Is anyone using a Mitchell Overdrive in Their AA?

[spdway1]

Is anyone using a Mitchell Overdrive in Their 1931 AA?

If you are, what are your pros and cons?

Speed Haters need not to respond, LOL

Life in the fast Lane!
Don Jr

[spdway1]

Anyone?

[gunmetal]

How fast you going to move at 80 years old...........................

[spdway1]

1)Going Fast 2) Keeping up around town 3) Getting run over ...I'll take option 2

[Chris Haynes]

I plan on running one in the second AA I will be building. My first one has a Warford.

[Bruce Howe]

My 85B Panel is being restored now and I purchased a Mitchell for it. This replaces the Ryan Overdrive that I put about 100,000 miles on since installing it in 1998. The Ryan is no longer being manufactured and parts are becoming scarce. I had to replace bearings at about the 50,000 mile point. The Ryan was a 33% ratio and the Mitchell is a 36% ratio. Back in 1998 Mitchell was not making an overdrive for the AA. With this setup I could tour with the Model A passenger cars in our club. The weak link in my drive train is the short shaft and ujoints.
Bruce Howe

[Neil Wilson]

Bruce,
I would like to hear more information about the Mitchael. Is it designed to replace the coupling shaft or does it go into the drive shaft? Does it come as a bolt in unit? What is the cost?

[Chris Haynes]

The Mitchell mounts in the drive shaft.

[spdway1]

$2100 for the A and $2450 for the AA

[AAholic]

I wonder if it couldn't be mounted between the trans and final drive shaft and if it's sturdy enough for hauling?

[spectria]

Mitchell is in Healdsburg, 25 miles from my place? I got to go there and post some good closeups of that arraignment, maybe even ask if it could be mounted in place of the extension with a little adjustment.
I'll get back to you ASAP!

[Bruce Howe]

I ordered my Mitchell for the AA back in 2008 and it seems it was about $2000. Joe Davis at Aries Restorations put one in a AA Panel a few years ago. One of the challenges for the AA overdrive is the shifting mechanism. On the car it is a rod, but on the longer wheelbase of a truck this tends to flex. I believe Joe ended up devising a cable shifter on his panel. Other overdrive manufacturers such as Gear Vendors in El Cajon Ca use a solenoid shifter which would be ideal. If you have quite a bit of time, Steve at Mitchell will give you all the details. I would guess they have sold around ten of the AA overdrives. They usually just mention the 26% ratio, but they do offer a 36% ratio which is what I bought. The Ryan Overdrive that the Mitchell is replacing was a 33% ratio. This gave me a final drive ratio prettly close to what a passenger Model A has. It takes a good engine. I have a Miller Overhead in my panel.

Bruce Howe