Howdy:

Is there a way to change the shift pattern of a 3 on the floor (originally on the tree)?

Drove a 1980 Ford F-150 with 300cid I-6 and 3-speed manual transmission, rear end ratio unknown. Trans was originally 3 on the tree, but some time back was converted to floor shift. The shift pattern was odd and un-intuitive:
R---3
--N--
1---2

I came into it thinking it would have problems getting up to 55mph. I was wrong. It could get up to 70mph and maintain that reasonably. The I-6 had so much torque down low I never had to hit it hard to get moving and obviously the rear end was geared more like a station wagon than a dump truck to allow for a 70mph cruise. Once it got rolling in first, after shifting into second you could stay in second a LONG time if you wanted.

I also came into it thinking that if I bought the truck, I would swap the transmission for a 4-speed or maybe 5-speed of some sort. After driving it, the shift pattern was driving me a bit nuts, but the low-RPM torque of the I-6, the transmission gear ratios, and the rear end gear ratio was something I could live with. If I could fix the shift pattern to something reasonable I would be happy rowing through a mere three gears.
Objective Shift Pattern:
1---3
--N--
2---R
Or even:
R--1---3
----N----
----2----

I don't think I could live with a 3-on-the-floor with a wonky shift pattern.

So what do you all think?

Thank you all for your time.

Background:
Looking at some older trucks around here for a local short trip daily driver to hold on to an drive for a few years until I have time/space to fix it up properly. Any actual hauling or work would be light duty stuff. I plan on doing regular maintenance and upkeep, but not a serious restoration for some time. Also, I need an extra vehicle or two to accommodate two new drivers.

Auto mechanic-wise, I am an amateur. General maintenance, suspension work, body work, a little FWD drive train work (Yuck--front wheel drive is the work of Ol' Scratch). In my favor, I have the magical ability to follow instructions and the patience to work things out.

 

I drove a Dodge with a floor conversion, and it had a similar problem.

Crawl under there and have someone shift while you look at the rods and the shifter.

You might be able to change some things around and make it work right. You might have to flip or swap out the levers on the transmission.

You can put just about any transmission you want in there. You will have to get a different floor pan to fit the truck transmissions. Cross member and driveshaft changes can be expected as well.

You have a mechanical clutch, so swapping a 5er will be a bit more work as they have hydraulic clutches.

.If you have tall rear axle gears, and it sounds like you do, a T18 or NP435 will give you a low first gear and drive like your 3 speed for the most part. A T19 will give you a little lower but usable 1st gear and maybe be a little "smoother" ratio wise.

 

The 1st and reverse pattern is normal for that transmission and how it was on the column. The 2-3 shift is reversed. Like the previous poster said, get under the truck and look, I bet the little short arm on the 2-3 shift arm coming out of the transmission is upside down.

Originally on the column, 1st was down and toward the driver. As you got going, you pushed the clutch in and lifted the lever up, once it got to the center it was spring loaded and would snap forward. You kept lifting up till it stopped and that was 2nd. The last shift was just a straight pull down to third. If you stopped and wanted reverse or 1st, you had to move it to the center and pull against the spring to pull it to the 1st/reverse section, and then you could lift it up for reverse or pull it down for 1st. Most of the older transmissions were not synchronized in 1st, so you could not select 1st without stopping. Not sure if your trans has a synchronized 1st or not. You definitely have to be stopped to select reverse.

 

"80 will be the Ford 303 all synchro, which was served by the billions in floor (cars) and column shifted versions.

 

My '71 Bronco came to me with a floor shift conversion of the original column shift. It had a very standard 3 speed floor pattern, which is simply thew column pattern Franklin described, but laid down horizontally:
R 2
| |
--N--
| |
1 3

(edit: it won't let me show that clean, but it's left and up to reverse, straight back to 1st, up, right and up to second, then straight back to 3rd)

I'd think you could get to that fairly easily by moving the links around.

However I went to a 5 speed in my Bronco. I went with an NV3550. And sure, it's not a Ford trans, but then again, neither are any of the manual transmissions that Ford put in, so I'm not being any less a purist than Ford. And the NV3550 has a separate bellhousing, si I could use my stock bell and keep my mechanical clutch (I did need an adapter between the bell and the trans)

 

IIRC there is 1 rod that dose 1st & reverse and the other to do 2nd & 3rd.
If one of the arms are on wrong / upside down, then that would change the pattern.
I bet that is the story and it was done because the arm or rod hits something like the cross member.

On a 4sp trans you would have 3 rods 1 & 2 - 3 & 4 and the last rod for reverse.
Dave ----

 

Thank you all for your experience.

I had never thought much about the Tremec / Ford 3.03 before looking at the 1980 Ford F-150. Heck, I never even drove a 3 speed manual of any sort. (1) Manual 4-speeds, sure. Then again, many of the web pages that purport to be about Ford truck transmissions do not mention the 3.03.

I did not sit idly while you all were so kind as to respond. I did more digging on the truck and the 3 speed manuals. So, yes, Ford 3.03 / Tremec transmission of some sort. Rear end 8.8" Ford with 2.75 ratio. Came from the factory with the 300cuin I-6. And I ran down quite a bit of 3.03 transmission lore, to include YT videos and a slice of a Ford F150 1981 factory service manual covering how to rebuild the 3.03. And there is a whole greater heaping helping of 3.03 lore on the net in all sorts of applications I had never expected. Who knew a transmission that none of my buddies ever mentioned growing up was so popular?

All that research has equipped me well enough to understand what you all have written. I am going to take another look at the truck and crawl underneath it (again) and gawk at the transmission with a better-informed eye.

I bet that ^ is the issue.

If the 3.03 / shifter connecting rods can be re-configured to the correct pattern, I think I will buy the truck. If it serves, I have no plans to replace the 3.03. I might rebuild it if needed. Never rebuilt a transmission, I figure an old 3-speed manual would be a good place to start. If it ever goes tango uniform necessitating a transmission swap, I might consider the Borg Warner T-18/19 or New Process 435. Combine that with a more stout rear end and it might be on its way from mild grandpa cruiser to more of a bruiser.

Again, thanks for all your input.



(1) I take that back. I recall one of my bosses during a summer job had a late 1960's Chevy pickup with a 307 or 327 and a 3-speed manual transmission on the floor. It would cruise nicely, too.

 

Typical 3 speed shift pattern is:

2 R
|---|
1 3

 

Those old 3 speeds are tough and hard to kill. Just keep oil in it. That truck you are looking at was made for fuel mileage, and was the predecessor to the overdrive transmissions coming out. That is why it has a 2.75 rearend. This truck will keep up with modern traffic and get decent fuel mileage, but it's not going to be a barn burner, and you will have to be patient with it if you have a load in it or tow with it. It's hard to have your cake and eat it to with just a 3 speed trans, but they tried.

 

If the rear end is from the factory it would be a 9" Ford rear axle with a 2.75 gear as that's what my late 80 F100 flare side has.
The 8.8 I think came in the 84 year trucks and did the 9" as it ran out.

The 8.8 is not that weak as it is used in Mustangs and guys are drag racing them.

If it is on the floor it would be
R 2
N
1 3

and if it wason the tree
first is up and back to you
reverse is up and forward
2nd is down and froward
3rd down and back to you.

I learned to drive on a van with a 3 on the tree and had a car or 2 with the same.
Dave ----

 

You are correct. I went dislexic for a second

 

On the door sticker, it says Trans code C and Axle code 13. I thought axle code 13 was 8.8/2.75, but I sure could be wrong. Many of the online resources do not list these trans and axle codes, so it is difficult to cross-check for more certainty.

 

The document I have for rear axle has it listed as a Ford 3.75M what ever that is but o know my late 80 and my 81 are both Ford 9" axles.
It has also been said the 8.8 did not come in our trucks till around 84.

Dose your rear axle gave a bolt on cover or just the front where the drive shaft goes in unblots?
Dave. ----

 

I have had a three speed on the floor and two vehicles with three on the tree. They all had the same pattern as you showed:

On the floor or on the tree.
R 2
N
1 3

On the tree you are looking sideways at the pattern.

 

Yep thst is how it's done.
Some non USA cars had 4 on the tree that was a fun onto figure out
Dave ----