Robert, you may have a bad front shaft bearing in that tranny. Typical symptom is noise in 1st and maybe 2nd, and quiet in 3rd. Reason is there's a fair bit of side thrust on that bearing when in 1st and 2nd, very little in 3rd.

In my limited experience (mostly Model A Fords), most transmission noises are caused by bearings that need to go to the big parts bin in the sky. Gears can wear out but bearings tend to go first.

Some have told me that Terraplanes (and of course, contemporary Hudsons) are
different, and that the transmissions, particularly the gears "weren't supposed to last but about 40,000 miles."

That is a little bit hard for me to swallow. But who am I to doubt it?

I think I remember "knowing" that the transmissions were the weakest link
in Hudsons, just as the Chevrolets with three main bearings (1929-1936) were called "rod throwing Chevrolets." But one of my uncles had a 1936 Chevrolet that serves him well until 1955, when he bought a new V-8 Chevy.

Sometimes it's not the things we don't know, but the things we know that just ain't so that cause us trouble.

I found and bought a used transmission, and am in process or inspecting and reworking it with the 1934-1937 Mechanical Procedures open at my side. I think I'll end up with a good transmission, provided I don't find it worn out.

Assuming it works out, I'll try the same trick on the growling transmission now in the car. When it's over I will be smarter and perhaps sadder.

Wish me luck.

Robert, I think you'll find that those little Terraplane transmissions to be pretty darned sturdy. They'll take a lot of abuse.