Vic!! with a 9 degree garage temp I believe I would catch the first train heading SOUTH!!!!





-Gary Burnette-

Well after all the talk about the syncro three speed trans I went out in the 9 degree weather in my garage and looked at one I used to have in my T-bird. It is not a top loader, and has a fine input shaft. Too much time has passed for me to remember if I modified the input shaft. If anyone is interested I would sell it. I should have the clutch disc and output yoke too. I am located in northern Illinois but do travel between here and North Carolina frequently.

  Vic Correnti

There were two basic top loader fully synchronized 3 speed transmissions. They were introduced in the 1963 Fords. The standard duty was used in small blocks. The heavy duty was used in big blocks. Standard duty has a longer input shaft and is too long to bolt directly into a Y block unless you shorten the input shaft slightly or shim the transmission out from the bell housing. Shortening the input shaft is the best. The light duty will work fine if you have a stock engine and take it easy. Best bet is the heavy duty from a big block. It will bolt in a Y Block and hold up to high horsepower and abuse. As stated earlier it is a 4 speed top loader with only 3 speeds. Ran the big block version in my T-Bird until I took the car apart to re build some time back and it was abused severely. The gear ratios are also different. Light duty has a lower first gear and gets off the line better but has a wide gap between second and third. The heavy duty has a higher low gear but the gap between all three gears is a lot closer and works better with the right rear end. An advantage to the light duty if you do not abuse it is that you can use a higher rear end gear and still take off form a stop sign well but get better gas mileage because of the higher rear end.

That is helpful information for anyone doing a non standard swap.




Tom

What?

Actually some of the earlier fully synchro 3 speeds had a double bolt pattern but you still had to grind the pilot input shaft some because it was a little too long.

-Gary Burnette-

REALLY? I have driven a lot of overdrives including the T-85 I drive now and could never get into first while rolling with out bringing the REV's up first, in or out of overdrive because you still have to slow the cears down or bring the REV's up to match.

Tom

What?

A lot of Hi Perf 60-63+? cars had T85 OD's, OD would let you down shift to first with no crunch.

Paul J. - '57 E Code

If my feeble memory is correct the 3spd syncro was introduced in 63 1/2 in the HiPo 390 6pack Galaxie's. A friend of mine bought one new back then. Had the syncro floor shift. Cool. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

Thanks,very good info as always.

"The Bat" out of hell

50's & 60's hotrodder

retired speed shop owner,built and design hotrods, racecars

airbrush t-shirts, engine balancing

Miami fl.

As far as I know, the 63 Fairlanes with a V8 had a syncro three speed, the 3.03 trans It shows it in the 60-64 car parts manual.

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ