| Joe2009 | -- 05-11-2013 @ 9:15 AM |
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I am re-building the transmission on our '39 coupe. There is an option to use the Lincoln Zephyr gears instead of replacing with the std configuration. I am surprised that I could not find this discussed already. Any thoughts/concerns? "The older I get, the better I was."
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| ford38v8 | -- 05-11-2013 @ 9:42 AM |
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Joe, the zephyr gears were used for racing. Not good for street. Alan
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| Stroker | -- 05-11-2013 @ 11:16 AM |
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Joe: There were many heated discussions back in the fifties regarding the merits of Zephyr gearsets. There were actually two versions, "long Lincoln's", and "shorts". Both had "taller" (higher) 2nd gear ratio's, which were, as Alan states, desirable if you spent a lot of time in 2nd gear, and of course a closer ratio spread between 2nd and high, which of course is direct in any 3-speed gearbox. The downside is that you have to wind up the engine further in low in order to not lug it due to the big jump to 2nd. In stoplight to stoplight street drag racing, the advantage was that you could go faster in second, and not have to shift into high at all. Once drag strips were developed, and street racing was recognized as being "incorrect", the advantage of having a tall second gear was no longer great. Today, we think in terms of "close ratio" gearboxes. The Zephyr was just the opposite from low to second, and "close" only in regards to the 2nd to high shift. Overall, the Zephyr V-12 didn't have an abundance of low-end torque, and didn't like to be "lugged". The closer ratio between 2nd and high undoubtedly was advantageous in handling the cars greater weight.
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| deuce_roadster | -- 05-11-2013 @ 10:01 PM |
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Joe, I have the "tall" zephyrs in the 39 trans in my roadster and like them a lot. With a 3.55 rear when I pull onto the freeway onramp I can wind it WAY out in 2nd. Even with a cam it lugs real well at low speeds. However, the car is light and the flathead engine produced a lot of power. I would hesitate to use them in a heavier car, especially if it has a stock engine.
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| deuce_roadster | -- 05-11-2013 @ 10:01 PM |
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deleted duplicate msg. This message was edited by deuce_roadster on 5-11-13 @ 10:02 PM
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