Gear ratios

[porsche1914]

I have a 6 cyl. J without overdrive, is there anything I can do to the rearend gear ratio so the engine is not screaming at 55 mph?
Thanks.
Don Holt

[Fid]

Your car may be suffering from something people often did but were not aware of - replacing a four cylinder with a six cylinder when the car originally didn't have overdrive. A six cylinder Henry J without overdrive should have a 41/10 (4.10) rearend.  You can verify it by looking at the tag on the rear end (it is on one of the cover bolts). A Henry J six without OD will say "41/10" on the tag. If it says "41/9" on the tag, then the car was likely a four cylinder that someone installed a six in and was not aware that the rearend needed to be changed as well. 

One thing you can do, if the car has the 41/9, (other than finding a 41/10 rearend for it) is add overdrive.  There's one for sale on ebay right now and the price is not too bad -
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250663044295&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

This seller has been parting out a Henry J and would likely have the control cable, relay, kickdown switch and connector as well. If not, you can buy a generic cable or if you can find one for a 1949-50 Kaiser or 1949-51 Frazer, it's the same cable.

The drive shaft will have to be shortened too but any machine shop can do that... or perhaps the seller of the trans will sell the driveshaft too.
In any case, adding overdrive to the car will allow you to cruise right along at 65 - 70 mph with no problems.  I do it all the time.

The numbers on your car will also tell the tale - if the model number on the VIN or body tag is K513x  then it was originally a four without OD and someone installed a six. If the tags list the model as K514x then it was originally a deluxe and probably not ordered with OD (which was not uncommon). I have friend here with a six without OD and he drives it all the time and says he can do 65 mph pretty easily and his has the 41/10 so my guess is the car you're refering to is a mismatch.  There was a very nice '51 for sale on ebay last year and I know for a fact that one was a mismatch.  I don't know whether the seller knew or if he informed the buyer. The car was in Iowa I believe.

[porsche1914]

Fid,
Thanks for the reply I checked the tag on the rearend  and it's a 4.10. Can I bolt an overdrive unit onto my transmission?

[Fid]

Unfortunately, you can't simply bolt an overdrive onto a non-overdrive transmission.  You have to change the whole thing. The ratios and the innards are the same on both but the mounting case is different. Even states it in the shop manual if I remember correctly.  Overdrive is the way to go and many people prefer the overdrive with the 41/10 even though the cars with overdrive originally used the 41/9. The only thing you gain is the 41/9 is a little quicker off the line but it's no good in a six unless you have overdrive.

[HJ-ETEX]

Once again, questions about HJs & Overdrives. Overdrive cost about $105 extra on a number cars during this period - not much variation in cost. Most of the Studebaker Champions I saw here in Texas had OD, but they were deluxe trimmed (optioned out) cars. I have since seen a lot of Champions from the Prairie States that were strippers and did not have OD. So what does this have to do with HJs? Well HJs and Studebaker Champions both used Borg/Warner T96 transmissions and the OD equipped units are mostly identical. You would need to replace the Studebaker nose piece with a HJ part (clutch arm pivot) and you would need to drill holes for the HJ trans mount cushion. But there were a lot more Champions made so if you want a OD for your HJ, start cultivating new Studebaker friends.
Ramblers had T96s as well, but they also had torque tube rearends, so cross them off as ready replacements.

[porsche1914]

Thank you both for the information about HJ overdrives. There is also a bit of irony here, I live in NW Indiana and I have at least a couple of people a week ask me if my J is a Studebaker. I have had it at a couple of local car shows and have had the same questions.
My first car was a Henry J and I never was asked that question in 1953, I guess it was because Studebakers were still around back then.
Thanks again for the info.
Don Holt

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Being in NW Indiana you were in studebakerland and the people there knew the brand.  Today, nobody remembers much of anything except the Big 3 stuff from back in the 1950's.