C cab Ford build

Sean Buick 76 said:

Cool project

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I've only had it 38 years. I was 19 when I bought it drive it 2 years and it jumped time and then it sat. In 1986 it was costing me 1200 bucks a year for enough insurance to put plates on it when everything else i owned was 200 a year. It needs work but there is a lot there to work with

Jumping from 25 to 29 inch rubber. Swapping the glide for a th350. Found a bm shifter in my stash to make that work. It's got an 8.2 inch 10 bolt with 3.08 gears. Rear end needs rebuilt so if I have to set it up I'm changing gear ratios. I'm debating the choices 336,355,373 or 410. I might put a 200r4 in it at some point but I doubt it and I don't want the 700r4 with the big spread between 1 and 2. I'm thinking 355 and I can still run a decent speed but am leaning to 373. I've got one long trip planned with it and maybe drive it to work on highway occasionally. 373 with 29 inch rubber will put me in 3000 rpm range. I think I can live with that. Opinions?

Moofus02 said:

I'm thinking 355 and I can still run a decent speed but am leaning to 373.

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Funny thing about gear ratios. With normal amounts of weight, the 4.10 will help
your motor accelerate the car faster than the 3.73. But when the vehicle is really light and
also has a healthy engine, the 4.10 almost feels like a granny gear -- you know, quick revving,
but the acceleration seems to be limited by how fast the engine can climb? And then when
you change it to a 3.73 everything improves?

I tell you this because we put a set of 3.55s in a '75 Monza with a 355ci V8, and we had
plenty of everything. (4-speed followed by 5-speed overdrive manual.) From the looks
of your project I think it will be light enough that the 3.55s would be a great all-around choice.

When the power/weight ratio is really good you can run a taller gear out back and it can
actually feel like it's pulling harder than with shorter gears? And the only way I can explain
the concept is accelerating hard in a granny gear = lots of noise, but not much in the way of fast?

BTW, very cool to be revisiting your old project. You will be a rock star, non-stop questions
everywhere you go. It's way fun to drive different.

3.73 gear

Road Trip said:

Funny thing about gear ratios. With normal amounts of weight, the 4.10 will help
your motor accelerate the car faster than the 3.73. But when the vehicle is really light and
also has a healthy engine, the 4.10 almost feels like a granny gear -- you know, quick revving,
but the acceleration seems to be limited by how fast the engine can climb? And then when
you change it to a 3.73 everything improves?

I tell you this because we put a set of 3.55s in a '75 Monza with a 355ci V8, and we had
plenty of everything. (4-speed followed by 5-speed overdrive manual.) From the looks
of your project I think it will be light enough that the 3.55s would be a great all-around choice.

When the power/weight ratio is really good you can run a taller gear out back and it can
actually feel like it's pulling harder than with shorter gears? And the only way I can explain
the concept is accelerating hard in a granny gear = lots of noise, but not much in the way of fast?

BTW, very cool to be revisiting your old project. You will be a rock star, non-stop questions
everywhere you go. It's way fun to drive different.

Click to expand...

With the 283 glide and 308 gears it wasn't a slouch. The only thing I ever raced with it was a 28 model a sedan with a 4v cleveland and top loader 4 speed. We were fender to fender until the glide unloaded into high gear, I jumped him by a car length but had to lift out of it. The front came up at the shift and fenders caught enough air it started floating. Probably 80mph or so. I was fine until the front lifted lol. I really want a 4 speed stick but I'm keeping the auto. The wife is a left leg amputee above the knee so she needs the auto.

I picked her up today with a buddies 28 a roadster and went for a ride to get my daughter from school. The kid road home in the rumble seat. They are both still grinning from ear to ear. I've located a frame and axles with juice brakes and a 27 cowl. Just need an a motor and trans and I'm putting together a toy to go on the weekend a runs with a bunch of friends. My wife will be able to run the c cab on those runs. Should be fun

Been playing with calculator. I run my trucks down the road in overdrive at high speed twisting 2600 to 2900rpm. Looks like 355 with 29 inch rubber and a th350 will put me about 3k at 75. With the 3 speed auto and gear change my takeoff ratio will go from 5.42 to 8.69. Even with the taller tire it should launch good and tighter gear split should make it nicer. The 305 has a half inch more stroke than the 283 so more torque. I'm just rambling. The original setup with short tires and 308 gear and new setup with tall tires and 355 gear looks to be within 50rpm at 60. With the glide i need a gear change with the th350 355 gears put my road rpm back with the big tires and the trans gets a better takeoff gear and tighter split. The 305 should pull a tall gear better than the 283. I think 373 is the choice

Work in progress lol. New rubber set of G60's on Vette wheels on front and mt 29x15.5x15 on 14 inch wide wheels in back. Got the rear axle free and rolling finally lol. Side pipes are stacks off little red express and fit perfect. This is going to be fun. The glide is going back in with a 305 for now. I'll pull it apart this winter and patch the body and paint it

Moofus02 said:

Been playing with calculator. I run my trucks down the road in overdrive at high speed twisting 2600 to 2900rpm. Looks like 355 with 29 inch rubber and a th350 will put me about 3k at 75. With the 3 speed auto and gear change my takeoff ratio will go from 5.42 to 8.69. Even with the taller tire it should launch good and tighter gear split should make it nicer. The 305 has a half inch more stroke than the 283 so more torque. I'm just rambling. The original setup with short tires and 308 gear and new setup with tall tires and 355 gear looks to be within 50rpm at 60. With the glide i need a gear change with the th350 355 gears put my road rpm back with the big tires and the trans gets a better takeoff gear and tighter split. The 305 should pull a tall gear better than the 283. I think 373 is the choice

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This is just my personal opinion. I've never been impressed by a 305 but I have been by several 283s. I wouldn't do a 305.

skylark said:

This is just my personal opinion. I've never been impressed by a 305 but I have been by several 283s. I wouldn't do a 305.

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I've had quite a few 305's and they all ran good and got good milage. A free running 305 is better than a 283 that doesn't lol. I've got half a dozen 5.7 roller blocks here that I can put one together with a th350 or th400 and swap it in while I got it apart this winter for body work. Just need it running for now