4-Speed Transmission ?

[Guest imported_Speedster]

To All those who have driven Packards with the '30-'32 4-Speed, How did it perform? Did you actually ever use the low-low gear? If so, was it usefull and a good design?

[Guest Snopack]

Rick:

I have the 4 speed in my 32 902. I never use it as it is a very low gear and is not in the normal shift pattern. With the amount of torque that Packard has the normal 1st gear will get the car moving in any situation I can imagine.

Perhaps some owners wanted it so that they could tow their friends dead Cadillac out of the ditch and to the garage.

John

[alsancle]

I was wondering which years Packard offered the 4 speed transmission and was it on all the models?

thanks,

A.J.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I think it was Only '30 thru '32, as an option.

[West Peterson]

I've driven the 1930 Speedster a lot. I usually usually use first gear, but as John said, it's really not necessary except for starting on fairly steep hills.

[tbirdman]

With my 32 903, I never touch 1st gear except for once when I was stopped on a very steep hill.

I have decided to keep the 4 speed instead of swapping it out for a 3. One of the reason is if I ever decide to put high speed gears in the rear. I don't plan to as the car drives fine at 55.

The 4 speed I know was used on the 32 but discontinued halfway through the model years for a 3 speed.

[apbright]

I have recently acquired a Model 902 body 523 with a 4-speed transmission.  With a standard rear-end ratio (~4.4:1) I find even 'second' gear rediculously low.  I can't get anyone to agree with me, but my feeling is that with the 4-speed manual transmission on 21st century American roads something like a 2.71:1 rear end ratio would start to become sensible. 

[edinmass]

They had two transmissions that year…….four speed crash box, and then the three speed synchro. 4.4 isn’t a terrible rear ratio………unless you are familiar with pre war stuff…….you almost never drive the car except in direct. First and seconded should be used to get the car moving, and it should be in third by 10 mph. Most modern drivers hold the gears much too long. Maybe changing how you drive will help you out. Get to direst as soon as possible…..

[West Peterson]

On 1/27/2024 at 2:37 PM, edinmass said:

They had two transmissions that year…….four speed crash box, and then the three speed synchro. 4.4 isn’t a terrible rear ratio………unless you are familiar with pre war stuff…….you almost never drive the car except in direct. First and seconded should be used to get the car moving, and it should be in third by 10 mph. Most modern drivers hold the gears much too long. Maybe changing how you drive will help you out. Get to direst as soon as possible…..

 

AND... when driving that way, there is probably no need to double-clutch. 

Since I drive our Speedster aggressively, I double-clutch. With the four-speed and a rear-end ratio of 3.31:1, the clutch doesn't really like it if you try to take off in second. 

[alsancle]

Was it this months magazine that talked about the fact that you don’t need double clutch if you’re driving the car correctly?

 

I slightly disagree. You have to double clutch if you’re going to downshift.

[DavidMc]

In answer to the original question, I had a 1930 Packard 740 Limo with the 4 speed gearbox and never used the low gear, it would take off in any gear on level ground with a little clutch slip if it was 4th gear.  I normally started in second gear then as soon as it was rolling slipped it into  3rd.   The low low 1st gear was unnecessary.

[West Peterson]

On 1/29/2024 at 11:53 AM, alsancle said:

Was it this months magazine that talked about the fact that you don’t need double clutch if you’re driving the car correctly?

 

I slightly disagree. You have to double clutch if you’re going to downshift.

The point is that once you're moving, you don't need to downshift.

[alsancle]

1 hour ago, West Peterson said:

The point is that once you're moving, you don't need to downshift.

I definitely can think of situations where you wanna downshift. For example of steep incline , also I like to be in first before I come to a complete stop with my Stearns Knight. Especially on a slight hill with somebody on my rear end.