Hi guys, i have a 360 fe I'm doing a basic rebuild on. What i don't have is a transmission with the right shifter bits on it (i have a toploader 3 speed built for 3 on the tree, my trucks not built for a column shift). I do have a muncie 4 speed, in true hotrod fashion I'm working with what i have so i was wondering if anybody knows if they make adapter plates to put one behind an fe? I did some googling and was unsuccessful, I've seen other threads here and people saying "oh just get a big input toploader" and if i had the extra cash to get one of those I'd be buying a tko 500 not trying to fit a muncie to an fe in a 47 ford truck. I figure if somebody makes a kit to put an nv4500 behind a 5.0 then somebody had to have made a kit to put a muncie behind a fe at some point Thanks in advance. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
In the end, it will cost you a lot of money to mate that muncie to the ford. The bellhousings are out there, but they are like 600$ or so. These days you can mate almost any transmission to any engine. Think in the long haul though, you'll need every bit to make it work (clutch, flywheel, bellhousing, shifter linkage, clutch linkages etc) The cheapest way to go is to put the transmission you want in there and do it once. The muncie is worth a bit of money, you could sell that and use the cash to get what you want. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/qti-rm-6066/overview/make/ford
I too think it would be way cheaper and lots easier to sell the Muncie and use the proceeds to buy a toploader and the correct bellhousing.
If that's a FE three-speed, they're pretty much bulletproof. You can get a floor shifter for one with a bit of hunting.
Off topic of the question, but if you're rebuilding a truck 360, get a 390 crank and rods for it. Or a stroker if the budget allows. The 360 is a 390 block with 352 crank and rods. Flat top 390 pistons were installed that end up .104" below deck to drop the compression to truck levels. Lack of quench means poor combustion travel, so it will never be a performance engine unless the deck clearance is addressed.
Duel, I agree with most here, using your Muncie to save money is not going to happen. I definitely agree with Stew, on helping that 360 alittle. They are pretty bad box stock, but respond well to a few modifications. As for a cheap and easy trans for your truck, find a truck that has a 435 np four speed. Cheap and TUFF. Not the best shifting or ratios, but it will get you on the road for pennies and help you to be set up for when you might stumble upon a top loader four speed or a T-10,and will solve your shifter problems. Just my .02 .Bones
Nothin' wrong with a 3-on-the-floor. Cheapest route too, I'd imagine. Ante up for a quality (if they make one) floor shift kit & call it a day.
Don't hate me here, but sell the FE, and buy a SBC to go with the Muncie. But seriously, I agree with using the Ford 3-speed with the FE. There are plenty of used shifters on that auction site we all know and love. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
Thanks for the help guys, it what i thought it would be and i can't just get an adapter plate, oh well. I'd love to use the 3 speed but i think if i get a basic shifter for it I'd have to get a different tailhousing. I don't know if it'll then be too long and interfere with things like the gas tank and have the shifter in an awkward position. I have heard of converting toploaders to top shift with jeep parts anybody know of you can do that with a 3 speed? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The top loader to Jeep top stick works best with a three speed. However, in my stash of swap meet stuff that was to good to pass up 30 years ago, I have this. Never opened. I guess it is a "Universal" shifter. I don't know what the tailhousing interference would be. Ford built thousands of them with three speeds. Make an offer on the shifter if you want it.
I am guessing he thinks the shifter has to mount to the tailshaft housing. To the OP, they also mount using the tailshaft housing-to-trans case bolts. Nice offer, Rich.
You might think about a Ford RUG 3+1 they are usally less money than a top loader and you have over drive.
lol you aren't the only one trying to get me to put a small block in it, they're great motors but they just aren't my thing, I'd rather stick with the fe, but maybe that's just me being stubborn. i thank you for the offer, but i think i'm going to try to hunt down a jeep top shift, i think one of those will fit perfect in the truck. I honestly think I'll run into clearance issues with the fuel tank and seat with a shifter that mounts father back even with the super short housing on mine it sits pretty far back. (disregard the sketchy as crossmember) the picture doesn't really do justice for how it actually looks in the truck, but the jeep shifter i think will basically be in the same position as a stock shifter for the flathead. thanks again guys.
I don't think you will run into fuel tank clearance difficulty. But you are correct that the Jeep shifter is the ideal for this application. The shifter that I have is made to be used in pickup trucks and mounts quite far forward. So if you don't run into a Jeep shifter or decide you don't want to disassemble the top loader keep it in mind. It's not going anywhere unless someone here needs it.
I think this is the right one. http://www.storksplows.com/t150-shi...-warner-t-150-ford-top-loader-street-rod.html Looking at it a bit, while the shifter Rich offered will work you will probably have to make some more mods to the crossmember to clear. Ideally it would sit just behind the case next to the tail shaft and in front of the crossmember. Around here you could probably find the shift tower at a 4x4 guys yard sale. There are a couple of guys who have been selling of whole back yards full of CJ parts.
You might look at the tag on the side of your trans, make sure it isn't the RAT unit. The case is longer and the Jeep T-150 top will not work. The two that will work are HEF, or RAN.
Yeah we see a lot of jeep stuff around, common and decently cheap, i like that combo Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If you can't identify RAT or RAN, measure length of main body from front / bellhousing mounting to joint with tail housing. The Jeep shifter will work if it is 9-1/4 inches
The Hurst 3 spd shifter that I used years ago on a Ford 3 spd, had a bracket that mounted at the joint between the main body and the tailshaft, using three longer bolts. The stick body mounted to the bracket, and the shifter rods were easy to connect and adjust. This would be an inexpensive, reliable shifter, and would have a shorter throw than the Jeep conversion. I don't imagine that it will cost any more either. Bob
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