VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Freewheeling Tag

Do they have the Freewheeling tag in reproduction? If not does anyone have an extra one they will sell? :eek: Thanks

Check with the Filling Station in Lebanon, Oregon. I think that they might have them.

Thanks JYD but they looked and there not in catalogue or warehouse. As a matter of fact he asked me to contact him if I found a source. Can your sources in the USA either get one to him or find someone to repo this item. It would seem to me to be a worth will effort.
Again thanks to who ever set this up, sure help in the restoration process and also provides a good daily read for other items and years.

I have a 10 year old repro that I will part with. E-mail me bwbugay@aol.com

You're welcome....

Can you post a picture of the reproduction tag on Chatter, chevy b?

Thanks,

Gator,

What is a freewheeling tag?

Uninformed, John

The 1932/33 cars had a freewheeling feature attached to the rear of the transmission. This feature 'disconnected' the transmission from the 'drive' condition when you removed your foot from the throttle. Above the steering column on the dash was a large knob that allowed the driver to either use the 'feature' or leave the transmission in gear under all conditions. The 'feature' did not find favor with drivers when they were going downhill and the engine did not provide any braking power. Provided the 'feature' was engaged.

On the engagement knob was instructions on the operation of the knob. I assume this is the tag they were talking about.

A tag was also on the dash of the 1927 cars, however it was labeled 'coasting'.

Thanks Ray,

One learns something new every day! Kind of a "poor man's overdrive". :)

I have a 3 speed transmission with the freewheeling unit attached, no cable or tag. Unit does not have the shift lever either. If any body needs one contact me.

Thanks for the answer Ray.

I really like using the free wheeling feature, but I don't have any hills to worry about either.

Wouldn't this save gas? Also you aren't using your tranmission as a brake.

Was this feature only offered in '32 or not? :confused:

If someone can post a copy I think with computer programs we could make reproductions of it without any problem. :eek:

Originally posted by AntiqueMechanic: "The 1932/33 cars had a freewheeling feature attached to the rear of the transmission."

As Raymondo mentioned, both 1932 and 1933 had freewheeling.

I assume than the answer is only '32 and '33 had freewheeling or is it changed when Ray said "A tag was also on the dash of the 1927 cars, however it was labeled 'coasting'."???

Coasting and freewheeling is the same isn't it? I am asking about freewheeling feature on the cars not the trademark term Freewheeling, if it was trademarked by Chevy.

So which years had the freewheeling/coasting feature?

As a point of intrest was this feature ever offered on trucks?

Hum.........okay, Freewheeling was used in 1932 and in 1933. 1932 was the first year and 1933 was the last year. It was not offered on the 1932 or 1933 trucks.

The old mutt did some detailed investigating, and it seems that the Filling Station might have a "stash" of Freewheeling tags but they don't know where they are. :eek: :( :(

Gator,

I don't think freewheeling would save much on gas if you have a steady throttle foot and it prevents the engine compression, through the transmission, from helping to slow the car, so it was dropped after two years. It wasn't used on trucks, they need all the help they can get for braking and maybe the freewheeling unit is not as strong as the rest of the transmission. I never enable freewheeling on my car.

George

I think Freewheeling is just what the term implies. It's just like stepping on the clutch or putting the trans in neutral.
I don't know what GM had in mind, but while on a down grade this feature can be very dangerous. I think that's why it was only offered two years.
I have never used mine. Only once to see if it works, but never again.
I guess in the old days someone may have used it on a five mile down hill, but most cars where new to to masses and the feature was a marketing gimmick.
Overdrive gears made more sense and eventually would win out.
As for the hanging paper tag, I have seen them for sale from the Filling Station and I'm sure they will be offered again. I personaly don't want one, I think it looks silly. Kind of like paper floor mats and plastic covers on the seats. To me, "as delivered" has it's limits.

This car will be displayed at a GM show room in 2007 for the 75th year. I hope to have all the show room details. As to the daily driver thing, RGwiz you are right the tag has no added value. This car has never been to any show, convension, display and is in it's finally stages of a 30+ year restoration process that began 3 people back. It is driven daily in the summer even will under restoration. It may be the last 3 window Canadian built car. Only 525 were ever built in Canada. As to the freewheeling like RGWiz said I tried it once, very dangerous thing, have locked mine out. Still hoping to find a "Freewheeling Tag" USA or Canadian printed. Reproduction or original. Thank again for the Forum.

I have the freewheeling tag hanging on the freewheeling control knob and It looks great. It adds alot to the dash to have It there. If anyone has freewheeling, Then they should have the tag.At car shows and whereever people have looked at my car, I get many many comments about the tag and what It says about useing the freewheeling. The tag Is there for a reason and not having It Is a big big mistake.

As I understand it, freewheeling should not be compared to overdrive, except that both are transmission related components. Different as apples and oranges.

You are absolutely correct. Freewheeling was a two year (1932/33) characteristic that allowed the car speed to go faster than the engine speed. However, the engine speed would not go faster than the car because it would be engaged full time. The engine would propel the car faster with the increase in engine speed.

By definition an overdrive would increase the speed more that the direct drive, or OVER the DRIVE speed.

safety inspectors in the 40'sthru 60's in the western states where i worked were required by state law to verify that any disconnecting device had had its cable cut and that the engaging mechanism was wired OFF. that law may still be on the books out here at least. When my dad bought the 32 in about 1946 it was already done on it.

Engine braking was very effective on the older cars due to the 4.11 rear end.It assists the braking power when stopping....that being said I have ridden with people that depress the clutch (when preparing to stop) at 30 or 40 miles per hour which causes the car to free wheel in the same manor.The owners manuals, etc. suggest not depressing the clutch intil 10 MPH to help take the full load off the brakes.This is the way in which I was taught to drive.

Didn't Free wheeling also change how you could shift the car with it engaged you didn't have to use the clutch? :confused:

Check out the owner's manual. It gives a full explanation of how to use the Freewheeling feature. :cool2: