I'm thinking about retaining a really low mile original drivetrain in a 41 Ford 2dr sedan project. It's a really nice old car and a low mile original. I am thinking just a mild SBC and some stance but I would like to know my limitations. Where are the weak points and what are the remedies. I have the original column shift 3 speed and the original 3.70 ratio axle. I'm not expecting much but any info would be great. Thanks for the interest. Hack
It mostly depends on the driver. The transmission, rear axles/hub keys are not up to much abuse, IMO. However, many have been driven successfully with those components. Narrow tires help, by spinning if too much torque is applied and relieving some of the stress. You really don't need a 350...a nice 283 would be great....nostalgic (traditional) and boost performance significantly over the flattie and not be as likely to break things. Since 350's are so plentiful, I can understand using one of them, but a mild version would be more than adequate for a Cruiser application. Ray
Hnstray is absolutely right! My first car was a '50 shoebox, and I broke at least one of most everything rearward of the flywheel at one time or another. But being judicious in avoiding abuse will work wonders.
'Back in the Day', you saw some pretty stout motors connected to early Ford running gear. But replacement parts were easily available and cheap too, which is no longer the case. I used to know a guy who had a '48 Ford sedan who would swap different motors into it on a regular basis, but he replaced transmissions even more often. It helped that he had a pick-up bed full of 'em out back; the 354 Hemi would use one up at every outing....
My vote is for a 283, just in case you occasionally run it out through the gears. As the others have stated, narrow rear tires will help. Jack rabbit starts, will be hard on low gear in the transmission, as well as the rear axle keys. If you drive with care, it should last pretty well. Down the road, you could always update to a full synchro Saginaw 3 speed, and open drive rear end, that's what I am using in my '40 pickup.
Had a 46 Ford with a Y-Block 292 Ford, 39 tranny and blew the shit out of it when I was 16, I've never used that type tranny again.
If you stay with bias ply 6.00 16s it will most likely live. Even a 283 will have 60% more torque of the best flat head that came with that style drive train. One thing that will help it live is an aluminum fly wheel.
A warmed up flattie can break every part in that driveline if it's driven properly. So if your not going to upgrade the driveline, and then drive like a hypermiler, maybe you should consider sticking with the flsthead.
I'm running a 40 Ford side shift trans behind a 283 in a 32 cabriolet. I've broken a tooth of first gear but that happened bump starting it. And keep in mind it was a 75 year old trans. I have a newly rebuilt VanPelt trans and feel that it will hold up as long as I drive accordingly. Light car, skinny bias plys and easy starts should allow the trans to survive. Results may vary.....
They will take a lot of power on a steady pull. But if you like to rev up and dump the clutch at every stop light a mildly warmed up flatty will blow the trans. I would put in a mild Chev V8 and not worry about it. It should be fine if you let it develop some momentum before you give it the works. But if you can't resist jumping on it you will need a new driveline or possibly a newer car.
go easy on the take off and get the car into top gear asap you will have no probs , extra power of the chevy means less shifts back to 2nd so most problems can be avoided , my car in avatar has 283 to early running gear and it has a towbar
Agree on the 283, either that or a 307, and forget about smoking the tires and laying down rubber, even with that you need to invest in a good quality hub puller, a torque wrench to correctly torque the hub nuts, and a supply of old Ford axle keys.
There's the fun of driving it. If you don't want to baby the drivetrain, get a better drivetrain. The stock, now 75 year old setup won't stand it. They wouldn't stand much more than stock HP in hard takeoffs even when new.
Had a 34 coupe with a 303 Olds and the weakest point on mine was the keyed rear axles. New hubs, axles, and keys with the axle nut REALLY tight and checked often helped.
I have a 46 Ford, getting ready to install a warm 283 in it. Thousands of early Fords have had chevys put in front of the stock drivetrain with little or no problems.
Yep Ray has a handle on it. The key is learning to drive it. Hence the saying "Built Ford tuff with Chevy stuff."
Agree with Hnstray and barryvanhook on all that they advised - I run a blown 284 ci flathead in my 35 3 window with an aluminum flywheel, 39 Ford trans and 2 speed Columbia rear - driven enthusiastically but not abusive - very happy with the result of strong performance but no parts breaks! I also have a 39 Ford Coupe with a 365ci Cadillac with a 37 LaSalle 3 speed, open drive shaft and a Ford 9 inch rear - that one a can nail hard any time with no worries - that said - I still find no need to abuse it!
How much power a stock Early Ford V8 drive-line will handle is in direct relationship to the "nut holding the steering wheel". I have driven my '36 Ford for 96k miles during the 64 years I have owned it. Over 50k of those miles have been with a well built 59AB engine, '47-48, 28 tooth column trans, '47-48 Columbia with the original '36, 3.78 banjo/drive-line. The only trouble I have ever had with the rear end is the left axle locked up once due to a trust washer in the Columbia that gauled causing the axle to lock up.. That was a real thrill, doing a spin out across two lanes of traffic outside of Vegas, ending up crosswise in the entrance road going into Nellis AF Base. Up until 1960 I street raced my Ford on a regular basis, I dumped more transmissions than I can count, the usual problem was missing a second gear shift. I always kept a spare trans handy got so good at changing them, I could swap a trans out in less than two hours.. For an engine I would suggest you opt for the newest 307 you can find. The 283's are to old with lots of head/bore problems. Keep the engine as stock as possible. Use 600x16 tires, stay away from the larger tires, 700's etc.. A lot of people like the Big/Little look, to much rubber on the road will result in trouble with a capitol T. During the mid '50's, early '60's we put lots of SBC's in early Fords with very little trouble.. I bought all of the required parts to put an SBC in my '36, never got around to it, still have all of the parts in my garage..
I put a '60 283 that I overhauled in a '59 El Camino for a fella about 8 or 9 years ago now. It took .040 to clean up the block (actually would have cleaned up at .030 but someone before me got a little aggressive with the ridge reamer), used a set or powerpack heads from a '62 motor that I had here. it has been to Cruising the Coast every year since the build and gets driven regularly. Nothing wrong with those old motors just something wrong with whomever is building them. (no offense intended)
Since you asked for opinions! The stock trans is far to fragile for me and the way I drive. I like to shift gears, up and down, and do not like to double clutch. I have a stock merc trans in my flat head Willys, one day I will upgrade. Since you are using the 283, why not upgrade the trans & rear end? I would at least, do the trans upgrade now, convert the rearend to an open driveshaft, upgrade the rear when it breaks.
Heck, a late injected 305 can be had for a SONG from most any wrecking yard, may not even need rings and bearings. A pair of SMALL Carter AFBs on a early dual-quad with rams-horn manifolds and you have.... PERIOD CORRECT - for the same or less cash than a 283/307 rebuild! I'd lock-out the secondaries on the carbs with that '41 driveline, keep the cam STOCK!
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