I am trying to decide over column or floor shift... This isn't so much a case of which is 'best' but more of, which is more traditional... I am mating a 40s Ford trans to my 322 nailhead and can go either way. What are the pros and cons as well as which would have been more common back in the day?
I believe that all (car) 40s Ford transmissions were column shift. I am sure you could find a floor shifter somewhere. Your call.
Definitely floor shift. Would have used a 38 or 39 trans. or put a floor shift kit on the 40. Probably a cheapy from Honest Charlie or J C Whitney. If you had the big bucks a Hurst. Used the Stock 38 behind my 264 nailhead. Got real good at rebuilding them with used parts!!!
I think it's a personal choice,using a 40 transmission I would lean toward the column shift and I think it would be a cool. HRP
So looking around it would appear there are conversion kits to switch from column to floor mount. Haven't played with these old trans before so this is new to me. I DO see that there are many more side shift cases out there...
I'm going column shift on my 40 because 3 on the tree is fun to drive, and they are less common since most guys want a 39 floor shift box.
I don't think it would be too difficult. There are two shift rods that go from the column to the trans, and they are adjustable. Probably just need to shorten the rods a bit and adjust them.
Thanks, I must say the column option would be nice to have. So basically use a 40 column and should be good to go,...with adjustments. Thanks again,.
Did you move ahead yet? I'm in the same boat - looking at 40 tranny with column shift for a 33 Pickup with a late model flatty. Might gain more room with the column and would be different. Can't see a case that one is faster than the other - and I had a early Bronco (also column shift) in school and it was unique then and fun. So . . .
"which would have been more common back in the day?" Back in the day (late 1950s) we used what we had. A friend put a hemi in a 40 coupe and used the 40 trans because he had it. I put a 265 in a 34 coupe and used the 34 trans because I had it. When the trans broke I needed to decided what to do. I put in a '38 Buick trans. $30 at Ebert's Junk Yard and no adapter needed! BTW, the 40 shift linkage cleared the hemi. Much to our amazement.
3 on the tree would be neat and unusual., Only us old fellas remember how to drive them not the younguns you never seen a column shift or know how to drive one.
opted for floor shift in the end. One reason was that I went with cowl steering and a custom steering column. Looks great and now have 5-speed behind the nailhead so cruising at highway speeds not an issue.
Back in the late 50s, one of the Cub Scout leaders had a 37 Ford pickup with a later Flatty and column shift. It was cool to nee at seven years old, or so. By the sixties, floor shifts ruled, so it's up to you, but that 37 made an impression on me.
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