Just curious

[bull]

Have you ever heard of someone running a two-speed axle in a muscle car?

[Ghoste]

I've heard of it, the only time I've actually seen it though was on a Challenger that had been heavily customized so I'm not too sure about how much real driving it was ever used for.

[RECHRGD]

Doesn't a gear vendors overdrive unit basically accomplish the same thing?  If so, then plenty of muscle cars (at least nowadays) have them.

[bull]

Doesn't a gear vendors overdrive unit basically accomplish the same thing?  If so, then plenty of muscle cars (at least nowadays) have them.

Basically, yes. However I would think a high and low in the axle itself would be a lot simpler and cheaper. Not sure how tough it would be compared to a standard setup though.

[Ghoste]

I don't know about simpler or cheaper Bull.  The only two speed axle I know of for passenger car use is the Halibrand.  There must be others but its the only one I know of.  To change the ratio in those aren't you limited to having to remove the rear cover and swap a couple of gears out?

[Daytona R/T SE]

How about the old (1948? 1949?) Ford/Mercury Columbia 2 speed rearend?

[Ghoste]

Yeah forgot about those.  But even if you could find one would you run it behind a musclecar?

[bull]

Yeah forgot about those.  But even if you could find one would you run it behind a musclecar?

No, I wouldn't. I'm thinking more in terms of concept rather than reality.

[Ghoste]

I guess in terms of concept it would be nice to have something similar to a heavy truck rearend that could be shifted on the fly and be strong enough (and of course small enough) for the application but I'm stumped as far as offering a suggestion.

[WingCharger]

A transaxle in a muscle car?

Our old Dump Truck has one, and so does the tanker at my fire department. My dad hates driving them... .

The main question is WHY?

[Ghoste]

For the same reason they are in your dump truck, to get mileage and performance.

[Charger-Bodie]

Arent some people using a similar set-up in cicle track racing? Like smaller dirt tracks and such?

[Nacho-RT74]

two-speed axle ? whats that ?

[bull]

two-speed axle ? whats that ?

It's an axle or differential that allows you to switch between two different gear ratios at the axle itself. So in essence you can turn a 4 speed into an 8 speed (ie., a high and low range in each gear). Some can be switched manually (usually by remote cable or linkage) or electronically. They are typically used on large trucks, old school buses, etc.

Hey, check this out: http://www.theclassiccougarnetwork.com/tccn2/feature/backintheday/back049/back049.html

"Another application of Streep preceded the Streep Scene usage.  Early in the 1969 model year, when L-M was putting the finishing touches on the Eliminator package design, factory photos began appearing of an Elim prototype that was supposed to be equipped with a Dana-Spicer two-speed differential appeared.  One of these photos showed a close up of an Eliminator gas door fitted with a badge that read, "STREEPER/2-Speed.

Two-speed differentials were nothing new in 1969, but the most common applications for them were in commercial trucks.  So why would L-M put one in a Cougar?  It was the essence of the street/strip concept--a muscle car that could be street driven, yet still perform well on weekend trips to the drag strip.  The two-speed differential provided a high (numerically low) gear ratio for street use to save gas and wear on the engine, and a low (numerically high) ratio for quicker acceleration at the drags.
Factory photos tell us that the Streeper rear end was intended to be controlled from the driver's seat.  A small knob on the console (behind the transmission shifter) would presumably be used to shift from one differential ratio to the other.

The two-speed differential concept was not entirely new to Cougars in 1969, either.  One of the features of the original Eliminator show car that began making the rounds of auto shows early in 1968 was a two-speed rear end.  So factory photos and other sources tell us that the Streeper differential was at least considered for production, but did the Streeper ever make it into production?  Apparently not.  The option does not appear in any dealer ordering information from the factory and, so far, no one has come forward with a Steeper equipped production car.
Why didn't L-M offer the Streeper as an option?  We can only guess that the program hit a snag of some kind.  Perhaps there were technical problems that L-M would have had trouble covering with their warranty.  Or maybe the cost of the option was so high they figured nobody would order it.  Whatever the reason, the Streeper faded away to become another classic Cougar mystery Cat that never was."

[Ghoste]

Thats an interesting read Curtis, not just for the rearend but the whole article.  I thought the ones the dirt trackers were using were the Halibrand style where you had to take the cover off and change gearsets?

[John_Kunkel]

Never heard of the "Streeper" axle but the 2-speed rear end that was used in some Mustangs and Cougars was a Hone-A-Drive, this was an OD unit bolted to the pinion bearing carrier on the 9" center section. They were an aftermarket product that was offered as a factory option on those Ford products and some of the Baldwin Chevrolets. Besides the pinion-mounted OD unit they also offered an in-line unit that was chassis mounted between two driveshafts.

http://www.stangerssite.com/honeodrive.html

[bull]

Never heard of the "Streeper" axle but the 2-speed rear end that was used in some Mustangs and Cougars was a Hone-A-Drive, this was an OD unit bolted to the pinion bearing carrier on the 9" center section. They were an aftermarket product that was offered as a factory option on those Ford products and some of the Baldwin Chevrolets. Besides the pinion-mounted OD unit they also offered an in-line unit that was chassis mounted between two driveshafts.

http://www.stangerssite.com/honeodrive.html

Never heard of that one either.

I like the sound of this: "This effectively changed a car with a 4.11 rear axle ratio into one with a 2.87 ratio."

Wouldn't that be nice? The unit probably weighed 65 lbs. or more but a 2.87 ratio would sure make for a nice freeway cruiser and 4.11 would work nice on the strip. Doesn't sound like it went over too well though.

[Ghoste]

I don't think it went over at all, that Streeper Cougar Eliminator was just a prototype that never saw production.

[bull]

I don't think it went over at all, that Streeper Cougar Eliminator was just a prototype that never saw production.

Well, yea. I was referring to John's article where the unit actually saw some action on production cars but didn't last long apparently.

[Ghoste]

My bad, sorry.

[Mike DC]

Interesting idea, but IMHO not practical.  Too much unsprung weight increase with the unit built into the diff/axle, too much easier to do the same thing with an extra gearbox of some kind behind the tranny itself.


Hmm, but maybe if we were talking about doing this on an indepent rear suspension, with the diff basically still mounted to the chassis . . . you might be onto something there.