What's the going rate for a '49-53 Ford Overdrive three speed trans these days? I have a chance to buy one for my shoebox, but I don't know what to offer the guy.......want to be fair to him and, of course, fair to me....... Anybody suggest a fair price? Thanks! CB
If the electric kickdown is in good shape, it might be worth more. I hear they are expensive to replace.
i don't know what it's worth,but i ran one in my shoebox and loved it.you could do 80 on the highway.
well my 50 has the overdrive trans i found a guy who had a plain 3 speed out of a 50 with the drive shaft his was rebuilt he wanted 350 for his but offered to trade for mine even (my over drive isnt hooked up every thing was rusted together) and i dont know the condition of mine as i havent driven it yet i almost traded him to egt away from the over drive ... still might
O.K... I had one I sold to a guy in Kansas; without solenoid nor kickdown switch and fuse relay. $350 plus $80 shipping. (Greyhound) Greyhound lost the trans (I crated it in a custom made wood box) and made me wait for 30 days before they would pay for it. They tracked it to Alberquerque, where it 'vanished'. The stub of the input shaft was visible at one end, stupid thieves probably thought they were getting a rock crusher) I finally recouped the funds, and sent a check to the 'buyer' for $460. (I gave him a little 'interest') For a while there, I was the most popular guy on Fordbarn! The gent said I not only refunded $$, but paid him interest! Later on, I sold the solenoid for an offer of $150.00, so I threw in the relay, kickdown button, and harness. That stuff isn't cheap!
Mike.......I think that might give me a *ballpark* number to offer.......appreciate your insight..... Anybody else? CB
We sold a 49 OD trans on Ebay a while back, unknown condition, it sold in the $ 125 ish range. Shipping cost another $75 or so. That would make a local pickup one in similar condition worth about $ 200. Don
I paid $350.00 for one with a good solenoid last year. Be warned, if its out of a '52 or '53 (hanging pedals) it probably will not have the boss on the side shifter plate for your floor board pedal's clutch linkage to mount. Mine didn't have it and I had to modify the clutch linkage to make it work. Check the trans legth. Later models are longer and require a shorter driveshaft. In the end, it was well worth the trouble.
Brucie, Your running a healthy small block in yours right? Why not go with the '56 on up 3 speed overdrive, stronger box and stronger overdrive.
Mark, according to the post above yours there seems to be differences in clutch mechanism mounting and length..... I wonder if that later box will work? CB
Is it the same one Studebaker used? If you can make a BW T86 OD out a Studebaker work, you can get those pretty cheap, maybe $150 or so. One good thing about Studebaker stuff is the most people into them are use to being cast aways and don't pay much for parts so prices are typically pretty reasonable. Hell, I even just gave away a good one to another Stude person a couple years back, with solenoid and all. I run the one in my 3/4 ton truck without the kickdown switch. Didn't feel like monkeying with it to get it to work properly, so I just bypassed it. The OD still works, but just no kick down switch. I just drop it down a gear if I need to. I don't do a whole lot of passing in the truck to begin with, only people walking and slow bicycles and maybe a backhoe or 2. I think Jeep used the T86's as well.
I saw one on Fordbarn that was an unused fresh rebuild, with everything to bolt in, for $600. Fair if as advertised, out of line if it wasn't.
Skip.......I have a T-5 out in storage along with two other standard 3 speeds........but I want to keep the *three on the tree* setup......very *traditional!* I am trying to resist the temptation to install the 5 speed...... But I could be getting weak.........oh, nooooo.. CB
Brucie Godbless you for being my traditional mentor....I feel the same way....But!! In "my" (Ladyshifters car) Victoria's case I have to make it drivable for Ladyshifter (wife knee surgeries).
Ford used the T86 with and without overdrive for many years, starting in '56 they started using the T85 as the heavy duty transmission, actually I think they used it earlier behind the Lincoln motors. The trans to bellhousing bolt pattern on T86 and T85 should be the same as the shoebox
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