Vintage drag experts needed! What is this trans?

[OldNYJim]

Doing some research here...is this transmission (from the T’rantula kit) based on a real design?  The engine is a 427 SOHC, but no idea what the trans is meant to represent, if anything...any ideas anyone?

[Slick Shifter]

It looks like a direct-drive bellhousing for a vintage dragster that commonly connects straight to the rear axle assembly. There's no transmission in there. Only a clutch.

The cone-shaped section with the ribs would have a bearing in the middle at the far right end to support the output shaft which runs thru the clutch disc and it supported at the other end by a bearing or bushing in the end of the crankshaft.

 

Edited November 24, 2019 by Slick Shifter

[OldNYJim]

14 hours ago, Slick Shifter said:

It looks like a direct-drive bellhousing for a vintage dragster that commonly connects straight to the rear axle assembly. There's no transmission in there. Only a clutch.

The cone-shaped section with the ribs would have a bearing in the middle at the far right end to support the output shaft which runs thru the clutch disc and it supported at the other end by a bearing or bushing in the end of the crankshaft.

 

That’s really helpful!! Does it look like any particular manufacturer’s part to you, or is it one of those ‘looks roughly right’ Monogram parts that they used to come up with way back then?

[Ace-Garageguy]

23 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

... Does it look like any particular manufacturer’s part to you, or is it one of those ‘looks roughly right’ Monogram parts that they used to come up with way back then?

It's a "looks roughly right".

There were several styles of "in-out" boxes and clutch-only housings. Some in-out boxes (just a one-speed gearbox with a sliding engagement setup) had clutches, some didn't. The no-clutch ones weren't used on drag cars for obvious reasons.

Here are a couple in-out boxes. The ones with clutches were pretty common on very light drag cars way back when.

This one is set up for a conventional clutch disc and release bearing.

This is inside the clutch end.

This one is for a sprint car, with no clutch.

 

[mod3l Lover]

   Is that the motor and trans from the T`rantula?

[Ace-Garageguy]

3 minutes ago, mod3l Lover said:

   Is that the motor and trans from the T`rantula?

Yes.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Just an FYI: The idea of a clutch housing bolted to the engine, with a driveshaft coming out of it, isn't limited to vintage drag cars.

This one is for an Alfetta, and similar designs are common on front-engined cars that have rear-mounted gearboxes, like the Porsche 944.

Also bear in mind that back in the old days, racers made a lot of their own stuff. You can build a housing similar to this out of steel plate and pipe.

[OldNYJim]

That’s really helpful!  Thank you everyone! I appreciate the pics too, Bill!  I did some research, but without knowing exactly what you’re looking for it can be an uphill struggle...

[Deuces]

Lindberg used the same setup for the 1/8 scale exterminator dragster kit....

[OldNYJim]

2 hours ago, Deuces said:

Lindberg used the same setup for the 1/8 scale exterminator dragster kit....

Oh, interesting!  Do you happen to have a pic of one?  (I figure that kind of advanced parts knowledge often comes from having said part on one’s bench at the time, or close-by anyway... ?)

[Deuces]

No, not at the moment.... I'd have to dig it out of storage... Sorry.. ?