What percentage of 3-speed transmission C-cab 1/2t and 3/4t would you estimate came with overdrive?

[PackardV8]

Over on the truck forum, we've been having a discussion. Most of the 3-speed C-cabs I've ever seen had overdrive. Another member says most he's seen were straight 3-speeds. He suggests regional differences in equipment preference. What has been your experience?

FWIW, I'd never own a straight 3-speed and cannot imagine why Studebaker even considered that as the standard offering. For me, the overdrive makes the 3-speed car or truck into a usable vehicle.

jack vines

[r1lark]

My '55 E7 (V8) was just a straight 3-speed when I purchased it. I only drove it once before it was swapped to a overdrive............

Much too 'busy' at speed. The O/D made a night and day difference for my driving sytle (ie, fast). But.........in 1955, driving along at 45-50 max, it probably was not a big deal to not have O/D.

The '54 6-cylinder and the '55 V8 trucks that I parted out in the late '80s were both overdrive equipped.

[SN-60]

I suppose if You lived in a mountainous local You wouldn't necessarily want the overdrive.

[63t-cab]

I had 4 c-cab parts trucks with straight 3spds.,one of them was a 3/4ton,and one was a V8.

[StudeRich]

I suppose if You lived in a mountainous local You wouldn't necessarily want the overdrive.

If we limit this to 1959, that leaves out most of the best combos ever built, but per Jack's rules we hafta!

Half Tons: 3 overdrive 80%, 3 direct 10%, Automatic 2.5%, 4 Speed 5%,
5 O.D. 2.5%.

Almost all of the 3/4 Tons I have run into on the West Coast have had the Dependable T-98 4 Speeds, maybe 90%, 3 Speed 3%, Automatic 1%, 5 O.D. 6%.

Then the later Champ 3/4's a fair amount of the time have a New process 5 O.D. but you did not ask about "T" Cabs.

I think that I and maybe others who are so much into V-8's probably put the 6 Cyl. powered Trucks totally out of our mind and that number of "Underpowered Trucks" will probably throw our guesses completely off if considered in the mix, which of course they have to be, since sadly they WERE built.

All from Rich's almanac of undesputable Stude. facts!
In other words, a total guess!

[PackardV8]

I suppose if You lived in a mountainous local You wouldn't necessarily want the overdrive.

If one were hauling a load through the mountains and wanted to avoid the dropping into freewheel below 25 MPH, that's easily accomplished. To have a standard 3-speed, all one has to do is pull out the "OD" handle. This locks out the overdrive like it isn't even there. I've never seen a downside to overdrive, but without it, the truck seems handicapped.

Over on the truck forum, the number one question from newbies who've just bought a 3-speed without OD or a 4-speed truck goes something like, "I love the styling of my M-series or C-cab truck, but what can I do to make it really usable. Can't live with the 45 MPH highway speed."

But.........in 1955, driving along at 45-50 max, it probably was not a big deal to not have O/D.

My grandfather bought a new '55 E5 with overdrive. He never took it on a long highway trip, but even at 50-55 MPH on the country roads, it made a big difference in both fuel mileage and engine noise.

My father owned two or three '49-54 R5s and R7s. All were equipped with overdrive. These were the trucks in which I learned to drive, so overdrive is in my DNA. Having the overdrive makes the truck so much more versatile on the highway, I can't imagine not having it.

jack vines

[JRoberts]

The 2R6 I had orginally was a three speed with no overdrive. That was corrected before I ever drove it.

[Roscomacaw]

I can't begin to guess how many Stude pickups I've looked at in the past 38 years. With my pointed efforts of junkyard exploring thru the majority of those years, MOST of the Stude trucks were 3-spd OD. I have seen a 6cyl Champ or two that were straight 3-spd, and even a few V8 4-spds. - also a 4-spd behind an OHV6. I've come across 3 trucks that were 8 with an automatic.

[Mark57]

My first Stude pickup was a '58 Transtar with a 185 '6' and a 3 spd. transmission - no OD on a 112" wheelbase. With the stock 4.89 rear end, 45 mph was about it (on a good day!).

[52-fan]

I was surprised how many people responded that most of the Studebaker trucks they have seen had overdrive. Most of the C cabs I have run across over the years have been the 2R style and most did not have overdrive. I always thought overdrive in the pickups was fairly rare. My guess would be that up into the mid fifties most pickups around here were just used on the farm or around town and the buyers didn't worry about the cruising speed as much as load capacity. I certainly would want overdrive now.

[dictator27]

I had a 56 Transtar 1/2 ton 224 V8 no OD. I don't know what it had for a rear end ratio, but 60 mph was within reach, although I wouldn't have wanted to challenge 65. I didn't find the lack of OD to be a major issue. I had a couple of no OD cars that were more of a pain on the highway than that truck.

Terry

[52-fan]

I suspect the V-8 trucks had a little higher gearing. The Champion powered trucks had low gears that would get the moving under load, but limited their top speed. My Starlight coupe with its 4:56 would have been a snail on the highway without the overdrive.

[StudeRich]

I suspect the V-8 trucks had a little higher gearing. The Champion powered trucks had low gears that would get the moving under load, but limited their top speed. My Starlight coupe with its 4:56 would have been a snail on the highway without the overdrive.

It must be remembered that by far, MOST of your driving is done in High gear, and there is no difference there all non-Overdrive Transmissions are the same there, 1 to 1.

If you you are talking about Rear Axle Ratios, of course the more powerful the Engine the Higher the R/A ratio would be, the Std. ratio on 6's were never the same as V-8's.

[Roscomacaw]

I found a '58 Transtar 1/2ton here locally a few years ago. JDP & I sold it thru ebay. That thing had a 289 With 4.55 gears and a 4-spd. Of course, as Rich and I have pointed out - top gear is justr one to one in anything that doesn't have OD. I could only stand to drive it as much as was required to prove everything was working as it ought to. With no tach to refer to, I don't know what the engine was turning, but I DO know it was uncomfortable to listen to it at anything above 50MPH. My brain kept telling me: "Shift to high now!"

I can only try to imagine what an engine, in say, the Plain Brown Wrapper sounds like from the cockpit when Ted's trouncing yet another contender! 4:55 gears being pushed to 100+MPH.

[BobPalma]

Well, if you were in Paris IL in November 1955, Palma-Rhoads Packard-Nash-Studebaker was having a clearance sale of all the leftover '55s, and you could have had a brand-new one with overdrive for maybe $1,800 with sales tax:



Why, it was practically like driving a pleasure car!



(Yes, Dad got a little excited about the acceleration capabilities of a Power Kit Commander with overdrive, too...but he wasn't too far off, truth ne known.) BP