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New here
Hello, New to the boards here so I have a lot of questions.
I bought a 1935 Ford model 51 flat bed 1.5 ton.
Where can I buy highway gears for the transmission? It is a 4 speed original transmission. Also looking for a radiator. Where are good places to find after market and used original parts?
I want to put a Chevy 350 in it but not for a rod truck, my goal is to keep it as original as possible and convert it to a German WWII army truck.
Thanks for any help.
I bought a 1935 Ford model 51 flat bed 1.5 ton.
Where can I buy highway gears for the transmission? It is a 4 speed original transmission. Also looking for a radiator. Where are good places to find after market and used original parts?
I want to put a Chevy 350 in it but not for a rod truck, my goal is to keep it as original as possible and convert it to a German WWII army truck.
Thanks for any help.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 180
Likes: 1
I'm pretty sure there is not such a thing as "Highway Gears" for these transmissions. The problem lay in the rear axle. The rear axle ratio's are very low compared to today's vehicles. The transmission is geared very similarly to today's vehicles with 4th gear being 1:1.
New rear axle gear sets are practically nonexistent and a new rear axle is the best choice to get your speed up. Some people go with an OD auxiliary trans but all this does is speed up your driveshaft. That old gear set in your axle is just spinning faster.
Is your radiator junk, or gone? If it just leaks a little you can take it to a radiator shop and they should be able to fix it. If not there are companies out there like Walker Radiator that makes new radiators for these old trucks.
What is wrong with the original engine to consider it swapping it out? You say you want to keep it original as possible but if you want to go faster you will need a new rear axle, and you also want a new engine which will also mean a new transmission.
It's your truck, do what you want. But if you are going for original it would be best to keep it original with original drive-train.
New rear axle gear sets are practically nonexistent and a new rear axle is the best choice to get your speed up. Some people go with an OD auxiliary trans but all this does is speed up your driveshaft. That old gear set in your axle is just spinning faster.
Is your radiator junk, or gone? If it just leaks a little you can take it to a radiator shop and they should be able to fix it. If not there are companies out there like Walker Radiator that makes new radiators for these old trucks.
What is wrong with the original engine to consider it swapping it out? You say you want to keep it original as possible but if you want to go faster you will need a new rear axle, and you also want a new engine which will also mean a new transmission.
It's your truck, do what you want. But if you are going for original it would be best to keep it original with original drive-train.
