Columbia reassembly and other usefully information

I spent half a day yesterday watching Jim Durall reassembly my Columbia rear end. It was a thrill to watch a master mechanic put it together like a Swiss watch. He had an assortment of tools from the 30's and 40's to check various critical tolerances. Also had all the stuff (parts) that the PO buggered up for what ever reason. Wow, I felt like I was in a garage in 1946. He even got Stooksberry to do the bullet proofing on it. The bench racing session stories about him and John Connely and others, I felt like the 'grasshopper' I am.

He passed on to me some info to share with you on the Columbia. The upper hole on the Lincoln Columbia is to be used for adding grease or oil to the rear end. The Ford unit uses the hole in the third member. Always use the highest hole. Add the oil, install the pug and run the engine in gear on jack stands for about five minutes. Top off the rear end oil, it will be about a pint low. Run the car on roads for 1/2 hour and check again. Add as necessary. This may be common knowledge but I didn't know it.

Lincoln Columbia's don't have a filler plug on the Columbia unit . Ford Columbia's does have the filler plug .

I've scouted all over the internet trying to find the drum to drum measurement of a 1946 Lincoln rearend with no luck. Does anyone have the front and rear measurements (like if you have one out).

Thanks, Bernie

60FlatTop, I'll try to get that measurement to you in a couple of days if someone doesn't beat me. Sorry, rear only. I'm going tomorrow to look and maybe buy a '38 engine, tranny, and Columbia rear end that has been removed from a '38 four door being street rodded. I'm delivering parts to the shop that has my rear end on Wednesday, so I will know something then.

Without actually measuring; the"46 Lincoln's had a rear tread of 60.6". The 15" Lincoln wheel offset is 1.25" so the wheel face, hub to hub dimension would be close to 63".

Here are some interesting instructions I just found in my files -Axle Assembly.pdf

60FlatTop, Sorry I misread your post. My rear end is a '38 Zephyr, not a 46. I just measured it without the backing plates nor drums attached. Measured from outside to outside of the backing plate flanges, it is 53-1/4".

Thank you. Those numbers sound about right considering the overall width of the cars.

Years ago I bought a '35 Ford frame with a Columbia 2 speed rear. At the time, about 50 years ago, the local stock car guys snapped it right up. I knew it was available for a Ford. Now I am looking into the adaptations of Ford components into the Zephyr monocoque bodies. I would like to find the front and rear tread (60.6 is great!). I'm happy.

Bernie