Bronze Shift Lock Housing on Ruckstell

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BRENT in 10-uh-C
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Bronze Shift Lock Housing on Ruckstell

Post by BRENT in 10-uh-C » Fri Apr 11, 2025 8:58 am

Does anyone have any information (i.e.:-dates used, why bronze, etc.) on these Shifter Housings??


Ruckstell 01.jpg
Ruckstell 02.jpg
Ruckstell 03.jpg
Ruckstell 04.jpg


Jerry VanOoteghem
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Re: Bronze Shift Lock Housing on Ruckstell

Post by Jerry VanOoteghem » Fri Apr 11, 2025 9:43 am

As the casting indicates, this is a Hall Scott axle, before the name "Ruckstell" appeared. They were bronze.

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BRENT in 10-uh-C
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Re: Bronze Shift Lock Housing on Ruckstell

Post by BRENT in 10-uh-C » Fri Apr 11, 2025 10:59 am

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote:
Fri Apr 11, 2025 9:43 am
As the casting indicates, this is a Hall Scott axle, before the name "Ruckstell" appeared. They were bronze.
Thank you Jerry. Do we know a Timeline on the Hall Scott or Perfecto??

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JTT3
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Re: Bronze Shift Lock Housing on Ruckstell

Post by JTT3 » Fri Apr 11, 2025 11:51 am

Richard Gould ( AKA “the Perfecto King”) can give you a wealth of info on the Perfecto but as far as the Hall Scott & Ruckstell, later Eaton, first had ads around 1920. Later in the 20’s it became Ruckstell named after the engineer that developed the design & later bought by Eaton that made rear axles for trucks. As most folks know the Ruckstell was one of a very few aftermarket items approved by Ford.
Best John

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Re: Bronze Shift Lock Housing on Ruckstell

Post by DanTreace » Fri Apr 11, 2025 12:27 pm

..from the club's booklet by Glen on Repairing the Ruckstell.

History page 2 states that the Perfecto axle (Seattle, WA) is the forerunner of the later Hall Scott, aka Ruckstell. That one was offered late 1920, and Glover Ruckstell saw it at the March 1921 Chicago auto show, and from there organized the Ruckstell Sales Co, with contact to build the rear axle by Hall-Scott, Berkley, CA.

To add to the fun, I found an office memo at Benson Ford Research library, which notes a Ruckstell axle was in Ford’s receiving dept. for Edsel Ford to inspect, from E.J. Hall to Edsel, who had visited Ford to discuss after Edsel saw it. On the bottom president Edsel hand wrote on the memo:

“Send axle to Dearborn plant attention Jos. Galamb”....March 28, 1922!

So Edsel or staff likely put the axle in a T at Ford to test it.
The best way is always the simplest. The attics of the world are cluttered up with complicated failures. Henry Ford
Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain. Henry Ford

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