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37 special max speed


37buick

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I asked the same question a couple months back about my 34 Buick.  I know exactly what you are talking about , i get up to 40 mph and it sounds like the engine is going to blow up from

working too hard,  it seems i  need to shift into 4th gear.  My car has 4.88 gears i believe.  I just go slow .  Here is the thread.

 

http://forums.aaca.org/topic/256685-488-gears/

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post-154011-0-28814800-1455672258_thumb.If you can afford it and have the time and ability to put a Lloyd Young overdrive in your car its probably the best upgrade that can be made to these old cars. It turns them into cars that can be used daily in todays traffic. Its not really hard to remove the assembly from the car with no special tools needed. Send it to Lloyd and when he sends it back its ready to install the same way as when it was removed. He sends a very easy to understand wiring diagram for the 6 volt electrical switch along with the brackets necessary for the mechanical push/pull cable set up. I took mine apart and put it back together outside in our driveway as our garage had another collector car in it at the time. I replaced my brake shoes and wheel bearing seals at the same time. We use the freeway often when we drive our car even if its only for a few miles at a time, if that was not the case I think the stock gearing is fine for just driving around town. 

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I  understand Dave.   i already talked to Lloyd , I gotta tell you :  a few guys here had a reaaly bad experience , not with Lloyd himself but with the system  .They  don't think that  the system is realy reliable.   It seems to be very fragile .  As I said :  I spoke to Lloyd and believe that hes a great guy. I also believe that his system is the best available !   And I would consider doing it .    But that's for some other time ....

  I'm gonna try to resolve the problem that I have now.   I tell you :   if I can do 55  or  65   on this car as is  I'm gonna be happy  !    I'm very disappointed with this  top speed  at 35.  I even told my friends :    I would rather get a  model t  !!!!

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Swap meets may be a good place to look for a 50's dwell tach unit that will run on 6 or 12 volts.  

 

Failing at that, get a 12 volt tach   and buy a 12 volt battery  for trailer brakes.  I have one rigged to operate turn signals and us it operate LED lights.  A battery tender keeps it charged.

 

Bob Engle

 

A jump box works well.

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I  understand Dave.   i already talked to Lloyd , I gotta tell you :  a few guys here had a reaaly bad experience , not with Lloyd himself but with the system  .They  don't think that  the system is realy reliable.   It seems to be very fragile .  As I said :  I spoke to Lloyd and believe that hes a great guy. I also believe that his system is the best available !   And I would consider doing it .    But that's for some other time ....

  I'm gonna try to resolve the problem that I have now.   I tell you :   if I can do 55  or  65   on this car as is  I'm gonna be happy  !    I'm very disappointed with this  top speed  at 35.  I even told my friends :    I would rather get a  model t  !!!!

 

There were hundreds of thousands of Borg Warner overdrives put in early cars, Almost every manufacturer except GM offered them, finally Chevrolet also offered them. The mechanical parts are almost bullet proof. The electrical overdrive solenoids can be problematic but new ones are now made. The key to a trouble free overdrive is using heavy wire, a good ground, and a strong adjustable bracket for the electrical solenoid that activates the kick out. I had some folks say tell me they had problems but to me it seemed like either the oil was not correct or kept at the proper level or an electrical problem. Another problem was the installation of the mechanical cable, it must work smoothly and engage completely. There are hundreds of them in the cars of the FORD MODEL A CLUB. It needs to be a sanitary installation and a thorough understanding of how it works in order to have it be trouble free.  I was not happy with the cars rpms at a steady speed of 65 mph (3340), with the overdrive its now 2630 rpms. It was fine with the stock gearing at 50mph for long steady drives with the stock gearing. We are planning to make some long trips eventually which require some freeway drives for hours at a time so for us the overdrive install made sense.

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For some strange reason my car will only go about 30 MPH in 3rd gear,1932 series 50 230 c.i.

 

BUT then if I pull out my choke about a quarter of the way, then I have 

 

had my car up to 65,probably more like 60 because I think speedo is a little fast, have to check it with GPS.

 

I have rebuilt the carb and the car runs great just will not accelerate unless choke is out slightly even after fully warmed up.

 

The original Buick literature says it will cruise at 75 MPH, that is definitely too fast.

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I had a '34Plymouth coupe several years ago that would run great. It would not run over 30 mph. After several checking everything that I could think of an old mechanic friend said check the coil. Sure enough that was the problem. I'm just sayin it ain't necessarily a fuel problem. Like i thought mine was. 

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I have a 1937 41 that I installed a 3.6 center section ring and pinion in.  It required some machining and welding but appears stock from the outside.  Search old issues of The Torque Tube for install.  My new ratio came from a 1953 roadmaster.  Before the ratio change the sweet spot was 54mph.  Now it is at 64.  It will easily cruise at 70. I added an adapter to correct the speedo.  It is spot on now with GPS.   I have no problems with hills in Iowa.  Haven't been over a mountain yet.  Gas mileage is the same but I am driving faster too.

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I had a '34Plymouth coupe several years ago that would run great. It would not run over 30 mph. After several checking everything that I could think of an old mechanic friend said check the coil. Sure enough that was the problem. I'm just sayin it ain't necessarily a fuel problem. Like i thought mine was. 

And check that the exhaust is not blocked by a collapsed baffle in the silencer.

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The exhaust check is a great suggestion. Back in the 70's when the aluminized exhaust pipes were first used there was a problem with the aluminum coating coming loose and partially blocking the exhaust flow. They would run smooth but not go over 35mph. To check we loosened the pipe to manifold bolts or took pipe off if it wouldn't drop down at least half an inch. Took for a test drive and if it blew past 35 we knew what was wrong.

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