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Hello ,you are right with the newer cars with overdrive in does 70 mph at about 2000 rpm ,gas mileage on the 49 is only about 10 mpg .When I go to shows in it I rarely take Interstates mostly state and US highways speed limit 55 mph will easily creep up to 60. I do have a tendency to pay more attention to the older cars as I drive them, also to other drivers.Still I don’t want to throw a rod 49 Buick is out of warranty 😁

Hello again, I did contact gear vendors with email and waiting a reply,would have to send them the torque tube and drive shaft, from experience in this town, no one would be capable of modifying the drive line.Not sure what would be best way to ship.

I have a 1948 49 Manual,Buick may have changed to the slightly higher ratio with the 263 Eights,I know the rpms are high at upper speeds it’s too bad Buick never offered overdrive when new,Hudson,Studebaker and even 49 Ford had it as a option.

Hello, May have seen you there I had a 40 Chevrolet at that time,remember the bbq chicken cooked on open pit and deal market? Earlier, the show was in a park in Olean ,good times!!!

Hello again ,I have a master part list that goes up to 1954 and it shows low gears available for prewar cars ,also the carriers change around 1948 to allow double row larger bearings on later rear carriers.want to keep the 4.54 but augment with OD .With a 4.54 rear on a standard shift car it would probably be almost stall free ,speed limits in that area were usually 50 mph except Pennsylvania Turnpike at 70 mph in late 1940,s so high rpm at higher speeds apparently weren’t a concern along with higher fuel consumption.

Lots of Buick s in vintage movies a 49 Super convertible in Three Faces of Eve, and in Magnificent Obsession.and also check out pre war Warner Brothers gangster films ,Buick’s show up a lot .In High Sierra, cops are chasing Bogart in a 38 Plymouth Coupe with 39 Buicks also Maltese Falcon a 39 and 40 Buick are used by Bogey.

The only other ratio available on 49 Supers was a 4.11 according to shop manual.

1949 Super Convertible with Dynaflow,I had to replace the rear end and that was what was in it and it needs that low end for acceleration, but engine turning lots of rpm at 60 mph . The 4.54 was also available in pre war Buick s ,many of the post war Super with Dynaflow were equipped this way.

Hello thanks for the reply, I had emailed them but got no reply so far . I know they can be fitted with a rebuilt overdrive by a place in Ohio,it might make it more enjoyable to drive, It has the 4.454 rear and with Dynaflow it needs it.Gary

They used to have a large AACA show in Olean at end of August ,used to pass through Salamanca every year going to show road was Rt 17 then.

Hello,has anyone fitted a Mitchell overdrive to a Closed drive shaft Buick, they seem to be used in Model A s and early V8 Fords?Thank you .

I think I remember a 1942 Buick also in Captain America.

Hello I would stay with the original color, and also agree the Bhigdog the color chips are a poor representation of how the color will look on a car .A good example of this is on my 49 Super,the sun mist gray isn’t to impressive on the chip but looks a lot different on car ,this is the color it was when new .The whole point of a restoration is to make the car close as possible as to when the car was built, not someone’s interpretation of how they think it should be.Good luck on the restoration, sounds like the red and black should be an nice color appropriate for the era.

This is how the are setup on a 49 .

Hello sorry I can’t help directly on this question I did buy a set for a 49 Super and they fit quite well.Maybe check wheelbase compared to other models ,seems that some other models would be close. I would think the 50 might be similar.