Columbia overdrive question

Does anyone know the ins and outs of what it takes to convert a 40 ford columbia rear to electric rather than vacuum?

 

talked to josh?

 

I was told that a chockcable can work

 

I happen to have a Columbia, minus all the vacuum controls, so I think I shall wait here on the sidelines to see where this thread leads.......

 

mine is electrically activated and pneumatically actuated

In other word you choose weather you are in OD or not through a electrical toggle switch but engine vacuum is used to control the position of the differential actuation canister.

 

Mine was set up to be shifted manually.

 

not yet but I definately will

 

I have one in my 35 , used an electric control valve but still working off the vacuum from inlet. I think these controls are used for switching fuel tanks on trucks.
Check out www.columbiatwospeedparts.com

 

The change that you are referring to is comprised of the actuator on the axle housing itself. Thats the business end of the switching of the axle from high and low. Columbiatwospeedparts sells such an animal and John is a great guy to talk to. The rest of the controls however work in concert to make the switch behind the dash so your speedometer reads what your rear end is doing. John sells some of those pieces too, SOME, not all. I have restored all the controls for mine and still had to work around the missing neutral safety switch. Lots of little stuff involved in it all, or you can make as simple as a manual lever if you know what your doing, and can live without.

 

I've never done it but I have read where a fellow used a modern dual gas tank selector valve from a P/U to direct the vacuum to the correct side of the actuator. It's already 12 Vs and once figured out it will direct the vacuum to put it into OD or pull it out of OD. You will have to understand how one works to figure it out but it is pretty simple and cheap once to figure out the vacuum routing.

 

Mine has cable. See chrome knob under dash.