So, I just bought a '60 lark 2dr h/t. It was originaly a 6 cylinder 3spd o.d. car, at some point in its life someone swapped in a v8 but it never saw the road that way and the motor is no longer with it. I will be installing a well built 259. The guy I bought it from said it has a twin traction rear end in it. So my questions are: Was the twin traction offered with 6 cylinder cars? If it was how do I check to see which rear-end I have? Im hoping it is a 6 cylinder rear end so I can have a lower gear set cause Im building the car to be a mean street brawler. If they didnt and its a rear-end out of a v8 car where can I get lower gears for this rear end? Im looking for something around 4:10-4:62. Thanks for the help!
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Hey Gasser!
Merry Christmas and you're a man that I like to talk with! I love the high performance Studebaker stuff. Have you checked out my website? (shameless plug! [:I]) I have a '60 Lark HT with a 259 too! Just put a Dana 44, 3.54 TT from an Avanti in it and a two-duce carb setup is going on it soon.
Anyway, your questions.......
Yes, the Twin Traction rear end was put into 6 cylinder cars, BUT, it was normally the model 27 Dana, a good rear end, but not what you'll be wanting for "a mean street brawler". You're gonna need to find the stronger, model 44 Dana.
The way to tell what you have is, looking at the "punkin" from the rear of the car, take your wire brush and clean up the lower, right area of the punkin' housing where the axle tube joins the center housing. You'll see either the number 27 or 44, (there are others, but that's probably what you'll find). If it's the 27, you're gonna be limited on performance, it's just not as strong as ya need. The way to tell right away if it's a TT rear is to pull the fill plug and if it looks like it will be hard to put gear lube in it, it's a TT, (the hole will be partially blocked by the clutch pack housing).
The model 44 Dana rear ends are out there, pretty easy to find and go for about $300.00, still a deal. The later 44 Dana rears will slap right into your Lark, same width, have the right pinion angle, and even your driveshaft will work, (IF you're using the automatic as the 44 moves the front yoke into the tranny about an inch).
Also, most 44 Dana rears have tapered axles, but the '65 & '66 Larks had 44 Danas with non-tapered axles. Those rears are expensive and hard to come by.
You can put higher ratio gears into the "smaller" 44 housing up to 3.89, (if I remember correctly), but anything above that you'll have to find a 44 rear end that already had the high ratio gears.
In any event, please keep us updated on the progress with your Lark. It's always great to hear that another Studebaker is out there whoopin' butt! [^]
Sonny
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I have it on good authority that flanged axles for the Tapered axle 44 rears are gonna be a reality soon. Stay tuned! [:0]
Miscreant at large.No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.Comment
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thanks for hte help
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Another question. I just went out and looked and I have a dana 44 so my question is, where can I get a lower gear set? thanks again.Comment
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Gasser as far as ring and pinion is concerned a DANA 44 is a DANA 44.
http://www.ring-pinion.com/ is a source.Comment
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thanks. they sell 4:56 gear set that will fit the smaller (3:70 and lower) 44's. Im ordering a set monday
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They have been used in Jeeps Studebakers Chryslers Fords and Chevy s upon occasion. I think the "carrier" break is around 3.9x
Most guys are trying to go the opposite direction, so somebody may have a used set out there somewhere.Comment
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well I just got off the phone with a friend and he thinks Im going to deep by choosing 4:56 with my gear selection. The gear sets available are 3:73, 4:09, and 4:56. what gear set do you guys think would be best for a street machine that will get driven almost daily(whenever its dry, cause radir slicks dont like rain[
]) this is for a well built 259 backed by a 3spd o.d. in a '60 lark 2dr. thanks again.
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IMHO, 3.54:1 or 3.73:1 with Twin Traction (positive traction, commonly referred to as Positraction). What ratio do you have in the car now? These third members (differentials, rear ends) are quite common and good used ones should be available reasonably. It is much easier to change a whole rear than to replace the ring and pinion in an existing unit (my opinion).Gary L.
Wappinger, NY
SDC member since 1968
Studebaker enthusiast much longerComment
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You lucky dawg!quote:Originally posted by gasser
Another question. I just went out and looked and I have a dana 44 so my question is, where can I get a lower gear set? thanks again.
That 44 must have been ordered off the option list or somebody already changed it!
Sonny
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I have the Stude Fliteomatic and I'm real happy with the 3.54. It starts out in second gear if I just leave it in "D", but it really gets it on if I start out in "L".quote:Originally posted by gasser
well I just got off the phone with a friend and he thinks Im going to deep by choosing 4:56 with my gear selection. The gear sets available are 3:73, 4:09, and 4:56. what gear set do you guys think would be best for a street machine that will get driven almost daily(whenever its dry, cause radir slicks dont like rain[]) this is for a well built 259 backed by a 3spd o.d. in a '60 lark 2dr. thanks again.
As far as a 3 speed with OD, I'd say 4.09 should make you pretty happy, as long as that OD is working fine. The daily driver thing would be the limiting factor. If you were gonna use it just for street racing, the 4.56 would be my choice. In any event, that 259 will be happy as a Lark, (pun intended []), at around 3200 to 3500 rpm, all day long. Oh, you are planning on using traction bars, right?
Sonny
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I dont know what ratio I have I couldnt find a marking or tag. I know the rear end came out of a lark wagon. Im not gonna be using traction bars but im using a 4-link/trailing arm setup I built. Ive ran the same setup on a 351w powered comet and it worked great. right now Im leaning towards the 4:09 but may use a 3:73. I think I'll have to toss a coin
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4 link? Schweeeeet! That'll hold it down quite nicely! [^] I dunno Gasser, I'm thinkin' that 4.09 would be Awfull nice with the OD.quote:Originally posted by gasser
I dont know what ratio I have I couldnt find a marking or tag. I know the rear end came out of a lark wagon. Im not gonna be using traction bars but im using a 4-link/trailing arm setup I built. Ive ran the same setup on a 351w powered comet and it worked great. right now Im leaning towards the 4:09 but may use a 3:73. I think I'll have to toss a coin
Sonny
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Hey Gasser,
Before you start ordering stuff , maybe its time to pull the rear cover off that 44.
You might already have what your looking for! All 44 carriers(Dana 60) I have seen have a date of manufacturer and ratio code stamped into the carrier. Put the rear of the car up on jack stands , pull the cover,(have a drain pan under it), and carefully rotate a the carrier aroound until you find the date code and ratio code.
The ratio code will be a # over another #. Divide the top one w/ the bottom one and that will give you your ratio.
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