1939 ford toploader value

I have the opportunity to pick up a '39 transmission that came out of a running driving "parade" car that got "gold-chained". The case is perfect, the original shifter and linkage is good, but it's missing some of the gears. It looks like it has the bottom shaft with two gears and the input shaft, but thats it. What is a fair price?

 

need an answer quickly----------before somebody else snatches it up.

 

100,,,and I would check for cracks or damage,,has to be a reason it got taken apart

 

Hard to say if it's missing parts, the first question that comes to my mind is Why? If it was perfect, why did they remove the gears? Shift top is worth about $100-150, Case is $150-200 or so if you had to buy them seperate. Little wing has it right, offer $100. I just bought one complete, stuffed with NOS gears for $100 a few weeks ago, same deal, removed for a 5 speed swap...

 

Well, good gear sets can be pricey. Little trick, find a 28 tooth side shift box and swap the guts into your '39 case.

I digress... Make sure you are getting a 81A double detent top with the 91A 3" forks. Also, I'm assuming it has the correct '39 swan shifter and not a straight truck lever.

If it doesn't have those two parts, it really is just another parted out Ford box. If it does have those parts and presuming the case is good and the rear bearing surface is not grooved I would think $150-$200 tops is fair. $200 would be if the remaining gears & bearings are good.

If they are not $100-$150. Good luck.

 

That sir was a incredible deal.

A few months back I was happy to pay $400 for NOS NIB 28 tooth gear set, bearings, shafts, syncros, 91A forks and a nice used 81A top and chromed swan lever.

 

its got the 81A top and decent chrome on the swan shifter, and the original knob is in good shape too. The guy says he may have the other gears and shafts for it, evidently, his 12 year old son started pulling it apart for "fun". The gears are in incredible shape.

 

I sold one a few years ago more complete, but still needing work for $ 400.00. You can aford it, buy it.

 

Thats BS. If it was apart, there was a reason for it.

 

The main input shaft is perfect. The gears on the counter-shaft and the bearings on the counter-shaft are in great shape too.

Whats the main shaft with synchro's and gears go for?

 

I would agree. Either his 12 year old grandson is Ed Winfield or that is a B.S. story.

C'mon, no 12 year old kid I know would do that.

Can you see the rear bearing surface? If so, run your finger over it. If it is grooved, pass.

That may be why the bottom cluster is out. When that part of the case wears it allows the gears to move around just enough to puke it them under a heavy load.

Lookthis thing over like you are about to drop your last dime on it. I would agree there is a reason why it is apart.

If he is a gold chainer then he more than likely paid good money for the car. If he paid good money for the car then someone he is dealing with knows the value of these parts.

Buyer beware my friend.

 

nevermind.......I bought it.......for far less than what was suggested in the previous posts.

I decided it was worth it just for the shifter alone, or garage art.....

 

You mean the input shaft with the 1 steel sychro machined into it? Not much. It really becomes a dicey game buying gears piece meal. I've always liked to buy a complete, used and what appears to be original trans. for you greatly reduce the chance of parts being mixed and matched incorrectly. Very easily done with the transmissions if you really don't know what you have or what part you are looking at. Don't ask me how I know this....

 

If you got it for under $100, you did good.

 

if nothing else, go buy a good 42-48 side shift box and rob the complete set of gears from it for the toploader.

 

Exactly.

 

does anybody have links to exploded diagrams of '39 and the 42-48's?

 

Quite a bit of info here:

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_drawings_trans.htm