1952 Buick Roadmaster gear ratio.

[rapidride2]

i am 37 so obviously this all original 52' roadmaster 2-door is before my time. It was rescued from a farmers field and is in rough but extremely original condition.

After installing all new rear brakes i decided to install new rear lube. In doing so i noticed that it has a 4.10 gear ratio. Is this rare? How is this going to react with the dynaflow in specific on the highway? Once again the car appears to be very original.

[Bill Stoneberg]

I dont have a shop manual handy but that sounds right. The straight 8 Buick's were known for Torque, not top end. I have a 4.40 rear end in my 47 and I can go all day at 65 comfortably. I can also pull the occasional stump.

[rapidride2]

I dont have a shop manual handy but that sounds right. The straight 8 Buick's were known for Torque, not top end. I have a 4.40 rear end in my 47 and I can go all day at 65 comfortably. I can also pull the occasional stump.

Although it still is a final 1:1 trans i assume? I wonder if the Dynaflow is more forgiving with a steeper gear? I just want to be able to do 65mph at times without straining my low rpm designed engine to death.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

rapidride, I do not have a '52 shop manual, but my '50 manual shows 3.9/1 as standard for Dynaflow. My '50 Special with standard has 4.1/1 and I drive it at 65 all the time. In the 50s, we drove these Buicks all the time at 60- 70. No problem. It will still be LOAFING at 65.

Ben

[Erik]

The car should be equiped with a 3.6 to1 optionally 3.9 to 1.

4.1 to 1 was only available with sychromesh on models 46C, 52, 56C, 59 and 79R.

The shop manual is online her: Team Buick Reference

How about some pics???