How many Manual version 1955 T Birds built?

[philmartin]

Hi guys, I have a 55 T Bird manual apparently with overdrive on 2 and 3 (have not found out how to use yet). Does anybody know how many manual versions of the 55 were built? Cheers Phil

 

[WarrenBoles]

Hi guys, I have a 55 T Bird manual apparently with overdrive on 2 and 3 (have not found out how to use yet). Does anybody know how many manual versions of the 55 were built? Cheers Phil

I have read in some stats that from 55 to 57 only 4% of TBirds were standards and even less had the overdrive option. It can be considered a 4th gear. Also with OD engaged car will be in free wheeling mode. This is just off the top of my rusty old brain.

 

[55blacktie]

Define "free wheeling mode." I've always been under the impression that "free wheeling" means that no power is going to the wheels, such as when unlocking hubs on the front axle of a 4wd vehicle.

 

[Dale Leonard]

When you are in overdrive and you let off on the gas the car does not slow down from back pressure on the engine so it is freewheeling. Yo have to take it out of overdrive or apply the brakes to slow down.
On another note, my 55 had a 3 speed with overdrive trans and I am installing a 1967 airline GT 390 with a C6 automatic in mine. It already has a Honodrive 30% overdrive mounted to a boss mustang 4.11 positive track rear differential. It should make my car a very enjoyable ride.

 

[55blacktie]

In other words, you are coasting. That occurs in any gear if your foot is off the throttle, rpm low, and transmission doesn't downshift, but thanks for your explanation.

 

[Douglemmo]

I have a standard with OD in my 57. One thing that is alluded to in the above messages has to do with FREEWHEELING. I love the OD but there is one issue I had with my 57 as did a friend with a 49 Mercury who also had OD. When you are in OD as mentioned above you are essentially in neutral so when you take your foot off the gas, you are coasting. I and many people with standards are in the habit when parking, of leaving the car in gear when you park it. NOT SETTING THE PARKING BRAKE. One day, I parked it in gear with the OD cable in (OD engaged) and left the car. After I left it, it coasted across the slightly sloped parking lot and would have joined me in the store, but it hit a parked car first. A couple weeks later I told my Mercury friend (who happened to live on a hill) of my mishap. A couple of weeks later his car coasted down the hill, across the road and hit a tree. I am much more careful about disengaging the OD when I park now.

 

[ak7an]

I guess I don't understand the type of OD that the early birds have. How in the world could it be in neutral and still get power to the rear wheels? I do understand that with a taller gear you have a lot less compression braking than you would in 3rd or direct. Is that what is meant by "freewheeling"? Inquiring minds want to know...
Take care
Ed

 

[Ward 57]

I don't know the exact mechanical workings, but it basically it disengages just like putting in the clutch when getting off the throttle.

 

[Douglemmo]

There is a clutch that engages via a solenoid and a fly ball governor which engages an disengages the clutch at about 24 mph

 

[doug7740]

Hi guys, I have a 55 T Bird manual apparently with overdrive on 2 and 3 (have not found out how to use yet). Does anybody know how many manual versions of the 55 were built? Cheers Phil

I asked Dave Tulowitzky, the keeper of the 1955-1957 Thunderbird Registry, and he is working on an article using information from the 1955 invoices and the results are:

Ford- O-Matic = 76%
3 speed = 12%
Overdrive = 12%

The percentages from his records for the 1957's with the late data plates are:

Ford-O-Matic = 82.0%
3 speed = 9.9%
Overdrive = 8.1%

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[WarrenBoles]

Another feature of the OD is an electronic kick-down switch under the accelerator pedal. When the accelerator is fully depressed in OD mode the transmission shifts down to 3rd gear until the accerator is released. It feels like going into passing gear with an automatic tranny. Very handy when passing another vehicle.
I also have a 57 Skyliner with the 3-speed automatic that starts out in second gear. At 60 MPH it feels like it needs to shift into 4th gear, which obviously it does not have. This is a nice advantage of the standard with OD over the automatic; it does have the 4th gear and cruises at lower RPM at HWY speeds.

Just another observation here. The automatic tranny is coupled with a lower geared rear end, this would be an asset because other than actually shifting into Lo gear or fully depressing the accelerator the car starts out in 2nd gear. I was surprised when the original build sheet for my 57 TBird with OD described it as having and automatic transmission at birth. Apparently coupling the OD transmission with the automatic transmissions lower geared rear end was common when the car was used for racing.

 

[WarrenBoles]

Hi guys, I have a 55 T Bird manual apparently with overdrive on 2 and 3 (have not found out how to use yet). Does anybody know how many manual versions of the 55 were built? Cheers Phil

 

[WarrenBoles]

Just an update to the # of OD transmissions in 55-57 TBirds. I only have the Production Numbers for 1957. Previous years had lower volume of sales but would be comparable on a % basis.
Total # of 1957 Thuderbirds Built. 20380
With Automatic Transmission 19242
With Standard Transmission 1286
With Standard OD Transmission 757
When adding the total number of cars with transmissions we get 21285 which is less than the total number 20380 of cars built. Won' be going there! Math was never my fortay. I think the point here is that a 57 TBird with a Standard Transmission with Overdrive is very rare asset.