The Toploader overdrive (1977-78 only) is described along with other "old school" overdrives in an article in Hot Rod Deluxe, Sept 2008. They claimed it was satisfactory in moderate use, in say a light Hot Rod, ?. It can be identified one way or the other by usually having the word "Orion" cast on it. It also has a 4 bolt mounting pattern only & a small bulge in the case on the passengers side. H.D.Toploaders have an 8 bolt pattern. The article covers overdrives quite well, although many of the units shown in the photos were extremely cruddy which made identifying them difficult... A safety note; if new at driving an O.D., if you park the car on an incline, just in gear & in O.D mode, with no parking brake on, it will roll away!

Paul

   YUP!

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

I didn't drive that car much so I had forgotten about the backward shift pattern.I remember it now that you mention it.

I won't ask how you know they are practically worthless,however,your last sentence sounds like the voice of experience.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Paul,

     The easiest way I can explain that is to send you to the David Kee site for ford toploaders. There's a section called "Imposters" and you'll see pictures of what I'm talking about.

     In a nutshell, it appears as though Ford needed an OD tranny quickly, so they modified a Top Loader to do that. The third speed gearing was reversed so that it drove the output shaft faster than the input, then the lever was flipped upside down so you shifted from second, to what used to be fourth, or direct, then when you pulled the lever back into Fourth, you placed the tranny in OD (formerly the third gear position). Clear as Mud?  

   Sounds like a great idea, except the transmission lost a lot of torque capacity and had lousy ratios. It was designed for 130 hp 302's (pardon me, I mean 5 liters) or 100 hp sixes. Be careful buying a used top loader that you don't get one of these by mistake. They're not worth more than a $100 or so. Don't ask me how I know this.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Frank,

You confused me with this.3rd was direct and 4th was overdrive.You are probably  right about it being a modified toploader.We had the car for a couple of years,but I never had occasion to even look at the transmission.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Paul,

        What you had wasn't the Dagenham, but a modified top loader. The OD was actually third gear, third was direct or the fourth gear in a coventional 4 speed.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

I had a 78 Mercury Monarch with a 6 cylinder and a 4 speed in which 4th was overdrive and 3rd was direct.I think that was this transmission.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

My dad had a '64 econoline with a 4 speed on the column. I'll bet that was the transmission in it. It was a 170 ci. Only one I've ever seen with a 4 speed on the column.



I broke the shift lever off of it. When we had it into the ford garage to get it replaced, the mechanic drove the shear pin into the windshield. They had to replace the windshield.

  Dennis in Lititz PA

I may be wrong, but it is a little thing and I don't think they would put it behind a big engine in a truck.

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

  Were they used behind a 300 or 240 six or was the 200 six the limit??

  Thanks again

  Mo Mike

  Washington, MO

I'd rather be lucky than good.................

    but good ain't bad!!