[b0nes421]

Hey everyone, I was watching the thread "3.91 vs. 4.30" and saw TimB mention the 2 speed rear end. I was talking with a buddy this weekend about swapping rear ends one of my cars and he asked me if I knew anything about the 2 Speed rear's? I don't know anything about them so he proceeded to explain that in some work duty truck they came equipped with the 2 speed rears, one set of gears for woking and one set for highway. (don't quote me cause I am probably mistaken)

I am curious what vehicles came with this option and is this type of swap possible? I would love to have 2 sets of gears in the rear that could be switched that easily....

Just curious more than anything? does anyone have an opinion on this subject?

 

[TLogan53]

I know they had them in prototype 69 Elims.....not sure if they make it.

Here's a link to my site. Look at the very bottom.

http://home.attbi.com/~scjeliminator/index14.htm

Tad.

 

[sixt9coug]

i have that issue of Hot Rod laying around here. has a few good pics of it in a 69 Eliminator. i bet it could be duplicated with some time effort and talent.

 

[dan]

I wouldnt do it

We had them at work too Ford L8000's 8 ton dumps.we had alot of hills and they work good when your pulling a load and helps you so you can keep your RPMs up.The only other one I saw a guy I worked with at the time had one put in his F 350 Deisel to pull his 40ft 5th wheel he had a Banks turbo charger on it sweet set up.I would only put one in if you plan on pulling a trailer.But Its my opinion.

 

[TheRktmn]

I also have that issue of Hot Rod. In fact, there is one listed on eBay right now. Starting bid is $29.00! I paid $4 for mine at a swap meet. Nice pictures. If anyone wants a copy email me and I will scan it for you.

 

[Royce Peterson]

Gear Vendors two speed overdrive

They were never sold to the public with the two speed axle.

There is an aftermarket overdrive that is made by Gear Vendors that takes the place of your tailshaft and does the same thing, turning the transmission of your choice into an overdrive. You can figure on $3500 or so to get all the parts needed, installation would be extra if you can't do it yourself.

 

[COUGRRRMAN]

Yes, I have two separate articles including the Hot Rod one.
There were 6 total 1969 Cougar Eliminators made with the Dana Spicer two speed rear axles. They were called "STREEP" and had a special console with the shifter for the rear axle. They even had a special fuel filler door with the word "STREEP" on it in place of the usual Linclon Mercury crest or Running Cat emblem. Pretty neat but pricy and never went into production. Have never seen or heard of what happened to the original 6 Streepers. Would be interesting if one surfaced one day.

 

[jimk351c]

I'm with Royce, I don't think any production Cougars received the two speed Dana Streep rear-end. I recall a thread on the Classic-Cougars yahoo group, 3 or 4 years ago, in which Jim Pinkerton mentioned speaking to Kevin Marti about it. From what I remember, there were no documented Streep axles sold to the public.

Now that I think about it, maybe that came directly from Kevin. He drops in on Classic-Cougars from time to time.

 

[hawkrod]

Yes, I have two separate articles including the Hot Rod one.
There were 6 total 1969 Cougar Eliminators made with the Dana Spicer two speed rear axles. They were called "STREEP" and had a special console with the shifter for the rear axle. They even had a special fuel filler door with the word "STREEP" on it in place of the usual Linclon Mercury crest or Running Cat emblem. Pretty neat but pricy and never went into production. Have never seen or heard of what happened to the original 6 Streepers. Would be interesting if one surfaced one day.

i am curious where you found out about the 6 cougars? when i was at the archives in dearborn doing some research the only information i was able to find was that only the one eliminator show car/prototype was built with the two speed rear end. this car was a converted XR-7 and had all the burl walnut trim and stuff and i have always assumed that is the one pictured in the magazines. i spent a lot of time trying to find any info but at the archives it is actually very hard to find stuff by specifics, you usually end up chasing date ranges. any documentation you have would be greatly appreciated. hawkrod

 

[TLogan53]

I would like to know about the 6 cougs a well. This is good historical info. COUGRRRMAN can you scan the articles that reference this and email me.

Thanks,

Tad.

 

[COUGRRRMAN]

I do not have a scanner but I can give you the info. There were only two known articles (with pictures) on this great idea. The most known one is the January 1969 Hot Rod article on page 83.
The other rarer on that I recently acquired is from a June 1969 Hot Rod mag (pages 56 and 57) and shows much better detail of the rear axle ( which is a completely different entire axle and housing assbly.)
and it shows the shifter and discusses a test drive of one of the 6 eliminators as they put it through it's paces. A host of new and different info on this set up that ultimately never went into production. If you find the magazine then you'll have you own copy. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

 

[Royce Peterson]

I have the two magazines but don't recall any info that six were produced.

There was a unit produced in the early 1970's that replaced the third member in any nine inch Ford housing called the "Hone - O- Drive". It was a two speed rear end along the same lines as the Dana unit. It was originally conceived for the RV market It became an option on Motion Performance (Joel Rosen) Camaro's sold through Baldwin Chevrolet in Long Island, NY in 1971 and 1972, a conversion that included either a 427 or 454 Chev motor in front of a nine inch Ford rear end.

Pinkerton has one with 3.91 gears and when the second speed is selected it becomes a 3.00 ratio. Last I heard he has never installed it in a car.

Used units sell for $1500 - $3000 depending upon condition. The manufacturer went out of business twenty years ago but RV shops have units and can repair them.

 

[fascat]

I also have those magazines as well. I looked back at mine on page 56 and it states "Dana built and installed the two speed for Lincoln-Mercury. They did this on a half-dozen cars, all for test evaluation." It doesn't state if they were all Cougars or not but there were 6 of them.

 

[COUGRRRMAN]

Thank you Fascat. That was the section I was refering to. There has never been any mention of any other car or manufacturer doing this in 1969 and Linclon Mercury according to the article is the only one. And since they're talking about and testing a Cougar Eliminator and refering to a "half dozen" produced for testing, it sounds like there are 5 more test cars/cougars.
What do you think Royce?

 

[Royce Peterson]

I know you should call me if you find one!

 

[jimk351c]

Test and evaluation implies non-production, doesn't it? I'm with Royce, search all you want, you aren't going to find a Dana Spicer 2-speed Cougar

 

[fascat]

Your welcome Cougrrrman. I did a little more research after reading your post on the special fuel filler door. I knew I saw a piture of it somewhere. I found it. It is in a book by Gary Witzenburg titled "Mercury Cougar 1967-1987" on page 31. It has a picture of the back of 1969 Cougar with an Eliminator Spoiler. Instead of the Mercury Crest on the fuel door, it has "STREEPER" and below that it has "2-SPEED". It also has another picture of the console inside the car showing a close up of the shifter for the rear-end. You can see in that picture the woodgrain found in an XR7. If anybody would like to see it, I can scan it in and send it to you. Just let me know at [email protected].

Jim