Weighing tranny options for a '52 Merc M1 - engine will be a 351C. I'm thinking either a C4 or a late 60s Mustang toploader. Any thoughts/ideas/opinions?

Can you use the stock trans crossmember with the toploader? How close are the 2 transmissions in size? Will the shifter sit too far back (hitting the seat) with a Mustang toploader?

Thanks for any advice you can give!

 

As far as fitment questions I couldn't tell you, but I have a 4-speed top loader in my '67 Mustang and love it to death, my brother has a 3 speed top loader in his '69 Bronco, they're pretty awesome transmissions.

 

I would say that first you need decide between a manual or an automatic .Perhaps then you could look at a selection of choices . I am assuming based on the transmissions you asked about you are looking at a SB Ford .

 

In the stock location a 1969 toploader three speed I had out of a Mustang hooked to a 250 I-6 put the shifter where you would have to cut the floor right behind where stock opening ends on my 52 ford.

I weighed my options.

1: Cut the floor and stock bench seat to clear the shifter
2: use another top loader three speed I had to the stock column shifter.
3: make a bracket to move the shifter forward and then shorten the shifter arms

In the end I just went with a FMX for right now. I will go with one of the AOD's I have in the shed or dig up a 5 speed later on. One of the newer ford trucks in my local junk yard has some 5 speeds that look like they may work. Behind a 300 six.

Since the floor was in good shape just a few pin holes I welded up I didn't want to cut the floor up. Putting a dip in the stock seat to clear would of been easy considering it was just a frame work.

My three speed and how far it sits back with hurst shifter.





This is the stock toploader style colum shifter unit, but it's the same as the side shifter unit. Just a different tailhousing. You can see how far back the shifter would be. With the shifter all the way forward it would touch the open hole all the way in the back. You couldn't shift.



A guy on the HAMB sent me this picture of what he did to his moving the shifter forward. The way his tail housing was made it would of worked fine.

I decided against this on my truck because even grinding the ridge on the side of my trans down it didn't look like it would work right. His was a 4 speed. I thought it was just better to save that engine/trans for another project.

 

The only problem with the toploader trans is they're old tech and expensive. they're plenty strong, but lack the overdrive that most people want today, and is readily available in the T5. Any of your trans options will take custom fabrication to make work. Building custom clutch linkage adds just one more level of things to do that isn't necessary with an auto box. If you can find one, the Falcon tailshaft housing has provisions for a forward shifter mount. Again, rare and expensive. I know from experience the C4 slides right in like butter.

 

I am still studying up myself on the 300 six 4 speed with od and 5 speed with od. The shifter location on both look to be in a better location for a swap into the 48-52 ford trucks. I just don't know yet how good of a "performance" transmission they are yet. Still have a lot of reading to do on it. But it's hard not to see if it will fit if you have it on hand already.

 

I have a C4 in my '52 F1. Very easy install. You can use the stock crossmember. You have to modify it some and weld a mounting plate, buts alot less work than your other options. Alot of guys like the AOD, I never had one but it is much larger.The C4 is small, very little modification of firwall and tranny cover.

 

You can convert the Mustang 3 and 4 speed toploader trans to a top shifted trans by using a Jeep Trans top shifter
Example

 

3 speed toploader: Ford type 3.03 3 speed manual all syncromesh transmission.

Installed in myriad: 1963/83 F100's / 1963/79 F250's / 1965/86 E100/150's / 1966/77 Bronco's / 1975/86 F150's // Myriad 1963/80 Ford/Merc Passenger Cars.

351C = 1970/74 Ford/Merc Passenger Cars/Ranchero's only. Available with type 3.03 3 speed, Ford 4 speed toploader, and depending on the applications: C4, C6, FMX.

btw: No Mustang ever came with a column shift, regardless of what trans it had. 1965/67 Mustang I-6's have the Ford type 2.77 3 speed manual, not a toploader, no syncro first gear.

 

Since you mention both six and eight cyl engines, keep in mind the V8 is shorter than the Inline six. This could help in your decision, no matter which you decide on.

 

My first car had a auto trans , I took it out and put in a toploader with a hurst competition shifter, sweet. Three decades later I would go with the automatic.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm just undecided and was hoping getting some opinions might help me make up my mind.
I'm leaning towards the C4, because it's easier, cheaper, and I already have one. However my daily driver is an automatic and it would be fun as hell to have a 4 spd to play with.

 

You can always go manual valve body.

 

Here are some pics of a C4 behind a Flathead - Won't be much different the an OHV unless its a V16
Flatmotor-C4 Install pictures by smedly_dunlap - Photobucket

 

How many peeps that own V16 Cadillac's and Marmon's would wanna install a C4?

'Course, Cadillac dropped their OHV V16 after 1937, replaced it with a 135 degree flathead V16 in 1938/40. Why did they bother, since sales were slim and none.