1939 Chrysler Royal Winsor Overdrive information and identification required

[Guest judderman]

Hi, I have a 1939 Chrysler Royal Winsor with I believe overdrive. It has the manual overdrive cable under the steering wheel but all the electrics have been removed. The car was converted to 12v which is why I assume the electrics (relay, kickdown etc ) were removed. However I cannot find any evidence of the kickdown switch, no holes under the acc pedel? The transmission has a solonoid attatched on the drivers side. One side is earthed to the chassi rail the other wire hangs free. Not attatched. I'm thrown by the lack of a govenor or a shift rail lock out. I was using this image to try resolve my overdrive issues but I can only find a solonoid on my transmission.

 

 

Does anybody have either transmission identification details a owners manual or own a Winsor and able to help with

information? Thanks. 

[Jon37]

I believe your car has the second generation overdrive, not the "full electric" that would have arrived circa 1941.  Several automobiles used this early OD besides Chrysler: I think they included Nash, Hudson and Studebaker (and maybe others).  Actually the first OD's did(maybe on the 1934 or 35 Chryslers?) did not have the kickdown ability.  You went into fourth gear and stayed there.

 

I myself have a 1940 Hudson overdrive in my car which may be exactly like yours (except for the transmission itself which was made by Hudson).  My OD has only the solenoid. There is no shift rail electric lockout, and no electric governor.  The governor is actually a mechanical, centrifugal type within the OD and works very well.  So, if you have the solenoid you've got everything.  Consult your shop manual for info. on the OD (or if you don't have one, I'm sure you can buy a reprint somewhere -- or if your Chrysler club is like our Hudson club, you can download or read a manual at their website.)

 

The only other electrical things involved in this version of the Borg Warner OD would have been the relay controlling the kickdown solenoid, and the kickdown switch itself, as you correctly note.  I know that -- in the Hudson at least -- the k.d. switch was actually mounted on the firewall and was activated by a mechanism attached to the cross shaft of the throttle.  So you might look around there for a mounting bracket for a simple plunger switch.  And maybe the relay is still attached, somewhere.

 

I'm not sure where you got the wiring diagram but I don't think it's for a '39....is it?

 

I'm sure a Chrysler expert will come along and update what I've said, giving you the whole story.  But I'm pretty sure you have the second generation OD, or possibly the first gen which had no kickdown at all.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Jon37 (see edit history)

[c49er]

The solenoid is used to cause a kick down only.

Some wiring/info pics for a 39 chrysler....

Bob

[Guest judderman]

Thanks guys that's a great help.

[Brooklyn Beer]

I know this is an old old old OLD thread but am using it today.  If your still around am I I to understand that the overdrive stays engaged manually and the solenoid is only used for kick down ? 

[Jon37]

I believe this version of overdrive has a kickdown (to 3rd gear) that is electrically activated by the electric solenoid that bolts to the side of the overdrive case (which is located behind the actual transmission). There is no electric governor, however (that came in the next version of overdrive).  The governor was mechanical (centrifugal) and built-in.  However, the overdrive functioned in the same way as the next version (all electric).  So, to answer your question: yes, the overdrive stays engaged manually (through the centrifugal governor).   And yes, the solenoid is only used for kickdown.

 

The wiring diagram (Figure 9) at the start of this discussion is, I believe, for the "next version" OD (1941) because it shows an electric governor.

 

At least that's my assumption, based on the belief that the 1939 and 1940 Chrysler overdrives were alike (and the 1941 overdrive was the next version).  However, I am not a Chrysler expert.