Ford Guru's, tranny ID (ORION)

Im looking at a tranny a guy has for sale down the road from me. It looks like a Ford top loader, 60's/70's vintage. He describes it as a Ford Orion tranny? Anybody have a clue what that means??? Are they any good, what were they used in?? I was told that the 4 speeds only came in Mustangs and performance cars, is this true??

Thanks for the help.

Pete-

 

Fords should have a tag on it. If you can get the numbers from it might be able to identify.

 

pete,

look at the toploaders here: http://www.mrgasket.com/ftp/pdf/TrannyID.pdf. i can't see because the shifter is on in your pic, but i believe that you will be able to identify it.

 

Pete I went to work for ford in 1968 & I never remember atranny that had that flat linkage, but the tranny is definatliy a ford!!
The 4 speeds in the cars where all side shifts, trucks where top shifts( you knew that).
theres a guy who works in the parts dept at tasca ford that knows everything there is to know about fords, he was there in the haydays of tasca. call them up(ford)& see if you can get in touch with him & maybe fax a picture to him.I haven't talked to him in about 5 yrs, but he should still be there.There located in cranston RI now( I think)
JimV

 

Pete, let us all know what you find out. Then we'll all be on our way to being Ford Tranny Gurus.

 

I guess if the bolt pattern matches the bellhousing im using than it really doesnt make that much of a difference???. Im picking it up this saurday so I wont have time to trace #'s or get a serial #.

It appears to be a car unit.....no?

Pete-

 

Just by looking at that forward mounting of the shifter, I'd say it came out of a Falcon or Comet. The Fairlanes and Mustangs had the shifter mounted further back on the tailshaft. It's a Toploader though........nice tranny.

 

I think length of input shaft v. depth of bellhousing is a factor as well.

 

Atch,

That link didnt work, how did you get to that page on the Mr. gasket web site???

Pete-

 

Another thing, I would pop that cover off and take a look at the gears inside, before buying it. I've seen some trannys that were treated a little badly in their lifetime......

 

Hey Pete go here, David Kee has the best info on Toploaders
http://www.4speedtoploaders.com/idchart1.htm

 

JimV, I believe I met that Tasca guy at the NE Dragway All Ford Show a few weekends ago. He had his Tasca shirt on and looked familiar. Come to find out we knew each other in the 60's when I dragged GTO's and Tasca was still trying to figure out how to hook up a 428 Mustang.
He told me they never could get that thing to perform properly. I know the 390 and some others they campaigned were rock solid performers.

I was amazed when he said he still worked there.

 

Better check the numbers listed on the link I gave you. Yours is looking more like a 3 speed overdrive ( Toploader 4 speed imposter )...if the numbers cast on the case start with D7 that's 1977 in Ford code....you may have a 3 speed overdrive, whick is not a performance four speed...

I got bit by the same deal....

 

3 shifter arms says it's a 4 speed. Most likely the overdrive type from a pickup or full size van, the reason for the forward mounted shifter tower. These are real toploader only the 3/4th gear shift arm is upside down. This means when you are in 3rd it is a 1:1 (direct ) ratio and 4th is now overdrive.

 

Would the Jeep topshifter conversion work on an O/D 3-speed like that?

 

Yes this is the same case, only the gear ratios were changed, along with the 3/4 shifter arm to get the OD. The case usually requires a little grinding to allow the Jeep shifter forks to go down into the case. I can't find the info that gives all the exact details right now, but it doesn't take much to make it work. It'll be harder finding the Jeep shifter than making it work.

 

I don't think it's the 3spd OD model, didn't they have the OD lever on tailhousing?

 

Go to the link I posted there is a good description of the Toploader Imposters there

[ QUOTE ]
In 1977 and 1978 there was a late model 3 speed overdrive transmission made for intermediate passenger cars, light duty pickup trucks and vans. This transmission looks just like an early Toploader but is not a performance transmission at all.



[/ QUOTE ]

 

Hey Radshit,


Your right! I went to that web-site and studied the photo. The tranny im looking at cartainly does look like a 3 speed over drive unit. I actually called the number on the web-page and spoke to a very nice guy. He said if the tranny does not have 8 mounting holes than it is not a 4 speed performance unit. The 3 speed over drive trannys have a very low gear then a high second, then 3rd is 1:1

Thanks for the info and that web-link!

Pete-