Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Uncle Joe · Guest

As a spin off from the EFI topic, how many have opinions about the gearing of classic cars?

Lets hear them....

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22837 Location: UK

well for starters, most Brit stuff of the 50s seems a little low! at least those I've been in that don't have an overdrive. I'm not sure about cars from other countries of the same era, I'm guessing US cars, with the distances involved in travelling in the States, would be lot better suited to cruising and keeping revs on the engine down a lot?

R
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stuchamp · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 546 Location: Iowa, USA

My '57 Chevy has 3:55 gears.
Not the best for gas mileage (10-12 mpg) but they work great for putting the hammer down! Very Happy

Depends on the car but I usually like gears from 3:07 thru 3:73 for cruising.

47p2 · Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 2009 Location: Glasgow

Low gearing on my Rover, bad for fuel economy and top speed but good for not having to make too many gear changes
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peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

My impression of mid sized British cars from the '50s and '60s is that they had top gears with about 15 mph/1000 but generally moved towards 17 or 18
as engine sizes crept up. My 1958 Minx had about 15 but I managed to find a series one Rapier in a scrap yard and stole its O/D gearbox which gave
20 mph and seemed wonderful except that its cone clutch slipped.

Later the Minx got sold and replaced with a nice Series III Rapier (£50 ) where the O/D clutch had some grip in both 3rd and 4th. It was nice.

By modern standards where 5th might be 26 mph/1000 these gearings seem terribly low.

The other nasty aspect of gearing in early 50s cars was poor ratios based
on a stump pulling 1st. There was a tendancy for some drivers to start in 2nd
and I think this was partially supported by owner's handbooks that decribed 1st as emergency low.

Then there are Fords and Vauxhalls with three speed heritage from their big engined US cousins. I still have memories of driving my sister's Prefect. First was useless but second was a very nice gear for accelerating away so long as you didn't mind the enormous gap when you changed into top. Having said that, I still perfered the Prefect's three speed box to the four speed set in the 803cc Minor that was my first real car. If I remember
right, its top gear was something like 12 or 13 mph/1000 but maybe that was due to me always running on bald tyres in those days. (great in the dry.) Wink

Peter

Old-Nail · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 853

Double post see below Rolling Eyes

Old-Nail · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 853

"The other nasty aspect of gearing in early 50s cars was poor ratios based
on a stump pulling 1st. There was a tendancy for some drivers to start in 2nd "

That was certainly true of the Austin Somerset, my first gear would be a devil to find due to years of owners setting off in second.

Interestingly, fitting the rear diff from the Austin Hereford is said to improve the car no end, plus all the gears are then nicely usable.

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

I don't really understand why manufacturers persisted with these very low
1st gears. I do remember being on holiday with my parents in the Lake District in the '50s and seeing quite a number of smaller pre-war cars struggling to get up Honister Pass and having to go up in reverse but I don't think anemia was such a problem with postwar cars.

Perhaps it was a fear by manufacturers that their products would put up a poor showing on the Brooklands test hill as determined by The Motor or Autocar.

Peter

Old-Nail · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 853

Oh by the way - I love that avatar you're using, looks like a painting!

pigtin · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 1879 Location: Herne Bay

Have a project to fit a 5 speed, type 9 ford (Sierra) gearbox to my Sprite.
It makes motorway cruising a lot more comfortable I'm reliably informed.
It is a great option for any similar engined cars of the period.
Although it is still possibly to obtain the gearboxes cheaply the conversion kit is not so cheap... These people do the kits and many other goodies:
http://www.mgcars.org.uk/frontline/index.htm

Apologies to any originality buffs, but I like to use my cars whenever possible.

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

Thanks for the kind words Old Nail. The painting is no thanks to my efforts. It's stolen from the front cover of a certain motoring magazine. (Copyright only lasts 50 years doesn't it? Rolling Eyes

)

I like your's too. Is that Old Nail at the wheel?

Peter

pigtin · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 1879 Location: Herne Bay

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

Yes the whole Poirot production is excellent. I love the graphics too.
Here are a few more bits of period artwork
http://www.jag-lovers.org/brochures/ad_1930_section.html

Peter

Old-Nail · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 853

The avatar Peter uses reminded me of the work of a French-Canadian artist by the name of Alain Levesque.

I love his work, very art deco-ish.

I don't wish to stray from the original subject of this thread so for those who'd like to see more of Alain's work go here.

http://www.arteauto.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=4

pigtin · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 1879 Location: Herne Bay

I don't know if it's me... But the covers and ad's done by artists seem more real than the photos. Wish they'd bring back artistic front covers for motoring magazines. I, for one, would be willing to pay a few pence extra.

Now what was that original thread? (perhaps someone should start an Art Deco one )

Don.