This is my first post to FTE, so please bear with me if I mess up my confuser, ah, computer.

I have an 8BA with 3 speed transmission out of a '49 F100. I also have a T90 (Borg Warner?) transmission in my '52 ****** P U.

***** and Flatie would like to get married, or have a civil union.

What kind of preacher does it take to get the job done? A bellhousing? Adaptor?

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards, Mike.

 

Hey Mike, Did you ever get this transmission install figured out.

Rod

 

Hi Rod, Thanks for your interest. I found an adapter that matches the Ford bellhousing and T90 bolt patterns. It is cast aluminum and appears to have been factory produced with a casting number on it. It is about .70 inches thick to make the longer T90 shaft align fore and aft with the Ford flywheel. I have not yet worked out the related modifications needed to finish the match. It will need a different pilot bearing, clutch linkage, motor mounts, etc, etc.
Apparently, the flattie was a common swap in these old ******. As a kid, I had to plow snow with a ******/Flathead. The original ****** 4 cylinder was too slow. The Flathead had a temp gauge for each half of the engine. When one side got too hot I had to get out and angle the plow to the other side to get air flow to the hot side of the radiator. What price nostalgia?
If you have any more ideas about the swap, I would like to hear them.
Regards,
Mike

 

No, I don't have any prior experience with this swap. I was just crusing the forum looking for some options on a different trans for my 51 F1. I read your post and wondered if you ever found the solution to your inquery. My 51 6 cylinder has that 4 speed crash box trans in it. I need to find a syncro trans to replace it. Its just to hard to drive in todays city traffic, especially in this area. Is that 3 speed trans you have from the 49 a syncronized type trans. Or were all the Ford truck transmissions in that day of the non-syncro type.

Rod

 

Hi Rod,
I believe the 3 speed transmission I got with my flathead is syncro in 2nd and 3rd. I heard the truck run (the seller drove it to the swap meet pulling a trailer) before I agreed to buy the engine but I didn't drive it myself. The 3 speed it came with are fairly common and probably worth $50 or so as I understand it.
These old ****** like mine had 5.38 rear end ratios because of the small engines and top speed was around 45 MPH. I hope to go a little faster with the flathead, but in order to do so I will need faster ring and pinion ratios, overdrive, or an overdrive transmission. My flathead 3 speed has a one to one high gear ratio and does not adapt easily to the ****** transfer case. If I want to keep the 4WD capability I will not have much use for the Ford 3 speed.
I don't know if the 3 speed is your answer, but let me know if I can be of help.
Regards,
Mike

 

Hey Mike, what kind of vechicle are you working on, and where are you located.


Rod

 

You can buy an adapter, to adapt a T5 5 speed transmission to that Flat 8. You could get an overdrive of 0.72 in fifth. The kits come with a lot of the parts you are trying to figure out. Maybe check on the tranny for the 4 x 4. Heck get the transmission and transfer case out of a 4 x 4 S10. The adapter would get you bolted to the motor. You would still need to figure the same motor mounts problem out but you would have overdrive.

 

Hey Chris, I'm still trying to find somone who has done a T-5 install on a 226 Flathead 6. If you hear of anyone I sure would be intrested in hearing of there experiences. If I do this swap I want to have all parts on hand so the truck isn't sitting. Also, I don't have access to a mill and lathe anymore.

Rod

 

Did you cantact Cornhusker, looking at their kit it comes with everything.

The kit should bolt to your intermediate bellhousing. I assume your engine has a bellhousing about 3" thick between the trans and the engine. If that is correct then our kit will hook up to your stock clutch linkage. Check the website for a list of what comes in the kit. look under Parts We Manufacture. We also have 10&11 inch discs and plates for the installation. Gary at Cornhusker

 

Hi Rod & Chris,
I am in Stillwater, MN and have an 8BA to put in a '52 ****** 4WD pickup. I wish I had heard Christopher2's idea about an S10 transmission and transfer case before I bought a bunch of parts to join the flathead to the ****** transmission. Maybe it is not too late if I can find somebody that has done it sccuessfully.

 

Bolting a T5 to a V8 flathead has been done successfully and you can buy kits from www.cornhusker.com among others. Do a google search for T5 transmission and you will come up with a few other places. Like
http://www.flat-o.com/carproducts/flatomatic.htm.

 

I used to have a ****** Utility Wagon ('62) and it had been converted to a Chev 283 before i got it. It had a TransDapt adaptor to the Jeep trans (3-sp). At any rate, I fitted a Warn OD. I got the last new one (or so I was told), but I'm sure you could find one used. It gave me 3 x 2 x 2 = 12 different gear combo's, and on the highway 3rd/Hi/OD was just right. All you have to do is install it in the t.c., no screwing around with anything else.

 

Thanks for the TransDapt reference, I will follow it up. Used Warn O.D.s are still available as are Saturn O.D.s. Saturn are an exact copy of the Warn but some believe the materials are not as durable. I was glad to hear you were happy with the highway speed. How did the ****** 3 speed hold up to the Chev 283 horsepower?

 

Mike, do you stll have that Ford Flathead 3 speed transmission. If so, do you want to sell it.

Rod

 

Hi 51Ford fanI did not have much use for the 49 truck 3 speed so I gave it to a friend that as a backup for his '40 coupe. regards, Mike