Floor Shifter in a '47 Ford?

Has anyone done this and if so can you give me some guidance on how to do it?

OK so I have 3 on-the-tree but I would really like to put a floor shifter in. It’s a stock drivetrain on my ’47 Ford and I really don’t want to change it because it works fine so please don’t suggest a T5 or *shiver* an automatic

Appreciate any help any HAMB’ers can give

 

Hurst used to, and still may, make a floor shifter for the 40-48 Ford cars. I changed my 40 Std. Coupe a few years back to a column shift and now I can't find the shifter and transmission side cover from it. Another guy here asked about it but I'm still looking.

 

I had heard of the Hurst unit. Tried searching one out but no luck yet. I do have a 3 speed floor shifter for a later model truck.

When I look at the mounting area available I basically draw a blank as to how to mount the thing.

 

I know "Heathen" on this board comes up with a lot of Hurst and other make shifters in his travels. He might be able to help you piece something together. It shouldn't be too hard to make or modify an existing mounting bracket to work with the early Ford box.

 

That's my thought as well. I'm just having trouble "seeing" how to mount the thing and connect the linkages.

 

The shifter body mounts to a bracket. the bracket mounts to the rear of the trans usually using bolts from the 'rear cover'.
I think (but am not sure) that the cheap Mr Gasket/Hurst Indy three speed shifters may work for this application. It would come with a 'universal' fit bracket and the shift arms.

 

It's called a Hurst Mystery shifter. They're sort of rare now to come by.

 

I havent seen a Hurst kit (or any other brand) that could adapt a floor shift lever for the side cover 40-48 trannies. From 49 on they had a kit for sure, but the rear mount/tailshaft housing is altogether different on those.

I think what you are going to have to do is the common trans swap to any 36-39 toploader with the closed drive rear mount. If you want the ideal package, get the 40-48 gear set complete and swap it over into the 36-39 gearbox. The only problem there is that you need a 39 front shifter fork to work the 40-48 synchro. These forks arent mfr'd anymore, so you have to do some hunting.

The 42-50 Ford pickup 3 speed trans will provide most everything you need. However, they were open drive rear mounts, so you'd be using most of the trans but looking for the 40 rear mount, and the corresponding 40-48 mainshaft.

I put all this info (and a bunch more) into a book, THE INS AND OUTS OF EARLY FORD TRANSMISSIONS. Get yourself a copy and you'll figure out what to do easily. Here is a link for the book:

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_trans-book.htm

 

My dad had a hurst floor shift conversion in his model A with a '46 trans. It put the shifter under the driver's leg in a model A, it would be good in the '46 it was made for. They are out there somewhere.

 

Thanks for the info Marc. The book looks like it has some great info in it.

 

Just use a 39 and before pass car or truck trans,....It's a total bolt in.

4TTRUK

 

Best advice.^^^
This has been discussed many times and the problem is the X-frame rear- trans mount. No place to mount a shifter to with out having to cut up the x-frame. Plus the location of the shifter puts it right where your leg needs to be.

 

There is a HAMB member, who makes this shifter, evidently his family has
done it since the 50's...Sorry, can't remember his name or ID

 

Hopefully he's figured it out within the last 6 years.