I picked up a 51 Ford f1 panel a week ago, and got it running today. I took it for a short drive down the street and it's all good. Except the transmission. I can't get in any gear without grinding. I can match the revs, and clutch-less shift it OK, but my god it grinds trying to shift it with the clutch. Clutch seems to be OK, adjustment is fine. It's a floor shift 4 speed, I think. I've had lots of floor shift 3 speed Ford transmissions, ( I have a 37 trans in my 31 AV8 coupe, so I kinda know the ropes) but this is my first f1. Question time, are they all shitty, or is it just mine? Thanks for your help in advance..
I believe those 4-speeds were non-syncro (except in the larger trucks, F4 and above), so it is what it is.... Even the later truck 4-speeds with syncros shifted like a box of rocks, getting good at double-clutching will be a good skill to acquire... LOL. Upside, they are a pretty tough box.
On my '51 F2 4 speed, once I got it in 2nd, it took a lot of practice going to 3rd or 4th. Low RPM's are best. You may have to adjust the clutch to get it in gear to start out. 1st is almost never necessary, I can easily start out in 3rd gear even.
Saw a 4 door hull "photo" of one of these in a junk yard or something on here that I thought was pretty interesting, Got any pics?
Time to learn the art of double clutching. I've got one of those transmissions that is going behind the 254 flathead six in my boat tail roadster. I picked it up for 50.00 from a guy who had run it in one of his commercial trucks and saved it for 30 years after the truck gave out.
Cool lookin ole ride, I might wet sand the black back off it (or not) and maybe tweak the wheels and tires a little, maybe lower it some and roll
Ya, I'm thinking make the paint a little more presentable, dropped axle, big and smaller bias whitewalls, and a set of Fiesta hubcaps (cause I have a nice set), clean her up and call it a shop truck.. I'm not sure. I'm not in love......
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