did ford make a 4 speed without the bulldog 1st gear? if so could i easily swap my 3 speed for it?

 

Whatcha wanting to swap into? 82 F100? Which motor? If you have a small block (300,302, 351W) there was a 4 speed with 4th being OD. Best I remember, it was mainly used in vans, & pretty rare. If you could find one it would give you the normal 3 plus OD, no granny low 1st.

 

yeah the 82 f100 2wd. it has a 302 and originally had the 3 on the tree but is now a floor shift. i would like to get something that is just a straight 4 but i would settle for 3 plus od. any suggestions?

 

From the late '70s to mid '80s Ford sold 4 speed ODs in cars and light trucks. There are several models.

There is small image here:

Tremec 4 Speed Manual RUG & RTS Manual Transmission Rebuild Kits - Drivetrain.com

These are based on the performance 4 speed from the '60s. The models include:

SROD: Cars and trucks. Aluminum case. Shifter mounted on a turret just behind the top cover, connected via a tube containing the single shift rail. (thus Single Rail Over Drive)

Top shifted OD. Trucks. Aluminum case, shifter and shifter cover etc replaces the tin top cover of a regular top loader.\

Side shifted OD. Trucks, vans. Iron case, side shifted with external linkage just like the old days. Had one in my van.

Pictures of the side shifted, along with several notes about these here:

Toploader Imposters

Aluminum cases are weak. Bearings probably need to be gone through before you install for any box. Truck boxes have bigger bearings than car transmissions. Ratios suck--major gap 2nd to 3rd, first is a bit high for any towing or high load situation.

 

More including pics.

Note ratios for 4 speed are '60s car ratios:

Ford Truck Manual Transmissions

And again info:

Toploader 4 Speed Transmissions

FWIW, I would go to a T5 if you have light work and a 3.50 or higher numerically axle. Or a Mazda 5 speed, or a ZF if you are going to do heavier work. Yes, a bit of work and a hydraulic clutch is required for the ZF and Mazda, but more gears is more better.

 

does the t5 require a hydraulic clutch?

 

T5 does not require a juice clutch. The rub (isn't there always a hitch?) is that you need an adapter--a spacer really--as the input is longer. You can get the input shortened, but it's about the same money as the adapter. What axle to you have? OD is pretty tall in the T5, so it's not a great option if you have 2.47s or some other CAFEMPG panic ratio.

 

I'm not sure what ratio it is the tag is gone on the rearend but I know the rearend came from a 1979 thunderbird. I believe its around a 2.70 something. But I would also like to change that to around a 3.50 something. Where could I find one of those adapters?

 

Adapters, parts, transmissions, help:

Modern Driveline - TREMEC T5 / TKO Transmission Conversion - 5 speed & 6 speed solutions to swap your Ford Mustang, Falcon, Cobra, Hotrod into Overdrive! Performance Parts

You want a "World Class" T5, preferrably with the lower first gear. Some S10 Chevy boxes will work, and they have the shifter far enough forward for a PU. Or you can swap an S10 tail shaft housing to a Mustang trans.

More on the T5 to follow. Remember, this will not work well for anything other than light work. There is a member here running one in a PU iirc, but you're not going to tow or haul rock for long with a T5.

ID info:

Identifying and Assembling a T5 5 Speed

Note the low torque and weights on most:

TTC: TREMEC Transmissions

Nothing free here:

Products - Rockland Standard Gear, Inc.

More of the same, Mustang/Tbird etc specific, with higher torque ratings:

Ford Mustang: Mustang Tech: Transmission and Drivetrain: Borg Warner T5 Transmission data

Some of this will transfer to what you are doing, lots of tips etc:

T5 Swap, T5 Conversion, Mustang T5 Swap, Auto to Manual Transmission - FordMuscle

Not just for flatheads:

The Ultimate T-5 Swap Article

I had a link to a guy swapping one into a truck behind a 300. That link no longer works, but you ought to be either ready to go by the time you read all that or running for the hills by half way. Good luck with it.

 

thanks a ton! i'll get to reading on all that stuff. u have been a lot of help!

 

Im doing a similar project atm. If ir happy with your 3rd gear atm u will like an np435. If you want an overdrive look at a 4speed toploader

 

i found a 4 speed toploader for sale locally. what would i have to identify about it to know if would match what i have? i.e. spline, input and output shaft? sorry for all the questions i dont know very much at all about transmissions

 

From these quotes, the 'close-ratio' version Borg Warner T19 is probably exactly what you are looking for.

It's a non-granny, 1:1 top gear, all synchromesh, 4-speed that will bolt straight up, in terms of input shaft splines & length, bolt pattern etc. It can be used with either a hydraulic or mechanically operated clutch.
You might need to adjust or reverse the crossmember from where it is under your 3-spd transmission........there are slots & holes already in it to work with.

As far as Ford pickups, it was supplied with 460 & diesel engines, & is as strong as any of the trans options.

The big benefit of the close-ratio T19 for general driving, is that you have four usable ratios (you start out in 1st, not 2nd) without big gaps between.
The only downside is that 1st & reverse are NOT extra-low for trailer maneuvering etc.

I had an NP435 in my truck for a short time but, being a granny-low trans, it had only three usable (& badly spaced, in my opinion) ratios, & was a big frustration in a hilly area......so I swapped for a T19.

If you do decide to go this way, you need the version of T19 with a 4:1 ratio 1st gear - there were also two other ratios available (one granny & one intermediate).
You also need a Ford-version T19, not International Harvester.

This link will help The Borg-Warner T18 & T19 Transmissions - Novak Conversions

Good luck

P.S. - The toploader was a strong car transmission but it's not strong in terms of a truck trans (NP435, T18/19 etc)

 

RUG SR-OD Single Rail 4 speed overdrive installed in 1978/83 F100/150 300/302 / 1978/83 E100/150 300/302/351W // 1978/83 Fairmont/Zephyr 200/255/302 / 1978/82 Granada 200/255/302.

RTS TS-OD Top Shift 4 speed overdrive installed in 1984/89 E/F150's with 300/302's.

Both of these trannies are "weak sisters." One speed shift, you can kiss the little darlins' good bye.

SR-OD: The shift lever nestles into a nylon bushing (D9BZ-7K453-A) that is notorious for cracking apart. Obsolete AFAIK, only Northwest Transmissions has any.

TS-OD: The shift lever is composed of multiple parts including a nylon bushing, another POS that cracks apart. The bushing is only sold as a kit. Obsolete Lotsa luck finding one.

1980/83 F100: The largest available engine was the 302. 300 I-6 also available as was the anemic 255 in 1982/83 and the problematic 3.8L V6, also in 1982/83.

Warner T-19 introduced in 1979 F350 2WD's with 351M/400's. 460 not available w/a M/T or 4WD until 1983.