torque tube to open drive?

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User]
edited November -1 in HUDSON
what is involved in converting an OD 3 speed out of a 55 hornet to open drive?

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  • mars55
    mars55 Senior Contributor
    half baked wrote:
    what is involved in converting an OD 3 speed out of a 55 hornet to open drive?



    Your signature says it all "do it the hard way". You would need a open dive case, mainshaft and companion flange. So you would need a open dive overdrive to do the conversion which makes it pointless.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    yeah i cant help thinking i should get another box. then another clutch, and a crank spacer and...... sheesh!

    the torque tube adaptor is only bolted onto the rear of the main case of the OD but i guess it carries the shaft bearings andthe like. no i havent pulled it apart yet i cant get time in theworkshop to get it done
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Not sure about the Hornet, but the Jet has a different output shaft to the '55 Wasp, so the rear shaft and housing would have to be changed.

    Geoff.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    id imagine the wasp and hornet are running the same setup. geoff your suggestion of changing output shaft and rear housing are seeming the best way to go unless i can find a t-86 and 10" wet clutch for a reasonable price here in oz. i sense another call to steve conyers coming on, or if i get my new job i'll pay anything, they need welders really badly on the new freeway in melbourne and arent afraid to pay a lot for them..... then my pacemaker will really get a kick along
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Can't you at least find a t-86 tranny out of something similar to use???



    the clutch unfortunately not a lot of options item available...
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    hey hudsonkid i sure do scour all the parts advertisments (trading post, just parts etc) available around here but so far crossing my fingers hasnt got me very far yet. even if i got hold of another t86 id still need a bellhousing and clutch. but ill take anything i can. while i was broken down on the side of the road today some old timer wandered over and mentioned he knew a guy parting a hudson driveline. of course i jumped at the chance of getting dibs on the parts. then my rescue rolled up (dont ever leave home without your tools!) and he knew his old man so theres another hookup. long story i know....
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    I have been looking at doing this on my 57 Hudson but its got a hydramatic in it. On the hydro the rear bushing & seal are located about in the center of the tail shaft housing. I believe I can machine the rear torque tube mounting flange off the tail shaft housing and use the present drive shaft yoke on a new open style driveshaft.

    You may be able to do the same with the T-86. Have the tail shaft housing machined to remove the torque tube mounting flange. I looked in my 57 service manual to see what the T-86 looks like and it looks to be layed out like the hydramatic I have as far as the rear bushing & seal placement.

    I believe I would remove the tail shaft housing and take it to a machine shop just to see what they would charge to machine the mounting area off of it.

    A custom drive shaft would be needed but that should not be a big problem in having one made.

    PaceRacer50
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    cutting the end of the housing off was another suggestion floating around, a new tailshaft is a given thing due to the extra length of the OD setup but i would feel a lot more secure with a proper spicer yoke mounted to a correct output shaft, working on trucks you hear and see some horror stories when drivelines let go they tend to wanna flip the truck over and smash diff housings. im just gonna hold out a little longer to see if this stepdown box and clutch show up. how would you locate the rear axle in a 57 without the torque tube? 2/4 bar would be necessary, once you take the gearbox out of a 55-57 the rear end is free to go wherever it please and i imagine the car will ride better once you dont have the rear end suspension forces being transmitted all the way through to the engine mounts
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Actually were are back-halfing the car using a whole new 2x3 rectangular rear frame kit with ladder bar rear suspension with coil over shocks in the

    57 Hollywood.

    The entire floor pan from behind the front seat to the rear bumper will be

    cut out and new sheet metal will be installed with larger wheel tubs in the

    rear.

    Cutting the rear torque tube mounting flange off the tail shaft housing

    and using the present drive shaft slip yoke with the proper length new

    drive shaft should not present any problems at all. Its going to be

    identicle on the front end of the drive shaft as it came out of the

    factory.

    Sorry but I do not share your concern because I don't believe it will be

    a weak link in the driveline. If the slip yoke is smaller than I feel safe

    with I can always upgrade to a Olds or Pontiac slip yoke since they

    used the same Hydramatic. Besides I always install a front drive shaft

    safety loop in all of my cars.

    For your T-86 several other auto makers used this transmission. One that

    sticks in my head is Studebaker but I don't know how common Studebakers

    are where you are located. I believe in the 60's model Studebakers they used

    a one-piece driveshaft so a standard slip yoke may be still available new or

    NOS from SASCO or one of the other Studebaker parts dealers and most

    of them are here in Indiana.

    Hope this helps,

    PaceRacer50
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