Hi there guys I have a 1952 flathead 8rt that I am going to be building up and putting in my 1930 model a pickup I originally planned on putting a s10 t5 behind the flathead for obvious reasons but I found a 1937 ford trans for $150 bucks that is complete but needs a rebuild guy says it shifts "hard" so is this a good deal? and will the 37' trans bolt up to the 8rt truck bellhousing without an adapter? the only reason I have tossed this Idea over is because im having trouble finding a s10 t5 with a mechanical speedo cable for a reasonable price and a quicktime bellhousing is $550 bucks so is the 37 trans going to be cost effective to rebuild and bolt up? thanks fellas
I believe the '52 F-1 was the last year for the early style trans/bellhousing pattern and, if yours is that style, then the '37 will bolt on as easily as did the original '52 trans. At worst, if you don't have the original 8RT bellhousing, you need to find one from '48 thru '52 pickup or from a '49 thru early '51 Mercury car. The truck units are cast iron, the Mercs are stamped steel, but they are functionally the same. Be sure you get the matching starter mounting plate with any bellhousing you may acquire. Ray
Anything is better than a stock 37 trans. A cheaper way than the $550 adapter is to use a Chev bell housing and redrill it to match the 8rt block. The T5 will bolt right up then. Use a Chev flywheel by redrilling the mounting flange. Use the Chev clutch. Use a Chev gear drive starter by drilling 2 mounting holes in the pan rail. Use a hydraulic slave cylinder to work the clutch. Almost any transmission rebuild shop can convert a T5 to mechanical speedo. I know all this works because I have done 3 of them. No special after market parts required unless you opt for an aluminum flywheel.
you can rebuild it yourself (I did) with Mac Van Pelt's book "The Ins & Outs of Early Ford Transmissions," & get all the parts from his website. but, it will still be an old trans, with all of the old technology. the 5th gear would get your rpms down & let that flatty live longer & make your truck more streetable. if you are stuck on "traditional," as in it has to have parts no newer than 19XX, then you have your answer. but, you already stated that you wanted a T5 before, so keep looking for a tailshaft housing from an early S10. they can be put onto a later trans.
One more thing on the 37 trans is that you will either have to run a closed driveshaft with a Banjo rear axle or find the pieces off an F-1 trans to convert it to open drive. I don't want to be talking out of turn but it seems that you need to sit down and do some more homework and figure out exactly what you want to use before going out and spending any money. This is my 49/53 Flathead with the cast truck bellhousing, hogshead to run with the Ford truck 4 speed and an adapter that was used to connect it to the (Ford?) trans that was in an old square Jeep wagon that the engine came out of. I'm not sure what the bellhousings go for but I'd think 50 to 75 bucks and maybe less. The Hogsheads usually go for around 50 and a Dwight Bond adapter with the extra trinkets runs about 120 by the time you are done. S-10 T-5 transmissions aren't that hard to find and they aren't usually too spendy unless the seller thinks he is going to get rich off a hot rodder. I paid 100 bucks for mine off Craigslist from a kid who bought it for a later model rig and decided not to use it. Still before you do anything about the trans, what rear axle are you running?
I haven't gotten to the rear yet as of right now its a stock model a rear but I may have a 32-34 ford rear coming my way very soon
For a light car like that you could use about a 350 to 390 rear gear with the five speed. Look around at swap meets for the T5, about a hundred is fair.
I'm going to hyjack this post, sorry no viable answers yet. Got a 8ba stock 52 flathead , (F1)bought a Speedway adapter with new throwout bearing, chevy clutch, 10.5 press plate(redrilled into stock flywheel.)There is no way to adjust the clutch. The adapter had no provision to get to the fingers, (The original trans had a door on top seems that's how you could get into the P/P) and the clutch slips. The only way (I assume) to adjust the p/p is to tighten the bolts on the P/P they seem to adj the 3 fingers. so ever time I have to remove the T 5 back about 8'' or so to adjust he fingers, Help!! I ' m fooling with this for about 2 weeks and going nowhere, drop me a e mail if you can and maybe I can figure out how TIA Inprimer
You DO NOT ever adjust the fingers on the PP,this is only done when the PP is built/assembled. That clutch is adjusted by the external linkage only. Do you have the correct TO bearing ? GM used 2 a long and a short. A 3 finger PP would use the short. If you have been messing with the screws on the fingers of the PP you might as well pull it and replace it or have a rebuild shop re set it.
I have both transmissions. An original 3 speed in our 36 and a T5 in our 32. Both have flatheads. The T5 to flathead is the DREAM set up. Having driven our T5 equipped 32 around for about three years now - I wouldn't even consider a three speed! No matter the cost or hassle! On the 32 we have a 49 engine with the two piece bell housing. Used an aluminum adapter between the bell housing and the T5. Stock flathead truck clutch and Astro van disc. Had to slightly machine (1/4"?) out the enter depression on the flywheel to clear the rivets on the disc. No problem. Got the adapter from Nostalgia Sids here on the HAMB.
ruffdawg can you send me some info on nostalgia sids like a website or some sort? would be much appreciated or even a link
I have the offy adapter bolted to the truck bell behind my 8ba …. Offy part was 250.oo w the extra parts … bearing - sleeve and bushing. Why would some other one for 550.oo be an option?
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Offen...ans-to-Flathead-V8-Adapter-GM-Clutch,809.html is this the one? it says its for a 32-48 engine will it work on my truck bellhousing
No the other one that uses the early style shaft and fork ... but the two do the same thing ... GM trans to all flatheads
I have another question about a 1935 ford trans does it have a synchronized 2nd and 3rd or is that only a 39 ford trans
The '35 is synchronized like the '39, the only difference is the '39 syncronizer and shift fork is larger.
oh ok thank you for your help do you know if there is any way to convert to the larger synchronizer and fork
InPrimer,.....The clutch is adjusted by lengthening / shortening the linkage rod tha goes to the release shaft. There's no real need to have that cover. With either the Speedway or Offy adapter, (they are identical, except price) you need to fab an anchor point for the release bearing return spring. There is NO need to adjust the release finger bolts. When removing your trans, you have to unbolt the adapter from the bellhousing, and remove it as an assembly, with the trans bolted to it. 4TTRUK
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