Technical GM 3-spd stick with O.D. in a '40 Ford.

Does anyone know of a '40 Ford with SBC and a GM 3-speed with overdrive ? I don't want to chop my frame all to Hell, so the O.D. is a possible solution. Thanks for any help and info.

 

If you're ok with removing the torque box and replacing it with bolted in plates ( aka Chassis Engineering ), you may only have to trim a little for solenoid on the OD housing. That trans is not real strong; the syncro drums in the trans will not tolerate spirited shifts under hard acceleration. You might be OK with a small V8 and the stock column shift linkage. I had one of those in my avatar in '66 (not OD ) and it cleared the torque box IIRC, but I couldn't work out the clutch linkage before I was called away by my Unckel Sam.

 

39 Ford guy did a nice installation of a Ford manual OD that may give you so ideas. The thread is a good read if yoou are working on a 40 Ford.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...mike-build-thread.949053/page-8#post-10852304
Glenn

 

T5 might be a cleaner solution

 

I DID ONE BACK IN THE LAST CENTURY AND USED THE SAGINAW OD. TRANSMISSION WITH FULL SYNCHRO ON THE COLUMN. THE CENTER OF THE CROSSMEMBER NEEDS MODIFIED AND A BULGE FOR THE SOLENOID BUT YOU CAN RETAIN THE WISH BONE IN STOCK UN SPLIT FORM. CLUTCH LINKAGE FROM THE O1A BRACKET TO A SWIVEL CHAIN LINK WORKED GREAT AND I COULD NOT BREAK THE TRANS WITH A 365 HORSE F.I. 327 IN MY YOUTH!

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I watched him try to break it ... all it would ever do was get 24 MPG ....

 

Look for an early 80's c10 2wd, they had an a-833 4spd over drive.
1st 3.09 2nd 1.67 3rd 1.00 4th .73 OD
Stronger then T-5

 

I've put a few Muncie's 4 speeds into 40's. not a bad fit, not much cutting, ran a hyd clutch set up

 

Btt...good ideas?

 

I put an A833 3-speed + OD in my '36 Ford coupe and there wasn't a whole lot of trimming necessary. It could go back to stock fairly easily.

T5 would be the easiest, but wouldn't have the strength of the A833.

 

Were you able to use the stock shifter for the a-833 or build one? Picture? I'm putting one in my 34, but I have the transmission out of a van, so it has alarge bracket that bolts to tailshaft and back of main case, and the shifter is straight and at least 2 feet tall.

 

Lee Pratt's '40 coupe has a SBC and a '57 Chevy 3-speed OD. He was able to put that small tranny in without any modification to the '40's crossmember. As with a '57, he used front motor mounts and side bellhousing mounts so that the transmission is suspended off of the bell housing with no mounts. It works for the tri-5s and I've followed Lee cross country many times with that set up.
In my '36 cabriolet, I adapted a '57 ford 3-speed/OD to the chevy. I did have to trim out the front 3 inches of the torque box (and box it in) to allow clearance.

 

The Sag was a good transmission and still is if it is not loose as a goose.

So let me guess here you converted the banjo to open drive or ???? I am interested in your bygone century build.

 

I agree with the A-833. I run one in my F-100 behind my Hemi and have on in waiting for my 36 project. You will never regret making that choice. They are double Tough, compact (next to a T-5) and use a Hurst shifter that we all know to be Correct for any early Ford.
The Wizzard

 

I installed a chevy 3 speed behind a 283 in a 40 coupe back in the mid seventies. I modified the top of the torque box a little for extra clearance. I used a Hurst floor shifter (because they were cool). If I remember correctly I modified the clutch and brake pedal assembly so that the clutch pedal was pinned to the shaft in such a way that the