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THE GREAT FORD TOPLOADER TRANS DELIMMA

To: land-speed@autox.team.net
Subject: THE GREAT FORD TOPLOADER TRANS DELIMMA
From: "Doug Anderson" <boogiewoogie12@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 19:22:48 -0000
Hi ever'body..

-all you lovers of all crusty, rusty ol' Ford Parts out there in cyberland:

Let's play  I'VE got questions, and YOU'VE got answers OK ?   ok!

Some of ya' may have heard some of this tale before from me, and some 
haven't but let's see what pops up from it and maybe we can all learn 
something How'szat?

I've been trying to figure out the bestus,cheapest,and/or most effective way 
of mating the later model Ford so called "3 speed with overdrive" cast iron 
toploader transmission to a '49-'53 Ford flatty block for my circa 1950 
Track racin' roadster pick'em up project I've got in the plannin' stages 
along with all else.  These thing have about a .8 to 1 high gear and I'm 
thinkin' they would be just great on our modern superhighways for keeping up 
with the dam yuppies with their SUV's and cellphones.

I've been asking LOTS of folks over the summer and it hasn't helped my brain 
much. I'm still confused. -Maybe it's just a personal problem. Maybe not. 
But I thought I'd give it a shot and ask you all collectively for your 
advise to try to come to terms with this delimma so I can really start to 
hunt down the proper parts to put it all together.

First, just to clarify exactly what I've got, here are a few "specs" and a 
brief description -so that theres no mistaken' this thing for somethin' else 
   -OK?

As far as I've been able to determine these things came in Ford Econoline 
vans in the 1978-1983 period of time in the US.   Also believed to have come 
in some mid size Granadas, Fairmonts, and the like.  It seems they were a 
"stopgap" means of getting O.D. into these vehicles fast -before the "T-5" 
was fully developed and ready for use..  I guess what Ford did was order 
these things from (allegedly) Borg-Warner, and later Tremec.    It appears 
that all they are is a conventional cast iron "toploader" 4 speed with 
redesigned gear ratios.  From what I've seen they are externally identical.  
Here are some pretty accurate measurements I took off last night from the 
one I swapped from my buddy Tommy Hockman down Pennsylvania way:


-Total Length; bellhousing face to the very end of the tailshaft housing: 24 
1/4"

-Nose of input shaft to the bellhousing face of main case; 6 1/2"

-Four bolt pattern to mate to bellhousing; the holes are spaced apart 8 =" 
from side to side.  -the lower two bolt holes are 6 1/4" below the top two.
(much the same in appearance as a T-10 or a Muncie.)

-The pilot shaft on the input shaft is .670" in diameter and 1.135" in 
length.

-The clutch spline is 1.057 (1 1/16") and is 10 spline.   Kind'a small..

-the Throwout bearing collar is 1.437 diameter where the bearing rides,
                            -and 4.850" where it fits into the bellhousing.

That's it for basic "specs"  -pretty standard stuff I think.


This is one of the transmissions that can convert to the (hard to find) Jeep 
top shift cover and lever.  I've located one, and am in process of getting 
it as I'd like to have it for my application in a 50 year old Racing Track 
roadster setup.

Frank Oddo just mentioned it in his column in Street Rodder Magazine in the 
JAN. 2001 issue.  He did not seem to know much of its history however..   
He also mentioned that he had written of the Jeep shifter conversion for the 
4 speed application in the DEC. 1990 issue.

Does anyone have a copy of that issue you could photocopy his article for me 
?????   I'd love to get a copy of it!  I have always had a large degree of 
respect for Frank Oddo's opinions.   Bet you have as well.


Friend (and list member) John Linville up in New Hamsha' showed me a 
brainstorm of a slick,trick setup that he dreamed up and built to mate a 
Muncie to his Race flatty: John figgered out that a Chevy Lakewood 
scattershield could be whittled on and re-drilled to make it fit the '49 to 
'53 blocks.  I forgot if he also had to whittle on the Muncie shaft and 
throwout collar or notto make it all come together. Think he had to cut a 
wee bit off the tip of the input.  How about it John -what 'zactl'y did you 
do to it to get it to all mate together?   Inquirin' minds wanna know!

I'm thinkin' this same trick could be pulled off to make the Ford 4 speed or 
3 speed w/OD Trans. fit as well.  Can anyone confirm this guess ????

Another option, though probably more spendy, is one that Vern Tardel told me 
about recently when we last were gabbin' on the phone: According to Vern, it 
is possible to mate a later Ford toploader trans to a late flatty by using a 
"late" Mercury bell housing  ( which is supposedly "tin" and about 3 = to 4" 
"tall" with the earlier Ford large diameter Transmission hole and an eight 
bolt circle.)

Anyway Offenhauser has an "adapter"  (listed in Speedway Motors catalog as # 
560-5174 @ $ 179.95 + freight -plus a "bearing and arm kit" @ $ 82.95. = 
like $ 175 bucks.   Hell I've only got about $ 125 dolla in my whole 
tranny...   I know, I know "if you wanna ---- with the big dogs. J )

-BUT I have heard from many that Offenhauser is notorious of late for taking 
an order (and your hard earned.) and then NOT deliverin' da' goods -at 
least for a long,long time.  DON'T want to go there.  This adapter by the 
way, is for mating a CHEV Muncie or B-W T-10 transmission and not a Ford so 
re-work would have to be done to it upon purchase anyway so I'm not thinking 
this is such a great idea  So..I'm thinkin' that John's idea might just 
well be "the way ta' go" -not to mention that you can have your cake and eat 
it too.   Well maybe in this case it's not cake but a scattershield -but 
that can be a warm feeling at night.  nez pa?


I don't have an engine yet, but am planning to use a "latemodel" '49 to '53 
block.  I also want to use the neat old crusty ALBRO aluminum flywheel that 
John so kindly offered up for the cause.  It's got a bronze insert in it for 
a 10" clutch and is drilled and tapped for a "Long" style pressure plate.   
Though it sounds a little small, I think it will be fine after resurfacing 
in a lathe for what I want to do with this project I'm plannin'..


Ok it'stime to spill da' beans: Can some of you PLEASE tell the ways you can 
think of to mate this flywheel and Transmission to a Flatmotor?

              "Please to keep in mind this is a budget operation".


Thanks for your time, trouble, thoughts, and deeds! You're th' best.

  -Dirty Doug   11-30-00  (who's frantically tryin' to keep his head above 
water inna last three weeks of Colleggggg......arghhhh!)




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