First gear started making noise the other day. Drained the fluid and found a piece of gear. First qu estion is it bad to keep driving? Second, can must modern day transmission shops rebuild a 1938 Ford transmission. Third, is this something that can be done at home with some basic mechanical skills or no?
Stop driving it right now, last thing you want to do is wedge a piece of gear in between rotating bits and end up cracking a bearing bore in the case. Yes, you can rebuild it at home. Check out this how to article to see if it is something you have the skills to undertake. https://www.hotrod.com/articles/how-to-rebuild-a-transmission/
Get Vern Tardels little "let me help you series" book an how to take it apart and put it back together. I fixed my own transmission. They are pretty simple.
Mac Vanpelt is the go to man for these transmissions. Buy his book, buy his parts, fix your transmission. http://www.vanpeltsales.com/
You can ship your transmission to Van Pelt. The cost of a rebuild is less than what a modern shop would charge to do a late model transmission.
Hi. Back in the 50's I had a 39 Ford coupe with a 265 Chevy V8 with original tranny and a Columbia rear end. Blew 2 of the transmissions & went down to local Lincoln dealer and inquired about Zephyr gears. They had none remaining and the arts man told me to go over to the Ford dealer and get a set of 46 Ford pickup gears and I would quit blowing up the tranny. Did that and he was great as I never had another tranny problem and I would have that engine screaming when I came off the clutch at the line. The low gears in that Columbia were 444 and that little light coupe would really jump of the line with that setup. Others may differ on those gears but they worked great for me. Jimmie
If you decide to do it yourself, buy the VanPelt book and follow it to the letter. Order any parts you need from VanPelt too, as he has the best.
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