Ok, So I have another newb question. The '53 has a lever down near the heater controls that seems to go out the firewall then down near the transmission. I have no clue what it does. The specs on the car are: 1953 Crestline Victoria, 239 flathead, 3 speed manual trans. Picture of the lever attached.
From the blurry picture it looks to be the overdrive control. Does your car have overdrive ? Either that or the ejection seat. Don
So is out on or off? I feel like such a newb, I have no clue about this car. The guy that restored it passed away 8 years ago and its been sitting in my in-laws garage ever since.
Maybe a better pic. The handle doesn't say overdrive and it doesn't have an overdrive badge on the trunk (he could have installed an OD trans though).
As I recall, OD had a switch under the gas pedal to kick it out of OD when you needed more power. To answer your question, pulling out engages OD. Don
after market pull handle....have one like it on my PTO....if it goes to the tranny on the left side....there should be a long tube looking thing on the right side....then some one slipped on OD in that car....most likely a moonshiner.....
Very cool! Kind of fun that your exploring and learning on your car! Can we get some overall pictures of the car?
What's connected to the other end of the handle? Follow it and that should yield a clue as to what it is for.
Don, I believe that is the opposite of how it works. The OD's I have/had are disengaged when the cable is pulled out. And the kickdown switch, typically, is somewhere in the throttle linkage, usually near the carb, as I recall. Ray
You could be right. The only experience I have with one of these was on a 49 Ford my Son had. I sort of remember a switch installed in the floorboard, just under the gas pedal, and a solenoid (or two) on the transmission. I just assumed you pulled out the handle when you wanted OD, but we never had the car running, so I could be wrong. Don
Since you weren't sure you have overdrive means the control handle has always been out or it doesn't work. Overdrive properly working when engaged (handle in) will automatically shift in and out of overdrive at speeds over 30 MPH dependent upon engine load. Since the cable is aftermarket (and you have no overdrive emblem), you really need to check to see everything is there and properly wired. The components should be in the same location as the 49-51 diagram above and below is a clearer wiring diagram. This is important: With overdrive, when overdrive is engaged the transmission will freewheel meaning there is no engine braking when coasting. Also, when parked the transmission will NOT hold the car from rolling backwards UNLESS you lock out the overdrive (handle out) or shift into reverse.
Ok, I figured it out (after more internet research). Pulling it out disengages the OD. When its engaged you simply let off the gas for a second and you will feel something almost like an auto trans shifting and thats the trans going into OD. It has an OD it all three gears apparently.
Good thread on how to use the overdrive. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=680989&showall=1
I bet the car has a lot more pickup now that you are out of OD. As for an "options sticker", no, cars were not that sophisticated in the 50's. You just have to research it and compare your own car to what you can find on line. There are probably sites with specifications on what all was available with your particular car. BTW, you are lucky your OD functions as it should. Lots of times they are frozen up or otherwise inoperative. Don
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