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Thread: 52 willys wagon with 4 levers on the floor ???

  1. #1
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    52 willys wagon with 4 levers on the floor ???

    What are the four levers on the floor. I know one is for the 3 speed. The others ??

  2. #2
    1st lever is the transmission
    I'm still trying to figure out what the second lever does (anyone else?)
    3rd is 2WD (forward) or 4WD (back)
    4th lever is the overdrive with high (back), neutral (center), and low (forward)
    Last edited by 55 Willys Wagon; 04-10-2020 at 11:38 AM.

  3. #3
    I just installed an overdrive on my '59 CJ5. This gives me a 4th lever plus the trans, front axle drive in/out and low/high FWD range lever.

  4. #4
    Super Moderator LarrBeard's Avatar
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    All Those Levers

    Quote Originally Posted by Oldfireguy View Post
    I just installed an overdrive on my '59 CJ5. This gives me a 4th lever plus the trans, front axle drive in/out and low/high FWD range lever.
    You're almost up to running a backhoe with all those levers.....

  5. #5
    Super Moderator gmwillys's Avatar
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    The only thing more fun is the old twin gear box Macks. 5 speed with an auxiliary 4 speed Brown transmission. You had to reach through the steering wheel and steer with the crook of your elbow while pulling the main shifter to the next gear... All while pulling the aux into the next range. Put on top of that double clutching, and you get a work out.

  6. #6
    Super Moderator bmorgil's Avatar
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    OMG gm, I can't believe you know what those are! I spent a good deal of time in my young life in San Leandro California rebuilding those.The Mack trans was brutally strong, and combined with the Brown and Lipe, it was a nice Usable 20 speeds. The only thing more difficult to drive was the 16 speed Spicer twin stick. Two 4 speed transmissions one in front of the other, hooked together in the middle. Two shifters right next to each other in the cab. Some serious tricks in those rebuilds. Putting the two together was called "Marrying the Cases" and it was aptly named. The shifts from 4th to 5th, 8th to 9th and 12th to 13th were called the "Double Swaps" It took great skill. In the mountains coming down, it was serious work I can attest to it. If you missed the swap you bought neutral in a big way. Often referred to as "Angel Gear". I cannot imagine going for the auxiliary. I Have a black and blue mark to this day from rebuilding the "Brown and Lipe" auxiliary box you reference. They were nicknamed "Brownies". I am not sure if these are good or bad memories!
    Last edited by bmorgil; 04-05-2020 at 05:21 PM.

  7. #7
    Super Moderator gmwillys's Avatar
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    Brownies backing up an 8V or on West coast runners the 12V two stroker Detroits, made for a short throw shifts. The RPM would climb so fast that you had to be quick. Then if you completely screw up and jam a gear, the engine could come to a dead stop, then roll over backwards and run away. Then you have to snuff off the exhaust pipe because it's drawing air in the exhaust, and exhausting out the air cleaner. Good times!

  8. #8
    Senior Member TJones's Avatar
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    WOW gm that brings back memories of the first lowboy tractor my grandfather bought, it was a 1966 B model single axle Mack with a Tri-plex transmission and I rode with my Dad moving equipment around and like you said he had to reach through the steering wheel to shift it and I thought to myself I hope the Ole man gets rid of this b4 I have to start moving stuff around LOL.....

  9. #9
    Super Moderator bmorgil's Avatar
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    We sound like the boy's around the mess deck, out to sea in the the "Orca" from Jaws.
    Last edited by bmorgil; 04-06-2020 at 07:16 AM.

  10. #10
    Super Moderator gmwillys's Avatar
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    My Grandpa and Great Uncle had a pair of single axle Chevy C-60s. Four speed with the two speed axle. My job as a youngster was to jump out of the cab to knock the hell out of the two speed actuator in the winter time when it would hang up. The '64 had the gasser 348 BBC, and the '70 had the 366 gasser. The 348 was by far my favorite, because it had a lot more grunt to pull equipment around.

    We do need a bigger boat.

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