COLUMBIA with 3.78 gears

[motordr]

I would like to hear from anyone that is running a Columbia with 3.78 gears. How do you like it? I am thinking of this for a 32 3 window with a healthy 265 flathead, but with stock wheels and tire size. I have a 4.11 Columbia in my other car and am thinking of going up a step in the gear ratio for this one. Looking for your actual experience on this setup. Thanks!

[Pete]

I have done that with a 296 in a 32 coupe.
I didn't like it.

[Dave/Green Bay]

Pete:
What didn't you like about it?
Thanks Dave/Green Bay

[PeterC]

Originally Posted by motordr

I would like to hear from anyone that is running a Columbia with 3.78 gears. How do you like it? I am thinking of this for a 32 3 window with a healthy 265 flathead, but with stock wheels and tire size. I have a 4.11 Columbia in my other car and am thinking of going up a step in the gear ratio for this one. Looking for your actual experience on this setup. Thanks!

Just a comment to consider in your thinking .. Flywheel should be a factor as well - I have a strong 284cu (supercharged) with 4:11 and Columbia with an aluminum flywheel. I my case the 4:11 is great for around town performance and easy launch with the benefit of the 2:97:1 high for lower (28.5% reduction) in RPM at 65mph. I am happy with this combo with the lighter flywheel.

[JSeery]

I would think that the 4:11 gearing would be the better selection. As everyone (so far) is saying good option for both in town and highway. Unless you drive almost exclusively on the highway at high speeds on fairly flat ground not sure why you would want a higher rear end gear when you have an OD.

[Pete]

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Originally Posted by Dave/Green Bay

Pete:
What didn't you like about it?
Thanks Dave/Green Bay

It was geared too tall for passing in direct high.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by motordr

I would like to hear from anyone that is running a Columbia with 3.78 gears. How do you like it? I am thinking of this for a 32 3 window with a healthy 265 flathead, but with stock wheels and tire size. I have a 4.11 Columbia in my other car and am thinking of going up a step in the gear ratio for this one. Looking for your actual experience on this setup. Thanks!

I have installed more Columbia's than I care to recall. The best overall performance in my opinion was attained when coupled to the 3:78.

[jimTN]

Its gonna depend on where you live, flatland or mtns, urban driving or country.

[hotcoupe]

i have a Columbia in my `37 1/2 ton with a 22 lb. flywheel on a 239 c.i. motor, single 94 with a Max-1 and a 28 tooth cluster and a 3:78 r&p with 7.00 x 16". and after 4,000 miles, i wouldn`t change a thing. and i know my next statement is going to get a response . . . # 41 jets in the carb. blast away!
tom

[Kube]

Originally Posted by jimTN

Its gonna depend on where you live, flatland or mtns, urban driving or country.

Good point... around here, lots of hills. None too steep but many are very long.

[Don]

3.78 in my 35 roadster Works greatin hills and on highway

[supereal]

My '47 convertible has a 3:78 rear, and an overdrive with a 33 percent reduction. it is fine above 45 mph, but lugs below that. It will run at hiway speeds of 60 to 70 mph, which pushes the stock handling and braking to limit. What you select must be based on the intended use, lots of hiway, or mostly city, because the balnce is tricky to reach.

[Kahuna]

I didn't know what a Columbia O/D reduction was? It has quite a drop in RPM.

[Highboy34]

27% reduction as I remember.

[PeterC]

Originally Posted by Kahuna

I didn't know what a Columbia O/D reduction was? It has quite a drop in RPM.

per Columbia literature - 28.5% reduction

[Bob G/Spanaway]

I have had 3.78/Columbia in both my coupe and PU for around 10 years.
Just '040 over 239 with dual 97's, heads and mild cams.
They work great in all kinds of driving.
Wouldn't change a thing...except maybe the 25 tooth Zephyrs in my coupe.

[Kahuna]

PeterC
What is your rear tire size? Diameter?
On my 32, I have a Gear Vendors O/D that reduces the final ratio from 4.11 to 3.21.
My tires are 29 to 29 1/2" tall.
In O/D at 65 mph, my engine turns about 2300 rpm. Wondered what yours is?
Thanks,
Jim

[48 coupe]

My 48 has 3.78 columbia max 1 cam 259 ci. offey heads. 2 ecg carbs. 51 jets. light flywheel. pulls good. I think it's a good set up.

[PeterC]

Originally Posted by Kahuna

PeterC
What is your rear tire size? Diameter?
On my 32, I have a Gear Vendors O/D that reduces the final ratio from 4.11 to 3.21.
My tires are 29 to 29 1/2" tall.
In O/D at 65 mph, my engine turns about 2300 rpm. Wondered what yours is?
Thanks,
Jim

Rear tire diameter looks like 30" to me - Tire is Coker Firestone bias 700 X16 - I do not have a tach but guess is 2300 rpm sound reasonable.

[38 coupe]

There have been so many discussions about rear axle gear ratios and overdrive that I put together a spreadsheet showing the most discussed combinations. I set the color bands based on my driving experiences with a 3.78 axle, no overdrive car. Obviously other people will have different opinions about comfortable rpm ranges. These calculations are accurate for 1:1 ratio in the transmission and a 28 inch tall rear tire.
I hope this image is readable.

[PeterC]

so 38 Coupe - with your chart (thank you very much!) 2354rpm @ 65mph is indicated for a 4:11gear and Columbia in high with a 28" tire - so both Kahuna and I are in sync at the "guestimated" 2300 rpm at 65mph - although with my 30" tire I am probably a tad lower rpm at 65mph - nice to know.

[38 coupe]

I apologize about the fuzziness of the chart. I can email a pdf copy to anyone interested, just send me a private message with your email address.

The chart is actually just a pdf print of a spreadsheet I put together out of curiosity. I can change the tire diameter and the calculations change. With a 4.11, Columbia, and a 28 inch tall tire you are spinning 2316.1 rpm at 65 miles per hour, plus or minus actual tire radius. 2300 was a really close guesstimate. With a 30 inch tall tire your rpms drop to 2161.7, plus or minus.

[JSeery]

Nice chart. You can also find calculators online but it is a fairly simple equation to figure by hand.

[Kahuna]

Some time ago there was a chart on another forum that showed a relationship of tire size (diameter) to gear ratio change. I have never been able to find it again, but it was really informative, as you could factor a tire change and make a calculated guess as to speed changes, etc

[glennpm]

Chart is interesting! Can you attach the spreadsheet file instead of the image?

Thanks,
Glenn

[motordr]

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This is a great discussion, thanks for all your inputs!
So my 32 Vicky has a 4.11 Columbia. The tires are stock 18" Firestones, about 28+" tall. During a recent drive from Niagara to Maine along secondary roads it performed flawlessly. Especially through the hills of Vermont.
I have an acoustic tachometer app on my phone (RPM Gauge) that indicates 2220 RPM at 60 mph.
Driving locally,with mostly flat lands, my shift points are into 2nd at 15mph, 3rd gear at 25mph and OD at 40mph. Shift points are higher if I'm winding it through the gears obviously, but during normal leisurely driving I am in OD pretty soon.
The car pulls very well at low RPM even with a mild Winfield cam.
Prior to the Columbia install, I ran 3.54 gears with no problems except I wanted an extra gear on the highway.
So with you all have presented so far, I am leaning strongly toward a 3.78 Columbia in my coupe.
Now, where can I find an NOS ring and pinion? Ted

[38 coupe]

Originally Posted by glennpm

Chart is interesting! Can you attach the spreadsheet file instead of the image?

Thanks,
Glenn

Maybe! The image I posted is actually part of one tab on a larger spreadsheet. I originally created the spreadsheet to help me decide what main and auxiliary transmissions to run in my 1950 F-2 pickup. I added tabs for the Ford cars when my dad added a 46 tudor to his fleet and we wanted to decide what type of overdrive to install in his car (I like the 26% Mitchell with the 3.54 axle). Adding to the complications is I run Xubuntu (a version of Linux) on my home computer and the spreadsheet file type doesn't play nice with this website. I have tried to pull out just the two Early V8 related tabs out, convert them to older Excel .xls file types, and then compress them into a .zip file that this website will allow as an attachment. I have no idea if the resulting file will be usable once it is downloaded and uncompressed. I expect at the least the formatting will be different.

Kahuna, if the attached file doesn't work for you then you can do a little math with my previously posted table. Take the RPM and multiply:
With a 25 inch tall tire multiply the rpm by 1.120
With a 26 inch tall tire multiply the rpm by 1.077
With a 27 inch tall tire multiply the rpm by 1.037
With a 28 inch tall tire the chart is accurate
With a 29 inch tall tire multiply the rpm by 0.966
With a 30 inch tall tire multiply the rpm by 0.933
With a 31 inch tall tire multiply the rpm by 0.903

JSeery, true the math isn't too difficult, I just like the table with color bands for comparing options.

[blucar]

My '36 Ford coupe is a DeLux 5 window with just about every accessory that Ford offered, and a few they did not offer, therefore it is a little bit on the heavy side.
The engine is a well built 59AB with a .060 overbore, trans is a 28 tooth column shift unit bolted to the original drive-line and 3.78 center section. The Columbia rear end is a '47-48 unit adapted to the '36 banjo, etc. using '37 radius bars.. A bolt together application.
During the 62 years I have owned the car I have driven it through out the eleven western states under ever road condition there is. I used the car as my everyday work car for over four years on the freeways of Southern California, then raced the car on the weekends at local drag strips and street racing.
The Columbia and the 3.78 gear ratio never presented a problem, in fact it was an advantage because I did not waste energy smoking my tires, in many races I never got out of 2nd over.

[fordman]

I used to have two of them: '40 tudor and '47 tudor, worked wonderfully! I wish I had one in my '40 coupe.

fordman

[Pete]

Columbia's are neat stuff IF you don't abuse them with a lot of horsepower in overdrive.
In original unmodified form, they won't stand up under the shock loads of drag racing or applying big horsepower.
Here is a company that knows what it takes to keep one together.
http://www.columbiatwospeedparts.com...tproofing.aspx

[glennpm]

Hi,

Just noticed that you replied to me ages ago! Yes, I had a little trouble with the files. I do run Ubuntu on a netbook I have so maybe you could just send me what you use for an application there.

Thanks,
Glenn

[David W Juliano]

I have a very stock 39 with 3:78 gears and a columbia. If you do a lot of driving this is an excellent combination that will handle hills, flats, city , country, whatever. This combination will serve you well.

[glennpm]

Good David, that's what I have in my 32 roadster with 59A motor. I hope to be driving it next Summer.

[motordr]

Originally Posted by David W Juliano

I have a very stock 39 with 3:78 gears and a columbia. If you do a lot of driving this is an excellent combination that will handle hills, flats, city , country, whatever. This combination will serve you well.

I am building this combo for my 32 three window with a strong flathead. Having the 4.11 in a similar 32 Vicky, I am confident that 3.78's are an excellent choice for me. Appreciate your input! Ted

[jake197000]

have one in my 46 coupe with merc crank and 3.78 im happy with it.i wired in a bypass switch so it will stay in od if u want when u push in clutch.

[boo]

my first columbia was in a 34 w/17'' stock whls w/?cam, was gutless, needed more rpms to run good. next was a 1940 w/ mild eng ?cam, 25t linc gears 4.44 rear,28''tires, sold it man said ran great on hiway at 80mph. next[stii have] rdst pu w/8ba, 400jr cam, heads 3/2s, 26t linc grs, 4.44 grs 7:00/16 trs, was awful to drive w/400jr cam needed to be excelerating and more rpm's than i had the way i drive. pulled the 400 cam and put back in the stock 53 merc cam, a completely different car, great to drive. next, i'm still working on it, i'm out of linc gears so its a 8ba, stock cam, orig edlbrok blok ltr hds, slingshot int, 39 linc gearbox w/48 ford gears, columbia w/4.11 gears,31'' 7:50x16 trs. i like the 4.44 rear gears but you need 25 or 26 tooth trans gears to run them or you run out of rpm's quick. i like to lug around in hi gr at 35-40 hph. cam, trans grs, tire size, how you drive = rear gr ratio.. just my 2 cents

[danliveshere]

This post is now 6 years old. Can people with 3.78 columbia comment any further. Lawrie Kyte is currently building a 4.11 columbia for my stock 35 powered convertible. But the roadster will have heaps of grunt (286 MCF) to run a 3.78 with columbia. I’d just like to hear peoples actual experience please before we purchase another crown and pinion as the rear axle I just stripped yesterday was cactus. Thanks.

[glennpm]

Hi Dan,


The 3:78 ratio is great with my roadster. Shown below is in my profile but just so you know that I have a great motor too.


Original 32 Ford steel roadster

- 268 CI 59A block
- 4" Merc crank
- 0.400 Offenhauser heads
- Isky Max 1 cam
- Dual Stromberg 97s
- 39 transmission with LZ 25 Tooth gear set
- Columbia 2-Speed rearend

[Ken/Alabama]

It’ll work ok. Got one in my 40 with the 3:78 which is a heavier car and it’s great. I drive it daily and has a stock 221 ci flathead.

[cdan34]

I have put many miles on my two cars, a '34 Cabriolet and '34 5w Coupe. They both have a 276 cu flat, 400jr cam in both. I've been very pleased with the 3:78 Columbia in both cars.

[danliveshere]

Ok thanks guys. Looks like 3.78 it is!!