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1924 Cadillac Type 63


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Could someone tell me if a 1924 Cadillac has a torque tube-enclosed drive shaft or does it have an open drive shaft? (With a U-joint at each end)

I am mildly interested in a car which is for sale (far enough away to not look at it yet) and am wondering if it would be a good candidate for an overdrive.

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They are open tailshaft with a separate torque arm. All the earlier V8s were thus, so were the copper-pot 4 cylinders of the teens, at least. So also are the 314A, B, and C which followed the V63. The 1928 341 changed to torque tube, (and the engine also changed completely, to have staggered blocks and side-by-side conrods.)

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Would you gentlemen mind providing some more info why one sort of engine suits overdrive better? There has been a V-63 Cadillac for sale for some time in the eastern USA boasting Mitchell overdrive; and a company called Gear Vendors is happy to install overdrives in quite an assortment of cars. Thanks, Michael Barnes, Vancouver, B.C. earlyV8Cadillac list owner

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Ease of fitting an overdrive does not depend on the engine, but on the type of drive from the gearbox to the rear axle. Because the front of the torque tube has to accommodate angular movement in a vertical plane, as well as twisting on the axis of the drive shaft. Most often a hollow ball shape enclosed the front universal joint. Changing the length of a torque tube is careful, technical work; either to shorten for an overdrive, or to lengthen the chassis to accommodate style requirements of a custom body builder. A dedicated chapter of Hugo Pfau's excellent book The Custom Body Era, which deals with this, shows multiple affordable copies available on one book site.

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  • 3 weeks later...

     My 1936 Ford phaeton had a Lloyd Young Overdrive in its torque tube.  A Borg-Warner . A sanitary job and it worked perfectly and certainly took the RPMs down to a happy hum when on the highway. Engine loafing along at 60MPH. I know of them in a 1930 Cadillac and a 1930 REO.    Mr Young is in Ohio.

 

                  Jim43

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