I knew from the pictures and a receipt that came with the car, that my 58 Scotsman 4dr had some "custom" engineering
I had been concentrating on the engine compartment and cosmetics for the past few weeks, but greasing the chassis yesterday and wanting to adjust the T96 shift linkage, I made a few discoveries.
I wasn't able to get a production order from the museum, as they don't have records from Hamilton. Based on what I had seen in the auction pictures, I assumed that it was a straight 3-spd, no O/D. I also made the assumption, also based on the pictures, that a pre-58 T96 had been swapped in, and a custom driveshaft with a built-in slip joint installed to compensate for the shorter transmission.
I was partly right. It is a short tailshaft transmission, and it is a T96, BUT . . . it is an O/D short tailshaft, and I'm pretty sure it is NOT from a Studebaker. It is mounted to the bellhousing by the typical 4 bolts, but with ~5/8" thick NUTS used as spacers between the faces of the trans and bellhousing. About as Mickymouse as it gets, but likely done because this transmission's input shaft was not going to work in a Studebaker without the shenanigans. Beautiful driveshaft by the way, but WHY did they use the wrong trans, so a custom driveshaft was needed??
I have a 63 Lark T96 O/D trans sitting waiting to be installed, and it does not look like a big job. However, I am a bit concerned that there will be surprises INSIDE the bellhousing. Like a custom pilot bushing, a clutch plate with different splines, etc.
So, while I can do this, I had to share this small nightmare. What other vehicles used a short tailshaft O/D T96 trans? Willys? Rambler? I know Warner didn't put any vehicle brand name on their gearcases, so I guess I'll have to pull the substitute out and do some research.
So what I thought would be simple, and the rest of the car certainly deserves to have this el-crappo engineering brought back to original, it is unexpected and kinda threw me for a loop.
I had been concentrating on the engine compartment and cosmetics for the past few weeks, but greasing the chassis yesterday and wanting to adjust the T96 shift linkage, I made a few discoveries.
I wasn't able to get a production order from the museum, as they don't have records from Hamilton. Based on what I had seen in the auction pictures, I assumed that it was a straight 3-spd, no O/D. I also made the assumption, also based on the pictures, that a pre-58 T96 had been swapped in, and a custom driveshaft with a built-in slip joint installed to compensate for the shorter transmission.
I was partly right. It is a short tailshaft transmission, and it is a T96, BUT . . . it is an O/D short tailshaft, and I'm pretty sure it is NOT from a Studebaker. It is mounted to the bellhousing by the typical 4 bolts, but with ~5/8" thick NUTS used as spacers between the faces of the trans and bellhousing. About as Mickymouse as it gets, but likely done because this transmission's input shaft was not going to work in a Studebaker without the shenanigans. Beautiful driveshaft by the way, but WHY did they use the wrong trans, so a custom driveshaft was needed??
I have a 63 Lark T96 O/D trans sitting waiting to be installed, and it does not look like a big job. However, I am a bit concerned that there will be surprises INSIDE the bellhousing. Like a custom pilot bushing, a clutch plate with different splines, etc.
So, while I can do this, I had to share this small nightmare. What other vehicles used a short tailshaft O/D T96 trans? Willys? Rambler? I know Warner didn't put any vehicle brand name on their gearcases, so I guess I'll have to pull the substitute out and do some research.
So what I thought would be simple, and the rest of the car certainly deserves to have this el-crappo engineering brought back to original, it is unexpected and kinda threw me for a loop.
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