1953 ford customline

hi guy first post so sorry if theres a few mistakes anyways just bought my first car today a 1953 ford customline its a little rough but has plenty of potential will post pictures a little later it originally had a flathead with the three on the tree now the flathead is gone unfortunately but the trans is still there so i have a 351 clevland that im planning on dropping in my question is there a bellhousing i could buy to bolt the 3speed straight up to the 351 i have a c6 but realy dont want to put that in so if this doesnt work ill just have to put a 4speed on the floor in it.so if any of you guys have any info on this it be very much appreciated thank you.

 

I think you are gonna have to install a newer trans

 

hey there, I have a 54 ford customline. I have a 390 and a c6. I was gonna try and keep the original tranny. spent a lot of time on here. well the web. never could find anything that would work. so just c6 the thing. then have fun.

 

Drop the motor and trans in there, try to find a maverick rear end too while your at it

 

That's better.
Use the 4 speed. More gears are always better.

 

I second that

 

Another Customline owner. You will not be able to mate the original trans and it probably wouldn't take the power of a 351C if you could. C6 since you got it.

 

Thanks for all the help guys I appericate it and yes i think im going to find a 4speed then and burn the tires right off!

 

welcome to the group man.

thats my 53 ford in my avatar photo. cant wait to see it in person.

and look for the social group 52-59 ford cars and ask your question there. there are a lot of guys with a lot of great knowledge and you will get better responses

 

I hooked this 352 to my 56 3 on the tree OD trans because I wanted to. It's a hell of a lot easier to just drop a late model engine and trans into it. I did not want that.... I wanted to keep the O.D. trans. It won't stand up to a LOT of abuse but I'm not hard on the trans. It's doable but the easier way out is the automatic.

If like me you like to change gears you can also get a later Ford 3spd which will probably have a fully synchronized trans. You need to decide what you really want and then you can create a plan to get there.

I want an automatic in rush hour commuter traffic but I love terrorizing the neighborhood down shifting my old 3 speed trans in my hotrods.

 

So if you mated a 352 to a od do you think I could mate an feel to an early ford top loader 3speed? I have one of those trans adapters.

 

Thanks for the advive and yeah ill probaly just drop a 4speed top loader in it than because I want to be able to abuse it alittle haha