36 Terraplane Introduction

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User]
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Helo I have been here a few months but never introduced myself. I have a 36 Terraplane 4door bought on ebay 2 years ago. Planning to hot rod just a tiny bit. Will be using stock suspension, rear end is Ford 8", engine will be a Ford Flathead dual carb with a Chevy T5 5speed trans.



Can anyone tell me if it is feasable to cannect the original speedo to a t5 trans, I am far from this point but just asking anyways.

Comments

  • Park_W
    Park_W Senior Contributor
    Welcome, Chris. Talk with a good speedometer shop. A speedometer guy told me a while back that they can provide an adapter box to give you whatever speed/odometer correction is needed, and they can make it up to match whatever type connectors are on your speedo cable and tranny. The boxes are aroud $80, as I recall. That might be your best bet. Have you considered a '37-'39 Hudson-Terraplane six in that car? It's likely out perform a flathead Ford V8, especially with a couple of subtle mod's.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    HI CHRIS, Welcome aboard. I have a 37, the same body except for the trim. Park is right, I had a 37 in 1952 and the only way the Fords could out do me was if they souped them up, which they could do, stuff was availeable and I could'nt, no speed parts for the Terraplane. Only thing about the 212 Hudson in a 37 is hgwy speeds today. In 52 I drove the you know what out of it and it never failed. This one I like to cruise about 55-60. Looking for an O.D. of some kind to help that out. I'm thinking with todays gas prices I may drop in a modern small V6 or high winding 4 cyl just so I can afford to drive it !! On your speedometer. If you don't have access to a good speedo shop the semi trucks used these adapters before the advent of electro speedos and can help you . BUD
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Thank you for the infor about the speedo. I am a little to far into it to change motor selections. The motor will be a 51 flathead with Offy heads and intake with 2 carbs and bored out 60, ported. People have told me that I should get around 175 - 200 horse. For this project I am not looking for speed, just cool. I have a 73 Javelin for speed.
  • Park_W
    Park_W Senior Contributor
    Well Chris, at least you're not putting a 350 Chevy in it! I still think some group in the club should get together, get a '60s Chevy and put a Hornet engine in it, just for revenge. The vanity license plate, of course, should read something like "turnabout" or "payback."
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Park W wrote:
    Well Chris, at least you're not putting a 350 Chevy in it! I still think some group in the club should get together, get a '60s Chevy and put a Hornet engine in it, just for revenge. The vanity license plate, of course, should read something like "turnabout" or "payback."



    now there's an idea...maybe I should put a hornet engine in my 59 Belair.
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    Park W wrote:
    Well Chris, at least you're not putting a 350 Chevy in it! I still think some group in the club should get together, get a '60s Chevy and put a Hornet engine in it, just for revenge. The vanity license plate, of course, should read something like "turnabout" or "payback."



    You guys are nasty - talk about heart attack city!!!!!! LOL



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr
  • Ol racer
    Ol racer Senior Contributor
    Just a Thought,



    I found the cable is the same but the 'connectors' are different...

    In my '37 Terraplane I coupled a Turbo 350 Trans behind my Hornet using a chevy cable & housing.. I looked around for a 'retangular' Speedometer Head (with Trip Odometer) and found one in a Bronco XL that I adapted into the Terraplane cluster then cut a pc of plexiglass for front cover. It looks like Factory. I did the same with the retangular Bronco Tach in the Clock hole....

    Since there are many more Round Speedometer Heads perhaps you can insert a different Head in the '36 cluster to interchange with your T5 Cable & housing...
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    hudsontech wrote:
    You guys are nasty - talk about heart attack city!!!!!! LOL



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr



    We ought to do that to an old Merc. Would serve em right, AND would beat the original engine by the way. Only time I ever dragged my 49 SS (with a 100K mile 262), I beat a 51 Ford 3 out of 3. Had the KD switch moved so I could hit it with my heel when I clutched, and used 1st, 1st OD, and split to standard 2nd and it was all over.
  • mars55
    mars55 Senior Contributor
    What kind of cam are you going to run and are you going to use headers?
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    I do not know what cam yet, and yes I am going to try to use center dump headers, or I may have to fabricate a set on my own because I will be using the stock steering box. Very tight.
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