Hi guys. I have a 3 speed OD manual transmission in my ‘53 F-100 and I need to pull the engine out to replace it. I will pull the tranny with it. From what I can tell the trans is out of a ‘77-78 car or truck. It has Orion stamped on the casing, and it’s a side shifter. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to remove the shifter. I removed a pin with a C clip on each each that the shifter uses as a pivot point but no joy. Then I removed a single bolt right below the bottom of the shifter, still no go. It’s not obvious to me how to pull it out. It’s not like a Hurst with two bolts or anything like that. My next plan would be to pull all of the linkages off and the big bracket that holds it all to the tail shaft housing but I’d rather not if I could figure out how to pull the shifter. Any thoughts? Thanks…

 

Can you post a picture of the transmission? It sounds like one of the overdrive versions of the four speed toploader. Ford made several versions of that transmission with both exterior and integral shifters.
Just FYI, Ford offered a true 3 speed overdrive transmission in F-100s in 1953, with a Borg-Warner R-10 overdrive unit in the tail housing of the Ford three speed transmission. Your thread title is easily confused with the original optional transmission.

 

Yes he has a 4 speed od. There's a factory illustration of those here but I'll have to search for it. If I find it I'll post it here.

 

Here are a few pics. Two are from another post but it's the same trans that I have. The close up of the shifter base is from my truck. And yes, you are right, this is not a 1953 trans, it's a later model 77-78ish vintage attached to a 302. It has a stamping of BP-D7DR-TA040-AA. Thanks for any input....

 

This might be similar and give some clues as to how to remove it.

Seems there might have been more than one version of the external shifter/linkage on this transmission.

Check the link in the post by Numberdummy:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post18772114

 

Thanks 85e150! This link is extremely helpful, I see my shifter in the IPB at the top. I searched but never found a parts breakdown like this one. I did notice a square cutout where the shifter handle drops into the cradle, but I never tried to push it. Looks like that's what holds it in place. That gives me hope, I will try that next. Thanks again!

 

I still can't figure out how to release the shifter lever from the assembly. When you look at the YELLOW highlighted section in the middle left of the illustration, you can see an angle on the shift lever base. I tried several ways to push it out of the retainer hole but it didn't move. Any ideas on that? This is so simple but it's got me stumped. Thanks

 

Could it be as simple as decades of dirt keeping it from moving? I live on a dirt road and any repair with push in pins usually requires soaking in PBlaster and sometimes use of the air compressor.

 

It sure could be. It's been sitting for 20 years now. I'll spray it down real good, thanks for the thought.

 

I've had 2 cars with the Ford installed Hurst shifters, the only thing Hurst was the handle. The rest was Ford. instead of the handle bolting on like a regular Hurst it was a slip fit with locking tabs. It was surrounded in a rubber sleeve. You had to use a piece of metal about like a hack saw blade without teeth slipped down each left and right side. Similar to pulling a headrest from a 70's auto seat. Good luck, they can be a bear.

 

That sounds right to me. It is in a rubber sleeve/cup. Do you recall if the little wedge/lever at the bottom of the shifter moves or is it a fixed protrusion on the shifter arm? In other words, would I be trying to push the lever in like it's spring loaded? Not certain what the saw bladed slides are trying to move if anything.

 

Sorry I can't recall that part 1974 was a long time ago. Think there was a ramp part that pushed the pins with the metal strips.

 

 

Not mine but similar.

 

I like the looks of that Hurst shifter. I'd like to replace mine if I can ever get the stupid thing out, and that one looks about right. Thanks