Seals and gaskets for transmission and torque tube?

[Kevin Lee]

What' the best place to buy them? (Early Ford trans and torque tube) I've been doing searches and following links and not finding much of anything. I need the cork seal and the gaskets at the front of the torque tube most. I suppose I could cut them myself if I have to. That cork seal might be hard to pull off though.

[gregg]

Hotrodjosh & I got them from VAPhead.

[Harrison]

Try Gene at www.geneshotrodparts.com (http://www.geneshotrodparts.com)

Mine were about $12 if I remember correctly.

JH

[Bruce Lancaster]

You need to hook up with www.joblotauto.com (http://www.joblotauto.com) or some equivalent. There are numerous Repro Ford parts places, but the best --Joblot, Macs, C&G, doubtless others--still have some stash of NOS and so are good contacts when you need something that isn't reproed.
Another source you may need is Ray Nascewicz in Detroit area, doubtless horribly mispelled here.
He makes early Ford bolts, including all the special double-fine thread ones and strange little Ford only pieces. Real problem solver stuff, AND the bolts look right, giving you an alternative to rusted originals or bright Chinese stuff from the dime store.
By the way, the cork gasket on the U joint cup is a real wart to install--A V8 posted his tricks a few days ago.
Nscewitz (Another random mispelling!) says the original was felt, and much easier to install--he makes them that way.

[Kevin Lee]

I saw av8's post...and no reply about the superlight trans case. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Gaskets will be ordered today. That u-joint cup piece doesn't look like it's that hard to install. But I'll find out soon enough. FYI - The old one I dug out of the cup was definitely cork - but who knows if it was original.

Do you think any of these seals should be suplimented with silicone or other sealant or am I just asking for a mess of goop to be pushed where it doesn't belong when I bolt everything together?

[Bruce Lancaster]

My preference is to use just the gaskets unless the surface looks bad, maybe something like Aviation Permatex on outside of seals.
Maybe use that on the front&rear gaskets too, come to think of it, because getting at a Ford trans is such a pain if something leaks.

[Reggie]

Grim, I use a light coat of silicone between the metal surfaces and the gasket. I use i to seal off the not-so-flat surfaces and to help hold the gasket in place. Don't for get to seal the speedo gear and make sure you replace that stinking seal in the tube (behind the front bearing). I didn't replace that in my 5-window and I'm paying for that now.

[Bruce Lancaster]

And another factoid on the front seal: Early trans had only a ring of felt or something as a front seal. From about 1937, they got a real seal, so make sure you have the late front bearing retainer casting with a place for the seal. It probably has a "78" cast on it somewhere. Ends of shafts are also potential seeping points. Give those a good cleaning with brake cleaner and put whatever sealant you trust over the end in the hope that it will actually stick there for a while.