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Technical The Allure of the Quick-Change Rear End.

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Jive-Bomber, Dec 6, 2016.

  1. ago
    Joined: Oct 12, 2005
    Posts: 2,199

    ago
    Member
    from pgh. pa.

  2. Speedwrench
    Joined: Nov 21, 2009
    Posts: 1,032

    Speedwrench
    Member

    Not sure if this is one of those urban legend stories or not.

    When they started making sprint cars use mufflers in California and set decibel meters to police the noise limit, it was found that the muffled cars still would set off the meters. Turns out that the whine of the change gears made as much noise from the meter's perspective as the exhaust system. After some experimentation the cure was to change from fine pitch gears to coarse tooth gears.
     
    Ron Funkhouser likes this.
  3. fatkoop
    Joined: Nov 17, 2009
    Posts: 713

    fatkoop
    Member

     
  4. Corn Fed
    Joined: May 16, 2002
    Posts: 3,278

    Corn Fed
    Member

    QC's are one of the top things you can do to really spice up the cool factor in a hot rod. I have 1 constructed (early Franklin?) and 3 Halibrand V8's (2 aluminum and 1 magnesium). I have one of the aluminum rears under my 29 Coupe. The others are slated for some future projects.
     
    Ron Funkhouser likes this.
  5. dragsterboy
    Joined: Aug 29, 2007
    Posts: 345

    dragsterboy
    Member

    Wilson Welding Speed Demon QC in my roadster.
    Old Time Drags June 2012 058 (2).jpg Old Time Drags June 2012 104.jpg
     
    falcongeorge and Ron Funkhouser like this.
  6. A V8 Quick change has been on my "Must Have" list along with a 4 speed and a Hemi for many years.
    It finally all came together.
    Body & Frame # 3 002.jpg
     
    ekimneirbo, alfin32, ls1yj and 5 others like this.
  7. CheatersPete
    Joined: Sep 25, 2002
    Posts: 1,290

    CheatersPete
    Member

    IMG_2776.JPG IMG_4267 (Small).JPG

    Still love mines!
     
    rat bastad, rod1, ls1yj and 5 others like this.
  8. Gabe Fernando
    Joined: Dec 7, 2008
    Posts: 309

    Gabe Fernando
    Member

    Do it. When I was in high school QC's could be found in a lot of different kinds of cars. How about a bitchin '55 Buick hard top. Lakes & B-ville guys would wear them out and sell them (cheap) to the street guys to kind of "finish" them off. Back then mostly the V-8 Halibrand style.
     
  9. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,809

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    14241591_10154030602957809_7591844329146320343_o.jpg At the time when build my truck.I had a Halibrand Champ.... could not find innards and sold it off.....
    But I put a QC into my coupe.... Love it...works very well.
     
  10. WhenTony is talking about about power loss it is in regards to land speed racing where every HP counts. Lots of folks using GM torsen type rears now due to a more efficient design. I am actually thinking about selling my QC for the lakester in favor of another setup since we are HP challenged.
     
  11. badshifter
    Joined: Apr 28, 2006
    Posts: 3,535

    badshifter
    Member

    IMG_5495.JPG Early Halibrand V8 quickie in my pickup.
    I've got the newer copy in my coupe, but it's not the same....
     
    Ron Funkhouser likes this.
  12. hotrodderhaag
    Joined: Jan 22, 2007
    Posts: 2,138

    hotrodderhaag
    Member

    I had to talk myself out of a 9 inch rear that was for my 32 3 window coupe. I wanted a good reliable rear that gears were affordable. So the first thing that came to mind was the 9 inch. After pacing around the garage, i picked up the phone and called cornhuskers and ordered a winters QC center kit. What a fine piece i must add! cheap, and very well built . They have changed the looks of the housing to make it much more traditional looking and they removed that awful V8 logo. The winters centers do not have the rear support bearing for the pinion, But honestly how much abuse do you plan on doing to the poor thing...? I assembled mine using 36 housings and radius rods. Im very pleased with how it came out. The rear end is totally new now, with all new bearings , seals, and a mint set of axle shafts along with having axle bell repair sleeves installed. Im into it less than $2k. 1455504536779.jpg 1455504885403.jpg 20160828_162717.jpg
     
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  13. seb fontana
    Joined: Sep 1, 2005
    Posts: 8,442

    seb fontana
    Member
    from ct

    Looks nice.. Did you cut off the diameter for the rear support bearing on the pinion or it comes that way? Are there bearings on the back side of the QC gears, first you see when cover is removed? If so probably helps with pinion support, if not it would make me nervous..
     
  14. hotrodderhaag
    Joined: Jan 22, 2007
    Posts: 2,138

    hotrodderhaag
    Member

    it comes that way, There is bearings on the back sides of the gears. its a very sturdy unit.
     
  15. Blue One
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 11,459

    Blue One
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Alberta

    Wanting to dis-assemble my new winters for finishing and even though it's all new and has only been together for building, never had oil in it, I had to go buy a slide hammer to pull the axles out.
    I expected that however as the bearings fit snugly in the tubes. :cool:
     
  16. Ya know I have always wanted a quickie, never had the cash to own one (for very long). but it occurs to me that today I own a model A rear that I won't be using and a ho-made quick change would be cool to have.

    @Jive-Bomber thanks man for stirring the juices.
     
  17. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    I have one project that I would like to put a quickie in, but my reasons aren't HAMB friendly. I would LOVE to be able to switch from a 4.30 for ripping around town to a 3.33 for longer trips just by popping the cover and switching two gears around.:)
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2016
  18. Pewsplace
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 2,795

    Pewsplace
    Member

    The adapters are from CAE and are old. I have never found another set like them. Someone is supposed to be recasting the CAE Champ and side plates but I don't know who.
     
  19. All my hot rods have had QC's. A must have for me.
    [​IMG]
     
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  20. flamedabone
    Joined: Aug 3, 2001
    Posts: 5,438

    flamedabone
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I have 100K plus miles on this old quickie. Lots of 10 second launches, haven't broken it yet.

    [​IMG]

    Magnesium Winters under the '34.

    [​IMG]

    -Abone.
     
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  21. Casual 6
    Joined: May 25, 2008
    Posts: 290

    Casual 6
    Member
    from Great NW

    Me too. Always wanted one, so here it is in my latest project.

    IMG_0245.JPG
    IMG_0263 (2).JPG
     
  22. zorro4153
    Joined: Dec 15, 2012
    Posts: 123

    zorro4153
    Member
    from Pa

    Early magnesium Halibrand IMG_20161001_115337095[1].jpg
     
  23. Allmotor
    Joined: Jan 7, 2007
    Posts: 135

    Allmotor
    Member

    Hard to beat the look IMG_0250.jpg
     
  24. One was on the parts list for a roadster build for a long time....the idea of changing ratio's quickly....and they do look sexy. Have bought and sold to where I think I have a good one....with lots of gear choices.
     
  25. boo
    Joined: Jul 6, 2005
    Posts: 580

    boo
    Member
    from stuart,fl.

    1970's bought a new halabrad from speedway for$295.00. went over to Ruskin fl. to Jimmy Franklin's [ the old man] shop and bought a new champ rear w/trutrack $695.00, still in my 34, when you say QUICK change, it aint quick, when you take off the cover and the oil runs all over and then you have to wait for all the oil to run out of the rear, slo as molasis, then clean off all the stickie oil so you can put sealer on the case after you cleaned off the old gasket. started w/3.17 gears ]i think] then changed to 2.30 realy can't tell much difference, boss 429 eng w/c-6, NOISY....
     
  26. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Pull the back wheels, pull the drums, undo the axle retaining plates and slide the axles out. Get under the car, undo the back u-joint, set the end of the driveshaft on the ground beside you, without letting the yoke slide out of the trans, because then you REALLY have some gear lube to clean up. Wind the bolts a couple turns back into the yoke, so they will be there later, and you won't have to look for them. Loosen and back off the nuts holding the third member. Get a floor jack, roll it under the third member, make sure you don't hit the driveshaft and knock the yoke out of the trans, loosen the drain plug in the bottom of the third member, assuming you put one in there when you built the car, get a catch pan under there and drain the third member. Go inside and watch tv, or go on the HAMB for a while.
    Wander back outside, jack up on the front of the carrier till you pop the gasket loose, lower the jack down a little, now crawl under there with the floor jack and driveshaft in the way, and pull the third member out. Attempt and fail to get the remaining gear lube into your catch pan. Lower the floor jack and roll the third member out from under the car. Crawl under the car, and scrape the old gasket off, forgetting about the last bit of gear lube that dribbled out when you popped the third member loose, and resting your hair in it. Slide another gasket over the studs, crawl out from under the car, and rest the new third member on the floor jack. Roll it back under the car, climb under and lift the new third member up and slide it back over the studs. Cuss and swear as you now rest your shoulder in that same puddle of gear lube. Crawl out from under the car, and find the carrier nuts, crawl back under there, and start them then run them back down and tighten them. Grab the driveshaft, knock one of the cups off and drop a few of the needle bearings into what's left of that puddle of gear lube that has mostly been soaked up by your hair and the back of your shirt. Curse and swear, crawl out from under the car, find some grease, put some in the u-joint cup,and pack the errant needle bearings back into the cup, pull the bolts back out of the yoke, and put the driveshaft back in. Climb out from under the car, slide the axles back in, and tighten the nuts on the retainers. Put the drums back on, roll the wheels back over to the car, and put them on. Climb back under the car, and fill the third member with gear lube. Quickly grab drain pan, because you forgot to put the drain plug back in the bottom of the 3rd member. Wipe up the mess as best you can, finish filling the rear end, and lower the car down. Go inside, think about taking a shower, realize you will still stink of gear lube anyway, think "f%ck it, I'll do it later." Change your shirt, go back outside, start the car, warm it up a bit, back out of the driveway, and do a burnout.
    And yes, I have done this. More times than I want to think about. They call them "quick changes" for a reason.
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2016
    Jet96, rod1, RODIST and 5 others like this.
  27. Paul
    Joined: Aug 29, 2002
    Posts: 16,380

    Paul
    Editor

    George, sounds like you need more practice. ;)
    It also sounds like you're working on a late model rearend?
    I'll bet the term quick change was meant as in comparison to swapping gears in an early Ford banjo rearend.
    I'd like to hear a version of what that entails!
     
    falcongeorge likes this.

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