north in the cold weather. The solenoid operated when the starter button was pushed and through the batteries into series giving 12 volts of cranking power. When you released the starter button the solenoid returned to normal and the batteries went back to 6 volts wired in parallel. Lord knows where you would get a wiring diagram for one now though.

John L

[VeryTangled]

Shew! I used to make my living with my feet off the ground!

Aeronca Champ is a sweet ride that's for sure.

[Vic Piano]

Shadetree, I've had the transmission in and out of the '51 F-1 so many times I can almost do it with my eyes closed, just like field stripping an M-16... I've got Red's headers on our '51 and I've not had any clearance issues when installing and/or removing the stock transmission. I hope we'll be able to get it out again and install the '49 Merc with O/D without too much trouble. We'll have to cut the drive shaft (I've got an extra one)...

[Shadetree]

Originally Posted by VeryTangled

Shew! I used to make my living with my feet off the ground!

Aeronca Champ is a sweet ride that's for sure.

Beautiful Champ! Is that yours? At one time I owned two Champs, both 1946 models. I sold one and gave the other to my son if he would rebuild it. It is almost done but we are having issues with the carburetor. It was professionally rebuilt but it splutters at idle like a vacuum leak. Oh well it is too cold to fly here anyway, especially with the wonderful heater on a Champ!


This is the Champ, my Ford and my son's Pontiac.

[Shadetree]

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Vic,
How were the bolts turned on the rear mount? Nuts up or down? If the bolts will clear the frame mine are going back in with the nuts down. It caused me a lot of grief.

Bud

[Vic Piano]

Bud,
I don't remember how we put the bolts in but, I should get to that point of disassembly today and I'll let you know. Vic

[Vic Piano]

Ain't Nuthin' Easy

John came over this morning to help me with the '51 F-1's transmission removal. After we got the transmission out and placed the '51 next to the '49 Merc with O/D we realized (what we had expected) that the transmission rear mount does not line up. The question is, how much modification/fabrication will it take to make the ’49 Merc O/D transmission fit…? Have any of you done a similar swap, if so, what did you do to accommodate the longer transmission as well as the solenoid to engage the overdrive?

Shadetree, as you can see (in the second photo) the bolts for the saddle transmission mount were installed from the underside.

[Shadetree]

Vic,
Thanks. That is exactly the way my bolts were placed. I had to lift the engine/transmission high enough to clear those bolts and move the old mount high enough to get them out of the way. I know I put a strain on my exhaust pipes lifting it so high. If I can't get the end of the original bolts to clear the frame, I'll use shorter bolts making it easier for the next guy.

The floor pans sure look great on your truck.

Keep an eye on that hydraulic jack!

Bud

[BillLee/Chandler, TX]

Vic, I'm just another one of the lurkers that enjoy watching your efforts, not to say a bit envious!

Looking at the pictures of the transmissions above, it struck me that you might have a real problem fitting the new one in place of the stock simply because of the interference with the cross member. The stock transmission has no "beef" under the mount points, there's just a tail shaft housing, while the replacement has what appears to be substantial structure there to house the OD.

Good luck on the swap. Take lots of pictures! I'm interested in seeing how it works out.

[Vic Piano]

Bill, I don't think it'll be too much of a problem; the only thing that concerns me about the stock cross member is if it will allow room for the solenoid on the overdrive... We should be able to fabricate a "bolt in" cross member/transmission mount for the O/D unit; I just really don't want to cut the stock cross member if we don't have to.

[Vic Piano]

Originally Posted by Shadetree

Vic,
Thanks. That is exactly the way my bolts were placed. I had to lift the engine/transmission high enough to clear those bolts and move the old mount high enough to get them out of the way. I know I put a strain on my exhaust pipes lifting it so high. If I can't get the end of the original bolts to clear the frame, I'll use shorter bolts making it easier for the next guy.

The floor pans sure look great on your truck.

Keep an eye on that hydraulic jack!

Bud

Bud, we used a pry bar to lift the rear of the transmission just high enough to remove the saddle mount with the bolts for the rear transmission mount in it. We only elevated the engine slightly with the bottle jack.

[Henry/Kokomo]

Vic - Didn't "Bugsiegel" do a swap similar to yours not too long ago. I recall seeing pictures here on the barn. As I recall, he fabricated a new crossmember from square tubing and braced the "stub(s)" of the original crossmember to insure the brake and clutch pedals would function correctly. Maybe you could contact him to benefit by his experience?

Or, I may be completely wrong about this . . . . . . CRS disease setting in.

Just a thought,

[Vic Piano]

Henry, I don't remember that but I'll check the archives to see. I appreciate the tip.

[copperpenny]

Is this the 6/12 battery you are talking about? Go to www.antiqueautobattery,com., then click on accessories and scroll down to 6/12 battery.

[Vic Piano]

Copperpenny, I couldn't open the link...

[VeryTangled]

There's a comma instead of a dot before COM.

Not my airplane, just a good photo I found.

-VT/Jeff

[BILL WZOREK]

Vic:
Way Back When We Had A fleet of Mack trucks that were vintage 1960 / 1966
They were 12 /24 volt what a S O B that was.
It was said that the guy that designed this system went and hung himself.
Maybe that was just what the mechanics wish had happened. lol lol
It involved I big A** solenoid ( yes that is a correct terminology) used to activate
The series parallel switch taking the 2 sets of 12v to make 24v O but wait to get each set of 12v you needed 2 6V batterys , try to think of how many conection had to be checked for tightness & cleanliness.
At best it was a PI** poor system.

[copperpenny]

Darn...Can'tseeshi! www.antiqueautobattery.com. Sorry Vic

[VeryTangled]

Our local V8 Club newsletter had a bunch of great photos of flatheads that traded hands at Barret-Jackson. This was one of them.

-VT/Jeff