Chrysler Put A Hemi In What...?

So…you think you know your Chrysler history… and you can name every application Chrysler ever put a Hemi engine into. Well I got one I bet you never heard of. Chrysler like most automotive companies secured contracts during World War II to build tanks, airplanes, as well as guns and ammunition. Chrysler was no different than all the rest with one exception, the air raid siren. Chrysler earned the distinction during the war years of building the loudest most powerful warning device ever built. No company before or since has built anything like it.

Development of what would be later became known as the Chrysler Air Raid siren was started in January 1942. First attempts were built at the request of the Office of Civil Defense in Washington D.C.

The E.D.Bullard Company of San Francisco designed an engine driven centrifugal siren and submitted it for testing and certification. Chrysler got involved in part because the centrifugal engine driven siren offered by the Dullard company used their Flathead six-cylinder engine to power the siren. Despite extensive tests and modifications, the Bullard-design centrifugal siren could not produce the necessary volume of sound.

In earlier research, the Office of Civil Defense in Washington D. C. had determined that a minimum of 120 to 140 decibels of sound pressure at 100 feet, was the minimum requirement output for a warning siren. With the failure of the Bullard Company siren to meet the specifications, Chrysler was invited to a meeting in Washington D C, along with a few of the sound engineers from Bell Laboratories, to work on the problem and come up with a solution.

With Harry Fletcher of Bell Labs in charge, the engineers at Bell Labs went to work. This resulted a few months later, in the introduction of "Big Bertha" a huge centrifugal engine driven siren one of the largest ever built up to that time. The Bell Labs siren and was capable of 134 decibels of sound at a range of 100 feet. Now that the Bell siren design was proven successful, the Bell engineers drew up a series of specifications, using "Big Bertha" as a guideline, Chrysler was then awarded a contract to build the Bell designed and engineered air raid warning sirens.

The first version became known as the Chrysler-Bell Victory Siren. This first, siren, had a somewhat crude unrefined appearance, Despite its looks, it became certified by the Office of Civil Defense in March of 1942. One hundred twenty of these "Victory Sirens" were sold to 28 different cities among them New York City who bought (10) copies. The city of Detroit bought (20), as did the city of Chicago.

The Victory sirens sold for the tidy sum of $3,760 each in 1942 wartime dollars and were powered by a Chrysler straight -eight 324 cubic-inch engine that was rated at 140 HP. The government test results showed this siren with its two-stage blower was capable of producing a sound output of 134 decibels at a frequency of 430 Hz at a distance of 100 feet.

One of the problems with the early sirens is that the sound they produced was directional. To solve that problem the sirens were fitted onto a belt driven turntable that would rotate a full 360 degrees at 1.5 revolutions a minute. An operator was required to sit on a tractor type seat and control the operation of the siren and the direction of rotation, a job for which I am sure their were not many volunteers.

The second design of this siren built by Chrysler was much more refined than the first. Improvements in design also made the assembly of the sirens easier, faster, and less expensive. In the second design, the Bell name was dropped, and the sirens simply became known as the Chrysler Air Raid Siren.

The second design used the same 140 HP engine as the first design and the sound output was said to be the same. The second series was built from the middle 1940's up through 1951.

In 1952, a final and more advanced model was introduced. Along with a few refinements was the addition of Chrysler's new 331 cubic-inch, Hemi-Head V8, which produced 180 HP at 4600 rpms.

The latest design proved to be the best ever. It was by far the loudest at 138 decibels at a distance of one hundred feet at a range of 460 Hz. Best of all it was controlled remotely so no operator was needed to ride the siren and run the controls.

To put this Hemi powered air raid siren's output loudness into perspective the telephone in your shop rings at 80db while a city police car or ambulance measures120db at a distance of ten feet. Now imagine 138db at a distance of 100 feet… Yeeoooow!!

 This design became the most popular and a couple of hundred were sold to larger cities across the United States. Besides their tour of duty for World War II, many of the sirens were again used during the cold war when the threat of nuclear war became very real in the 1960's.

While no examples of the first two siren designs are known to have survived, a few of the third design (which was built up through 1957) have survived.

The Siren Harry Barry bought and restored that was once located near the school where he grew up.

Harry Barry grew up in Pittsburgh Pa. area during the 1950's and he clearly remembered there was one of the third generation Chrysler sirens near his school. It was tested each month and Harry remembers that very loud distinctive sound.

In later years Harry became interested in sirens (no doubt influenced by his early childhood), and went back to see if the siren was still there next to his old school. It was and he bought it. He then went to work and restored it. He tracked down and bought one more, and knows the whereabouts of  (6), more.

So the next time you are attending a car show and see a 1957 Chrysler cruising by... you may want to take a moment, and reflect on what might have been. Instead of that Hemi engine rumbling under the hood of that Chrysler, it could have ended up in service to our country.

Like Harry I also have an interest in and collect sirens. I have about 3 dozen sirens in my collection of all different shapes and sizes, the oldest one being from about 1926.

I do not have a siren in my collection as big as the one Harry has bought and restored but I can appreciate his efforts to track down and restore one of that size. The largest one I have ever owned was the one that was on top of our City Hall building when I was growing up. It was an old air raid siren from World War II. After the war it was used by the fire department. When the local fire department got a fire alarm they would turn on that siren to let all of the volunteers know of the alarm and they were to report to the fire station immediately. You could literally hear that siren for miles around so everybody got the message, and they often said it would wake the dead.

Later... when modern technology came along all the fireman got hand help radios and pagers so they no longer used the old siren. When it came time to repair the city hall roof after a hail storm the city decided the old siren needed to go away. They took sealed bids and I was the winner.

Soon after I learned that it ran on 3 phase 5 hp electric motor.  I befriended one of the local city public utility workers and we tried it out on a Sunday afternoon.

The World War II Siren from City Hall all 280 pounds worth.  It is nearly five feet across and the rain cap on top looks like an army helmet from back in the day.

I knew the siren was loud on the top of city hall but when it was on the ground sitting on top of my car trailer in the alley... it gave new meaning to loud. After a couple of times,  I had my fun, and the neighbors had made it clear they were not impressed with my siren. I eventually sold it to a small community in Oklahoma who wanted to use it as a tornado siren, a job it was clearly up to. With a population of barely 800 residents they clearly did not have much of a budget for storm warning devices, although like Kansas, they clearly had the need for one.

So in the end... I had my fun, got my money back, and there is a small town in Oklahoma who can now warn their residents of an approaching tornado. I have stopped in that small town a couple of times over the years to look at my siren perched on top of their City Hall building. I just smile to myself... it is in a good place and my neighbors couldn't be more pleased.

And I am still on the lookout for sirens to add to my collection. I am a little more selective now and leave the full sized ones alone.

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Adjusting Lifters The Correct Way

Adjusting lifters used to be a common practice when our antique vehicles were new. It's true a few engines came with hydraulic lifters that did not need adjusting but for the most part all engines and especially performance engines came with solid lifters that required adjusting on a regular basis. Today...adjusting lifters has almost become a lost art.

The accuracy of your lifter adjustment can have a huge effect not only on the performance of the engine but also on the overall life of the engine. If you read the shop manuals of the day they will explain how to adjust lifters resulting in an average job. The final result will be "close enough" and be within factory specifications for the average line mechanic who has to balance the time allotted according to the "Flat Rate" manual, and the end result.

But what if there was a way to adjust lifters that was extremely accurate yet amazingly simple, the way the cam grinders do it and the way professional drag racers do it, to gain any advantage over the competition. Even in our antique vehicle engines we can do it to get the maximum performance from our engines. We would get the full horsepower and torque that was designed into our engines from the factory. 

I want to thank customer and friend Mike Ready who shared this technique that he learned from his father who was a heavy duty truck diesel mechanic. Mike's father learned this technique as a way to time the diesel fuel injectors on diesel engines. He then determined it would also work as a way to accurately adjust valve lifters. He was correct and lucky for us he taught his son Mike how to do it and Mike has agreed to share it with us.

I had seen this done by one of the local mechanics growing up who raced stock cars on a dirt track back in the 1970's, so I know this works. The local mechanic tried to explain it to me then... but I confess I did not pay much attention, I had other priorities. So thanks to Mike... who did pay attention to his father...we can follow along and learn how to adjust lifters accurately. You will be surprised at the difference it makes.

"TEETER AND ADJUST" LIFTER / TAPPET ADJUSTMENT METHOD taught to me by my dad 53 years ago.  By Mike Ready

For want of a name for this procedure I call it "Teeter and Adjust". When I refer to the word "Teeter" this is what I mean by this word. When you are looking at a pair of lifters / tappets that are in the overlap phase we want to rock the crank back and forth watching for both of the tops of these lifters / tappets to be the same exact height. This is one of the critical parts of this procedure. 

Finding this spot on the cam sets the lifters / tappets on the cam lobes of the opposite cylinder in the firing order for adjusting / setting the clearance. The purpose of this is to get these lifters / tappets on that opposite cylinder as close to the center line on the base circle of the cam, which is opposite of the nose of the cam lobe on that lobe to adjust / set the clearance.

The "Teetered" lifters / tappets will be up in the open position in the "overlap" position. There for, the opposite cylinder lifters / tappets will be in the down closed position. I hope this is clear as understanding this is key to doing this right.

The procedure is done like this;

1 – Find and write down the firing order of the engine.

2 – Draw a line dividing this firing order in to 2 groups of numbers (for example; a 4 cylinder would have 2 numbers on each side of the line, 6 will have 3 on each side, 8 will have 4 on each side of the line and so on for engines with more cylinders.

3 – Position cylinder number 1 on top dead center. Accuracy is important you want to be at exactly top dead center!

4 – Look at the first number after the line on the RIGHT group of numbers and see what cylinder that is.

5 – Look at that cylinder’s lifters / tappets and by rocking the crank back and forth get each lifter / tappet exactly the same height on their top edge of the lifter / tappet. These will be in the open "overlap" position on those lobes.

6 – At this point in this procedure, the lifters / tappets on the opposite cylinder (in this case number 1) are exactly on the base circle and as close to the center line of that cam lobe as possible. It is now time to set that clearance of those 2 lifters / tappets (on number 1). 

These will be the numbers on the LEFT side of the line.

All you have to do now is look at the next cylinder in the firing order and find its opposite cylinder in the firing order - pair of lifters / tappets (the RIGHT group) and with a very little turn of the crank "Teeter" them to get them at the same equal height. Then adjust the lifter / tappets clearances of that cylinder opposite cylinder in the firing order just after number 1 in the LEFT group. 

Move on down the line of the firing order numbers "Teetering & Adjusting" until you get to the end of the "Teetering" lifters (right of line). 

At this point switch over to the cylinders (which will be on the LEFT of the line dividing your firing order into 2 groups) and "Teeter" these cylinder numbers lifters / tappets and adjusting their opposite cylinder that are on the Right of the line.

Once you have finished this group of cylinders you are all done.

I believe it requires only 2 complete turns of the crankshaft to complete this "Teeter & Adjust" procedure.

Now... why is this considered the best way to set the cam lifters / tappets for adjusting the clearances?

It positions the lifters / tappets on equal sides of the center line of the base circle of the cam lobe. Then when the clearance is adjusted / set it is VERY accurately set. Little to no chance for error and it is easy and a lot less work to do.

In the 50 years I have used dad’s method I have taught many mechanics how to use this method. It works on any even multiple cylinder engines. Be it a 4 cylinder to any number of even numbered cylinders. Flathead, "L" head, over head valve, over head cam.

In the 50 years of doing mechanic work on all sorts of vehicles, tractors, heavy equipment, and in 15 years of building racing car engines I have only found a very few who knew this method. I have yet to find it described in a book.

In all these years I have found, 2 pals that own a cam grinding company who each race cars, a few on race teams, and several diesel engine mechanics that knew and used this method.

Here is a "real life" example:

Using the firing order of a Model A Ford 4 cylinder engine 1243.

Write down the firing order & draw a line dividing this into 2 groups.

 1 2 / 4 3

 Start by putting #1 on TDC

 Look at # 4’s lifters & teeter them into equal height

 Adjust # 1’s lifters

 Look at # 3’s lifters & teeter them into equal height

 Adjust # 2’s lifters

At this point all cylinders on the left side of the line are adjusted & done. Now focus on the group for teetering that is on the LEFT side, the group that you just adjusted.

Look at # 1’s lifters & teeter them into equal height

Adjust # 4’s lifters
Look at # 2’s lifters & teeter them into equal height
Adjust # 3’s lifters ---- Now you are all done

Note From Randy - You can use a flat blade feeler gauge like this one but a stepped feeler gauge works better. Make sure when you are measuring clearances that you are touching both surfaces so you get an accurate reading.

                  

Here are two examples of stepped feeler gauges. The set on the left
is like the ones like I grew up with. The ones on the right are the modern ones and a little easier to work with as you are only controlling one stepped blade with a handle attached. You can buy this set from your local auto parts store, it is Lisle part number 68050.  Thanks Randy

 Mike continues...you need no special tools for finding the correct spot to adjust the lifters. Also, you don’t jump around from one cylinder to another adjusting one lifter at a time. Instead you just follow the firing order & adjust BOTH lifters at the same time.

All you need to complete this job is: paper, pin/pencil, a stepped feeler gauge set, and the proper sized wrench.

Randy's final comments....These instructions are pretty simple to follow and in the end it will result in less work and a more accurate job, as compared to adjusting lifters the conventional way one at a time. That should put a smile on your face! I want to again thank Mike for sharing his knowledge.

This is a perfect example of learning from the previous generation and then passing it along to the younger generation. Everyone benefits especially the younger generation who is now able to own drive and maintain an antique vehicle. It makes driving an owning an antique vehicle more enjoyable when you know how things work and how to do the basic maintaince. That builds pride of ownership and you can't get that out of any book!

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A Short History Of Motor Oil Brands

Edwin Drake was the first person to strike oil in America. His world-famous well was drilled in Titusville, Pa, a small town located in Crawford County Pa. His innovative method of drilling for oil using an iron pipe not only caused a "black gold rush" but also placed him in the books of oil industry history.

Drake was hired to drill for Seneca Oil Co, but met with little success. He used a steam engine to power an iron pipe drill he invented. Most of his chosen drilling sites yielded only trace amounts of oil. Meanwhile...he endured fires, financial setbacks, and the heavy ridicule of the locals.  With little to show for their investment, the Seneca Oil Company gave up on Drake and withdrew his funding. Drake was determined, and obtained a personal line of credit to continue drilling. On August 27, 1859, Drake struck oil at 69 feet below ground, just before his funds ran out. This is considered the "first large-scale commercial extraction of petroleum".

Unfortunately for Drake, his success would not last. He had secured a limited number of oil leases in the region, and after his discovery, the oil industry exploded all around him, outside of his control. Sadly he never patented the drilling method he pioneered, which worked so well, it quickly become the standard method of drilling. He went on to loose the balance of his modest earnings from the oil business, speculating on Wall Street.

Annual domestic output of crude swelled from 2,000 barrels in 1859, the year of Drake’s “discovery,” to 10,000,000 barrels in 1873

Petroleum jumped from the sixth most valuable US export to the second most valuable during this period. At the peak of the oil boom, Pennsylvania wells were producing one third of the world’s oil.

But 1892 was the last year that Pennsylvania wells provided a majority of the oil produced in the US, and in 1895, Ohio surpassed Pennsylvania as an oil producer. By 1907, the decline of the Pennsylvania fields and the great discoveries made in Texas, California, and Oklahoma, left Pennsylvania with less than 10% of the nation's oil production.

One of the first products offered for sale from was motor oil and gasoline (which was originally a by-product of the refining process and was considered waste) until the automobile came along. Oil on the other hand was needed for lubrication for all types of machinery, and kerosene for lighting. So that lead to the founding of various oil companies many of which are still in business today. Here are a few...

The Sun Oil Company began in 1886 as the Peoples Natural Gas Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, its partners decided to expand their gas business with a stake in the new oil discoveries in Ohio, and Sun Oil diversified quickly, active in production and distribution of oil as well as processing and marketing gasoline. By 1901, the company was incorporated in New Jersey as Sun Company and turned its interest to the new Spindle Top field in Texas.

Wolf's Head motor oil dates back to 1879 and was one of the original oil brands in Pennsylvania. Pennzoil acquired the company in the early sixties. When Shell bought Pennzoil they sold the Wolf's Head brand to Amalie Oil in Tampa Florida.

Pennzoil was never Pennsylvanian. It was founded in Los Angeles, California in 1913. In 1955, it was bought by South Penn Oil, a former branch of Standard Oil. In 1963, South Penn Oil merged with Zapata Petroleum, and during the 1970s, the company moved its offices to Houston, Texas.

Quaker State Motor Oil is an American brand of motor oil produced by SOPUS Products, a division of Royal Dutch Shell, and the successor of the Pennzoil-Quaker State Company.

Amalie Motor Oil founded in Franklin, PA, in 1903 by the Sonneborn brothers. It was one of the original "Pennsylvania Crude" oil companies. Amalie was quick to develop a steadfast reputation for high-quality, well-engineered petroleum products. In 1953, Amalie was the first oil company to introduce a multi-grade motor oil: Imperial 10W30.

Kendall Motor Oil…. 3 partners witnessed an 1875 oil well gusher, and decided to go into business together to establish a refinery.

In 1881, they established the first oil refinery in Bradford Pa., a business-deal that has kept the oil town prospering for over a century. The Bradford Oil Refinery remains the oldest functioning petroleum refinery in the world. In 1902, the Penn Lubricating Co. purchased the refinery.

In 1913 was the incorporation of the Kendall Refining Company, which became the first producer of motor oil to extend oil change intervals from the average 500 miles, to the greatly improved 2000 miles.  The Bradford Refinery, which was later renamed the Kendall Refinery was sold to the Witco Chemical company in 1966, and produced both the Kendall and Amalie oil lines.

Phillips Petroleum Company was founded by Lee Eldas "L.E." Phillips, and Frank Phillips of Bartlesville Oklahoma, on June 13, 1917. The new company had assets of $3 million, 27 employees and owned land throughout Oklahoma and Kansas.

After discovery of Texas's huge Panhandle gas field in 1918 and the Hugoton Field to its north in Kansas, the Phillips Company became increasingly involved in the rapidly developing natural gas industry. In particular, the company became specialized in extracting liquids from natural gas, and by 1925 was the nation's largest producer of natural gas liquids.

 In 1927, the company's gasoline was being tested on U.S. Highway 66 in Oklahoma. When it turned out that the car reached the then breakneck speed of 66 mph, the company decided to name the new fuel Phillips 66

(I know there is some controversy over how the Phillips 66 came about...some same say the 66 was the octane rating of the gasoline, some say it was because they were testing on U.S. Highway 66, but the 66 mph story came from the Phillips Company, and they should know better than anybody.)

Phillips was the second oil company to introduce multi-grade motor oil in 1954 (The first was Amalie). Such motor oils were designed to be used year-round in automobile engines, as opposed to single grades for which different grades of motor oils were recommended to meet weather variances.

Phillips sold gasoline in Canada's western provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan under the name Pacific 66 until the late 1970s. In 1966, Phillips entered the United States West Coast market by purchasing Tidewater Oil Co.'s refining

In 1967, Phillips became the nation's second oil company, after Texaco, to sell and market gasoline in all 50 states, by opening a Phillips 66 station in Anchorage, Alaska.

Gasoline for automobiles was first sold at local hardware stores, it was quite an innovation when stand alone gasoline stations came along. Early automobiles required lots more maintaince and repairs and the gasoline or "filling station" was the logical place to have that work done.

It was convenient for the customer and met more profit for the station owner. We have come along way from those early days where the gasoline station only sold gasoline and oil and offered full service. Today's modern stations that sell groceries, snacks and beverages of all kinds, but no service work and no fixing of flat tires. The younger generation has no idea what they missed out on...

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Borg Warner Overdrives And The Aftermarket...Ford Bronco

This article appeared in the October 1968 issue of one of the popular off road magazines. It shows yet another popular aftermarket application for the Borg Warner Overdrive. As many of you reading this have discovered the Borg Warner Overdrive was adapted to many different aftermarket applications.  Read on as Rancho introduces a kit to adapt a Borg Warner Overdrive into a Ford Bronco Driveline. Keep in mind this article is from 1968 so the print quality is not the best, but the information is still good.

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Yet More Borg Warner Overdrive Information - Solenoid and Relay Part Number ID.

Just when you thought it was safe to go to the garage, that you had all of the information there was available about the Borg Warner overdrive...well there is more. I have been on a constant quest to gather up all of the Borg Warner Overdrive information that I can find. I now have found most of the overdrive solenoid part numbers as well as most of the relay numbers and some technical information about each of those.

First up you need to know is that there were three manufacturers of overdrive solenoids, BMC, Autolite, and Delco. The BMC company it appears made the solenoids for Borg Warner. Nobody seems to know if BMC was a Borg Warner Company or somebody they contracted with to build their solenoids. With eleven different car companies offering the Borg Warner Overdrive as an option plus the aftermarket demand, made it very difficult to keep up with solenoid production.

Borg Warner sold over two million overdrive transmissions by 1950, and would go on to sell over four million by 1970. No wonder they were busy.

You should know by now that most all of the solenoids will interchange between the different models, as long as you keep the same voltage and shaft length. I am putting this OEM Part Number information up in case you run across an original NOS solenoid or relay, you will know the original application.

Keep in mind that with solenoids, that the cover end with the part number often got damaged when the transmission was placed on a concrete shop floor during a clutch job. An easy replacement the end covers got swapped out for an undamaged replacement. My point is you can not always assume the cover on the back of the solenoid is the original. After 60 plus years a lot can happen to a solenoid.

This page came from an old overdrive service book that is way older than I am, and no doubt older than most of you. So excuse the poor quality, the book had been well used and abused by the time I found it. You can click on the picture to make it larger.

I also have the same information for the overdrive relays. Again same story, you know all of the overdrive relays will interchange as long as you keep the voltage the same.

There is also some technical troubleshooting and related information on both of these pages. The wiring diagram is clearly one before 1951 because it still shows the reverse lockout switch.
Same deal here...click on the picture to make it larger.

Some solenoids were built with wires coming out of the terminals, while most had screw terminals which made it easier to remove the solenoid for replacement. While there were a few additional variations most all of them can be converted to the more common four post relay and two post screw terminal solenoid of which new replacement parts are readily available.

No matter the combination all of the Borg Warner R-10 and R-11 overdrive solenoids function the same way.

Stay tuned for more... as I find it I will share it with you here....

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The Ford "Skyway" Columbia Overdrive

Before the Borg Warner R-10 and R-11 electric overdrives became popular in the 1940's there was the Columbia overdrive rear end overdrive option. It could be installed by the local Ford dealer and offered a higher top speed and more important a lower engine rpm at normal highway speeds. The ratio of the Columbia overdrive was 28% very close to the 33% of the later Borg Warner electric overdrive. Unless you grew up in the era, you likely do not know much about a Columbia overdrive or how it operated. So stay tuned as you get a crash course in Columbia 101.

The Columbia overdrive rear end was an early design overdrive that was adapted to the stock Ford rear end housing, and was designed to provide a dual ratio for the rear end. The Columbia rear end was an option from Ford beginning in 1934 (could be retro fitted to a 1933) and prior to the Borg Warner overdrive transmissions which would become a Ford option beginning in 1949. It was the Borg Warner overdrive transmission that would later contribute to the demise of the Columbia dual-ratio rear end. Lets learn more.

Originally developed by the Columbia Axle Company in Cleveland, Ohio, the two-speed axle was first used as an option on the 1932 Auburn. Ford first offered it as a conversion for their 1934 models; it was later offered as a factory-option on the 1937-'41 V-12-powered Lincoln Zephyrs, Continentals and Custom models, and 1939-'41 Mercury's and Fords with the Flathead V-8.

The axle was supplied as a kit to be installed by Ford dealers or by independent authorized garages. Only a few of the 1933-1934 kits were sold, and they are considered very rare today. The axle was redesigned and improved for the 1935 Ford model year, and by mid-year, was called the Columbia “Two-Speed Axle” even though the differential carrier casting (A-6) was still marked “Dual Ratio Axle”. The axle was also an option for the new 1936 Lincoln Zephyr and later, the new 1939 Mercury. Ford, Mercury and Lincoln Zephyr cars could be ordered with a Columbia but it was installed by a Ford authorized independent shop before delivery. 

When the Columbia rear end unit was fitted to the original banjo-style Ford rear-end, the driver's side axle and the left axle housing were retained, but the passenger-side axle and housing had to be replaced. The new right side axle was shorter to make room for the planetary and sliding clutch assembly. The new right axle housing incorporated the mounting bracket for the vacuum canister and an opening for a shifting lever that was attached to the end of the canister's vacuum piston. 

The piston rod had a clevis assembly that attached to the sliding clutch. When the axle is in low gear, the sliding clutch is engaged, locking several planetary pinion gears and a center sun gear into a sort of "reverse flywheel" cut into the inner diameter of the ring gear. The outer ring gear then turns the axles. When the overdrive is engaged, the vacuum canister retracts the sliding gear and stops the sun gear from spinning. This allows the differential ring and pinion to spin freely and causes the stationary clutch to engage, allowing the ring gear to rotate the internal pinion gears. The sun gear, however, stops rotating when the sliding clutch is disengaged. The rotation of the ring gear turns the pinion gears about the sun gear, which allows the "reverse flywheel" and the axle shafts to rotate in the second speed.

Starting in 1937, the marking on the differential carrier casting was changed to “Two- Speed Axle” or “Overdrive Axle”. ’46-’48 castings were marked “Overdrive Axle”. 

In 1940, Mr. E.L. Cord sold the Columbia Axle Co. to a Cincinnati investment group represented by Messrs. W.E. Schott (who already controlled a sizable number of auto-related businesses) and Lewis Goldsmith. These two men became the new President and Vice-President, respectively, of the Company. Production and distribution of the two-speed axle continued as before, however, they were not available from 1942-1945, due to WW II. Production was resumed in late 1946 with Ford and Mercury dealers obtaining the axles from the Truckstell Company, with distributors located at key points from coast to coast. The Columbia Overdrive was now called “Skyway Drive” and had a new electric control, to activate solenoid, instead of manually as it was prior. 

The 1949 introduction of the new all electric shift Borg-Warner overdrive transmission option by Ford, made the Columbia overdrive obsolete, which spelled the doom of the Columbia Axle Co. However, parts and complete axles for pre-1949 cars remained available for a few years after. In late 1948, the Kaplan Auto Parts Distribution Co. of Cleveland Ohio purchased the Columbia inventory and took over the distribution of axles and spare parts. Kaplan did an active business through out the ‘50’s and into the mid ‘60’s when the supply of key components (new and used) had dwindled and the supply of whole axles was depleted. In 1968, Kaplan scrapped the last of its inventory) and the company closed. 

The first thing a driver had to remember about his Columbia, is that the car must be moving when the Columbia is shifted into overdrive... and also when it is shifted out of overdrive. To shift into overdrive, the dash control (lever on ‘35/’36, knob on ’37-’41, and spring loaded electric switch on ’46-’48) is activated (turn lever to “H”, pull knob, or hold down switch). The driver then takes his foot off the accelerator pedal (to create maximum vacuum) and fully depresses the clutch, which completes the shift. On ’46-’48, the driver also then releases the spring loaded dash switch. To shift out of overdrive, the driver returns the dash control to the standard position (on ’46-’48 the control switch automatically returns to standard position), takes his foot off the accelerator pedal, and fully depresses the clutch, which completed the shift. 

When the Columbia is shifted into overdrive, the sun gear is locked to the differential carrier casting so it cannot rotate. In this mode, the planetary gears rotate around the sun gear and, in turn, rotate the inner gear 28.5% faster than the differential outer case assembly which encloses it. Since the inner gear carries the pinion gears, the net result is a 28.5% reduction in RPM from the differential outer case assembly forward to the engine. 

Shifting from standard drive to overdrive and from overdrive to standard caused a sudden and substantial shocks to the gears, bearings, and housings of the Columbia axle. To absorb these shocks and to lock the sun gear in either standard drive or overdrive mode, the axle has a brake-clutch mechanism called the synchro clutch. The synchro clutch became the weak link of the Columbia overdrive.

Car owners trying to shift out of overdrive without the car moving also caused a lot of problems.

The real design downfall of the Columbia overdrive, is that the Columbia rear end receives about 4 times the amount of torque that a transmission or drive shaft overdrive unit does, due to the fact that it is located downstream of the ring and pinion. The failure point of a Columbia is almost always the internal planetary ring gear which is part of the differential housing. The failure often occurred when the driver attempted to take off from a standing start in low overdrive.

When the Columbia dual ratio rear end was introduced in the early 1930's, most cars had 4 cylinder engines. By the late thirties the V8 had been introduced and the horsepower of cars had more than doubled, which put even more strain on the Columbia rear end. 

So while the Columbia overdrive concept was a good one, the location of the overdrive unit itself, was not. The Borg Warner electric overdrive transmission offered a 33% reduction at engine speed, was factory installed, cost about the same money, and was easier to operate. The Borg Warner overdrive transmission would soon be offered as an option by eleven different car companies.

The local Ford Dealer in Clay Center Kansas, John Mouse Motors ran a quarter page add in the local newspaper in the spring of 1948 offering the "Skyway" Columbia overdrive for $89.50 plus installation. That is equal to $943.00 in 2018 dollars. So when Ford offered the Borg Warner electric overdrive option for $30.00 beginning in the 1949 model year, sales were brisk. 

For reference the $30.00 option is equal to $306 dollars in 2018, so it was no wonder the Borg Warner electric overdrive transmissions sold so well. Borg Warner sold well over three million of the overdrive transmissions by 1960. Studebaker sold the most Borg Warner overdrive transmission options. The Borg Warner electric overdrive was easier to operate and cost about a third of the Columbia option. Within a year of the introduction of the Borg Warner overdrive, the Columbia option was discontinued by Ford.

You will still see a Columbia overdrive rear end under an antique vehicle now and then, and their are now parts being reproduced with upgraded engineering to address some of the original weak points of the original Columbia overdrive rear ends. 

The purpose of this tech article is to give you a little basic knowledge of the Columbia overdrive rear ends so you will know what you are looking at when you see one, and to have a basic understanding of how they work.  Class dismissed!

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1939 / 1940 Ford Battery Gauge And Upgrading To 12-Volts ...What You Need To Know

Starting with model year 1939, Ford installed a "Battery" gauge in the dash of their Deluxe model Ford, Mercury and Lincoln Zephyr model cars, instead of an Ammeter. No one seems to know why this happened, some speculate that there was a shortage of Ammeter gauges or that production could not keep up with demand. It doesn't really matter as long as you know how to identify what you have in the dash. The use of a "Battery" gauge in the Deluxe models continued into the 1940 model year.  The Battery gauges used in the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models are marked with the colors of Red, Orange, Green and Red again at the top of the gauge markings.

Here is a 1940 Ford truck Ammeter

If your dash gauge doesn't look anything like the one described above, but instead, the dial says DIS and CHG  with the needle in the middle, you have an Ammeter instead. When you upgrade to 12-volts, you do not have to do anything to the Ammeter, because an Ammeter measures the volume of current...not the voltage. Again all standard model cars, and the trucks got Ammeters instead of Battery gauges.

If you have a Battery gauge in the dash...which in reality is a volt meter, (although not calibrated as such) the Battery gauge is designed to display the amount of voltage present in the electrical system when the ignition switch is in the "on" position.

1939 Mercury Battery Dash Gauge

The markings on a Ford Battery Gauge are as follows...Green was normal operating voltage, and represented a voltage range from 7.1 to 8.25 volts. The Red on the high side identified voltages of 8.25 to 9.0 volts. The Red voltages on the high side were unsafe for light bulbs, and often resulted in the water being boiled out of the battery from overcharging. Excessive generator voltage output (from stuck points in the regulator) can cause permanent damage to the generator. (All Ford Lincoln and Mercury Battery Gauge markings represent the same thing.)

The Orange sector represented voltages from 6.2 to 7.1. When the needle dropped below the green on the dial but stayed in the orange that meant the headlights and electrical load was equal to the generator output, and no current was being replaced into the battery. If headlights were not on such as daytime driving it meant the generator was not recharging the battery and the charging system may need attention.

If the needle dropped into the Red on the bottom of the scale, it represented 6.2 volts or below a warning to the driver the charging system was not keeping up with the electrical load and the current in the battery was fast being used up.

This is a backside view of a Ford Battery Gauge.  Battery current flows thru heater wire which in turn heats the bi-metal which moves the needle on the front side of the gauge.

The battery gauge on the left is the 1939 design, while the battery gauge on the right is the 1940 design. Remember it was just the deluxe models that got the battery gauges, the standard models along with the trucks got the ammeter gauges in the dash.

Part of this information on the Ford Battery gauges came from a Ford service bulletin dated October 1939. I wanted you to be able to read and understand a Ford Battery dash gauge, and also know the difference between a Ford Battery gauge and a Ford Ammeter. 

So now the burning question becomes...what do you do with the Ford Battery gauge that is calibrated for 6-volts, when you upgrade your Ford electrical system to 12-volts? 

The answer is simple! Install a "Runtz" voltage drop onto the back of the battery gauge just like you will do for the gas gauge and the rest of the electrical dash gauges, (water temp, oil pressure) and you will live happily ever after. The "Runtz" will reduce the 12-volts down to 7.75 volts which will be in the "Green" markings in the original Battery dash gauge. The Battery gauge will then function just like it always did.

I know that often times the solution from the experts is to just swap out the "battery" gauge for an "ammeter" gauge and everything will be fine. That will work, but the gauge face of the Ammeter gauge will not match the rest of your gauge faces.

Now that you know the simple solution of installing the Runtz onto the original Battery gauge which allows to keep and use all of your stock gauges, the upgrade to 12-volts just became that much easier.

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