Who here has Overdrive?

[eric wissing]

I know James has one (hope he gets it figured out) and Pete has one. Who else? I am interested in getting one in my car somewhere down the road. To install one does the drive shat have to be shortened? I have looked at Pete's website and didn't see that info. Maybe I just missed it. I like to read "Classic &Sports Car" a British magazine. They ran an article on an Overdrive Repair service.

"How to keep an overdrive working?" use it sensibly- don't go to slow with it engaged. . . . .And if it doesn't engage pretty instantly switch it out and get it looked at" Eric

[40phil41]

I have an O/D in my '40 Dodge (with D24 engine). No change in driveshaft length was required. The only change I had to make was to re-route my speedometer cable through the firewall since the O/D tranny has the connection on the opposite side to the standard tranny. A longer cable is required to keep it in the stock location through the firewall.

Phil

[jd52cranbrook]

I have one in my 52 Cranbrook. Bought it from a guy who sells them in Hemmings Motorsports Mag., who lived in Wa. state I believe.

Works great.

[Suddensix]

I have one in my 49 P18 and it works great. Don't have to shorten driveshaft just take the 3 speed out and put the O.D. in. Required a longer speedo cable.

[Lou Earle]

I have one in my 46 coupe from george asche- best way to go- bolted right in no alterations and the whole thing took about 4 or5 hours- works great at 65 to 75 I get about 20-22 mpg on interstate

[Normspeed]

I have one in my 53, I recently changed it out with a straight 3 speed while I rebuild the OD. Same driveshaft, no problems. You need an OD 3 speed tranny, it is slightly different internally so you can't just bolt the OD to a stock 3 speed. Also need the cable, relay and kickdown switch. Pete's site describes it well. Can't wait to get mine rebuilt and back in the car.

[Young Ed]

I've got one in my 51. It came in the car. For 49-52 as long as you have the long w/b car no driveshaft change is needed. Fastbacks and wagons and I think business coupes have a shorter tranny then the OD and need driveshaft mods. Apparently pre 49 is just as easy.

[Jim Yergin]

I have one in my '41 P12 wagon. Direct bolt-in using same driveshaft. Found the longer speedo cable on ebay.

Jim Yergin

[eric wissing]

Cool, there are a lot of them out there. Sure seems the way to go for higher speeds. I don't know why I thought the drive shaft needed to be shorter. Thanks, Eric

[Robin (UK)]

I'm running OD on my 47 convertible.

It was a straight swap with the original transmission.

I have it hooked up with a single wire and switch, for easy operation.

No kickdown.

We get lots of rain and salt on the roads in the UK and I had advice that it would be best to keep the circuit simple.

If it fails, fault diagnosis is easy. Probably just one terminal to clean.

[martybose]

I've got an OD unit intalled in my Bizzy coupe, but haven't actually wired it up yet. Instead of a longer speedo cable I got a 6 inch extender cable with the gearbox that corrects my speedo to read correctly with my shorter tires, and that worked just fine.

I've got the Radio Shack relay wiring diagram (thanks!), but have been hesitant to wire it up on my 12V car, having heard that the 6V solenoids tend to burn out on 12V. The only solution that I have found so far is a custom rebuilt solenoid by 5th Avenue Garage that is both pricy and has a long lead time. Are there any other solutions?

Marty

[eric wissing]

I've got an OD unit intalled in my Bizzy coupe, but haven't actually wired it up yet. Instead of a longer speedo cable I got a 6 inch extender cable with the gearbox that corrects my speedo to read correctly with my shorter tires, and that worked just fine.

I've got the Radio Shack relay wiring diagram (thanks!), but have been hesitant to wire it up on my 12V car, having heard that the 6V solenoids tend to burn out on 12V. The only solution that I have found so far is a custom rebuilt solenoid by 5th Avenue Garage that is both pricy and has a long lead time. Are there any other solutions?

Marty

Marty, this is from a sub-novice so take it for what its worth, Can a resistor be used to drop the voltage like they do for the radio when converted to 12V? Eric

[martybose]

Marty, this is from a sub-novice so take it for what its worth, Can a resistor be used to drop the voltage like they do for the radio when converted to 12V? Eric

The problem is that we're talking relative high amperage here, so it would have to be a damn big resistor! Let's see: 12V x 20A = 240W!!!!!

Marty

[JohnS48plm]

I've had an overdrive in my 48 coupe for several years. I just bought an overdrive wiring harness on E-bay last night. I've been running mine with a switch on the dash to turn the solenoid on and off. John

[Forty6217]

I have one in my 46 coupe from george asche- best way to go- bolted right in no alterations and the whole thing took about 4 or5 hours- works great at 65 to 75 I get about 20-22 mpg on interstate

Hi

I have just bought a 1946 plymouth coupe with a 230 size motor in it everyone is telling me it will do 50 to 55mph. What have you done to get 65 to 75, sadly I do not have an overdrive.

Cheers Mike

[Plymouthy Adams]

Hi

I have just bought a 1946 plymouth coupe with a 230 size motor in it everyone is telling me it will do 50 to 55mph. What have you done to get 65 to 75, sadly I do not have an overdrive.

Cheers Mike

push the accelerator closer to floor..

[blueskies]

The only solution that I have found so far is a custom rebuilt solenoid by 5th Avenue Garage that is both pricy and has a long lead time. Are there any other solutions?

Marty

Marty-

I bought my 12v solenoid from Neil Riddle, seaplym@hotmail.com

If I remember right, I think I paid about $85 for it about 7 or 8 years ago.

Also, the solenoid is Borg Warner, not just Plymouth. It may help to broaden your search to include car brands that used them, like Jeep for example.

Pete

[blueskies]

"How to keep an overdrive working?" use it sensibly- don't go to slow with it engaged. . . . .And if it doesn't engage pretty instantly switch it out and get it looked at" Eric

If you have the overdrive wired correctly, it will engauge and dis-engauge with the cut-in speed and drop-out speed determined by the governor. The cut-in speed is about 27 mph on my OD, and it will drop out at about 22-24 mph. There is no way to go too slow with the OD engauged, because the governor will automatically take the transmission out of od and back into direct drive once you drop your speed.

The whole point of the factory wiring setup is that it works automatically as you drive. I think it works great. Motoring around town, I can leave my shifter in 2nd, and shift in and out of OD with speed, sort of like a two speed automatic. Only if I stop do I need first gear, and only if I get on the highway do I need third.

As others have said, no driveshaft mods unless you have a business coupe or a wagon. I used the speedo cable that was already on my car and it fit fine. It may have been replaced by a previous owner with a longer one, not sure.

In my judgement, the OD is what makes my car a driver and not a parade car. It will cruise 75 all day long and the six has enough torque to maintain speed even up steep grades with the OD engauged. With out the OD, my car was wound tight at 55 and I was afraid to drive it any faster.

Pete

[Young Ed]

Pete its the earlier cars that require a speedo cable change because they moved the speedo cable from one side of the trans to the other. I have been toying with switching the OD I have from the crusty rusty 51 into my 48.

[Normspeed]

I just bought a replacement cable for my 53 off ebay buy haven't got it yet. I askewd the seller if it was the 55" one I need according to this little chart someone posted. Seller says the one he sells is 61" so it should work. Crossing my fingers, haven't had my mechanical speedometer working for a few thousand miles.

[BobT-47P15]

My OD is still sitting in the garage floor....in it's little corner of the world.

I also have a longer speedo cable purchased on ebay. don't know how long

it is, but was listed for Plymouth with overdrive.

Only thing I don't know - is it 6 or 12 volt solenoid?

Need to dig it out and get it going. Have, as I recall, three

different activation systems purchased over time.

One uses the traditional kickdown switch and relay.

Another uses a couple flip switches and a pilot light.

The third is the pushbutton gearshift knob like Pete has.

[blueskies]

...Need to dig it out and get it going...

Installing the OD will extend your range considerably... who knows, you might even get that vert to Idaho for a visit...

Pete

[BobT-47P15]

I bet it would take a few days to get from here to there, Pete. Even with the over

drive. Is pretty country where you are.

The other thing I need to do if I get overdrive going, is tighten up the steering.

It's a bit of a fight with the bias ply tires. As they are still like brand new, the

Mrs can't quite see why I suddenly need radials. Having had some radials in past

years, for a while, I know they make a lot of difference -- they compensate for the

sloppy steering system.

[martybose]

Marty-

I bought my 12v solenoid from Neil Riddle, seaplym@hotmail.com

If I remember right, I think I paid about $85 for it about 7 or 8 years ago.

Also, the solenoid is Borg Warner, not just Plymouth. It may help to broaden your search to include car brands that used them, like Jeep for example.

Pete

This is kind of funny, as I talked to Neil about a year ago, and he said not to bother with a 12V, just use the 6V solenoid. I've had my OD working for maybe a year using my own circuits made up using commercial relays from McMaster-Carr, and it has been flawless.

Marty

[blueskies]

I bet it would take a few days to get from here to there, Pete. Even with the over drive. Is pretty country where you are.

What's a few days? It's not like you've got anything else to do...

Maybe you could put together a contingent of Plymouth guys in your neck of the weeds and road trip caravan style. Can't think of a better place to drive a convertible...

This is kind of funny, as I talked to Neil about a year ago, and he said not to bother with a 12V, just use the 6V solenoid. I've had my OD working for maybe a year using my own circuits made up using commercial relays from McMaster-Carr, and it has been flawless.

Marty

Sounds like you are good to go Marty, if it ain't broke...

Pete