Nevin,
>NOISE! Try driving an LBC without overdrive a thousand miles at 75 mph with
Sure, right on the button! Off theoretical onto practical - two different
things. This is the only reason why I use(d) my overdrive! Not being overly
concerned with MPG, I found the best thing about O/D was the lower noise
factor. Seeing as my GT is stripped interior wise, it's bloody horrible at
3500rpm+ for sustained periods. Far better in the conditions you describe.
If that is the only real quantifiable benefit of O/D I'd take it on that
measure alone, especially in a noisy LBC. In a large country like Australia
or the USA where you can spend hours blatting along on a straight, flat
road, that is a real benefit!
>why would anyone have ever bought a car without one?
A lot of Overdrives used to be optional and were expensive. These days a lot
of transmissions come std equipped this way. Actually the Healey 100 came
std with Overdrive, I think this was to make up for the fact it only had
three forward gears + 2 O/D, the later BN2 model had 4 speeds + 2 O/D, and
that was in '55/6. My O/D was std on my GT in '70, but optional on Roadsters
I think.
Cheers,
Neil.
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