Technical Floor shifter for '49-'51 Ford overdrive transmission?

I have both '50 and '51 Ford overdrive transmissions. I also have several floor shift conversions (including a couple of Hurst's). The shifters I have were obviously designed for cars with non-overdrive transmissions, as the OD solenoid is right where it looks like the shifter mechanism should fit. Did anyone (preferably Hurst) make a floor shift kit specifically for the overdrive transmissions? If so, does anyone have one that they can share pictures of. As of right now, everything looks completely in the wrong place!

 

I once traded "Smokey" a shubox overdrive trans for his LaSalle 3 speed trans. Smokey put the O.D. trans in a model A RPU with a flathead and he fabbed up the worlds weirdest, wildest shifter for it. I wish I'd taken a photo of that thing. It worked good enough to turn in a respectable time at the HAMB drags.

 

Hurst did make a kit for the overdrive ******,, all Hurst Syncro/loc shifters used the same shifting tower,,just a different kit for specific transmissions..All you need to to is to make your own mounting bracket,and the shifting rods..shift arms
are same for O/D and std trans in thise years Ford.P S shift arms bolt on pointing "UP"..

 

I've heard of guys just fabricating a curved shift rod to go around the solenoid.

 

Have any of you guys ever had a shoebox OD transmission and a Hurst mechanism in close proximity? If you haven't, I don't think you can really understand the problem.

Rocky, Who is "Smokey"? He must be someone on here if he ran the H.A.M.B. drags. Is that his proper "handle"?

 

I don't know what was in a 50-51, but Hurst made them for both T-86 and T-85 o/d"s.

Maybe there's something in these build pictures that will help.

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=145936&page=8

 

I found a picture of one for later model Ford transmissions (52-54) and T-85/86, and those transmissions have the solenoid mounted on a much more logical place on the transmission.

I know I could probably "cobble" something together, but I'm just looking to see if there are any "tricks" out there.

 

post #78 in this thread is how I did it in my Merc

 

oops, that's post #16

 

Thanks, that helps a lot. It puts the shifter farther back than I would like and more to the left, but I guess I'll have to do some "creative" bending of the shift lever.

 

I made bracketry for a hybrid 4 speed Saginaw with 3 speed borg-Warner R10 I added to it. I encountered lots of clearance issues due to the silinoid same basic issue the gov is presenting you. Here's a few pics that might aide in fabricating one. Cosmo in the 49's old thread here jump started my thought process. Flux

 

I have a NOS Fenton floor shift for 50 Ford overdrive trans. If interested PM me and I'll see if I can dig it out. Ron

 

Yes, make your own...you can see that I went over and up to put the shifter in the middle of the floor and away from my go pedal leg!

 

I think I see what you did there. To be clear, the upside-down "L" shaped piece at the top of the first picture moves the stick about 4 inches to the right. The more I look at it, the more obvious it becomes.

 

Yes, my transmission was close to the floor but the shifter worked great for about 12 years in a dd/only vehicle. My od trans was like yours, no synchro 1st, just shift to another forward gear before going into 1st and it won't grind. I now have a '69 3sp+od all-synchromesh with the shifter on the column and LOVE it!

 

I have a NOS, in the original box, Ansen Posi-Shift shifter for the 55-65 Chevrolet Muncie 318 AND 319 overdrive transmissions. The only difference is the mount position for the "tower" ***embly; it's mounted higher up for the overdrive transmission. You may wind up with the tower of the shifter poking up through the floor some; at least more than on a transmission without overdrive. I've seen some shifters modified with rods that are bent/curved to clear the solenoid, and even with the shifter levers on the transmission flipped upside down; that would make for an interesting pattern to select gears. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Yeah, I'd really like to keep the standard shift pattern and the flattest floor I can. I've received a lot of good ideas on this thread; thanks a lot.

 

Yep, used a different sidecover, flipped the shift dogs to the on top position and tacked them on, see second picture. I made my own dogs, shorter to decrease the shift length. I know the welds and fab look $5i55y but it worked like a charm. You can do better! Oh, even though I flipped the levers I had the standard shift pattern!

 

post 8
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/top-loader-shifter-on-a-side-shift-******.741070/

 

As Rocky would say on the old "Bullwinkle Show" : "And now for something completely different". Very clever and probably works well, but since I don't have a top shifter, it would probably be twice the cost of what I've already got to just get started.

 

Not sure what car you are putting it in, but in my '49 Merc, it's a pretty good location. But, I do have bucket seats. The shifter itself can also be rotated, so the handle will be further forward, or back. Which I should do, because I am reaching a little for it. Just haven't taken the time, because it will eventually end up with a nailhead & 4 speed.

 

At this point, I am looking to put it into a "T" Tub I am building with a '50 Ford drive train. If it works out well, I have a good OD transmission for my '51 club coupe I would ideally like to put in as well. The Tub is quite narrow, so if I put the stick where it would normally be, it would probably go right where my leg would be. I will probably have to offset the lever as far to the right as I can, ala' Cosmo49. The '51 has a bench seat I'd like to keep.

 

Hello . I have a couple of pictures of a Hurst shifter on a OD trans . I think I was taking pictures of my new engine and by luck the trans is in the photo. It was last winter .I hope they help .
It is secured by three bolts the tail shaft upper bolts and the left side . the bracket at the upper has an arch between the bolts to clear the tail shaft .
Looks like post #13 cosmo49 is very similar . my OD trans is in a 63 Biscayne with a bench seat and is in the perfect location . I guess Hurst planned it that way .
I'm new and this is my first picture upload . I hope I did it right if not let me know and I will retry . I didn't know if I should have entered them full size or not . j .

 

This topic was discussed over on the Studebaker forum a while back. I think the cleanest solution is in the last post. Get a T-86 overdrive transmission (cheap) and a Jeep top shifter for a T-86 (available new and cheap still). Mate the two.

http://www.studebaker-info.org/tech/transmission/T86OD/sdc35834m.html

http://www.studebaker-info.org/tech/transmission/T86OD/sdc35834_files/IMG_0369.jpg

 

Hi Ron, I saw your post the overdrive transmission shifter from several years ago, I know it's a shot in the dark but wondering if you still have the NOS Fenton floor shifter, and if it would be for sale, I have a 49 Borg Warner R10 overdrive transmission and I'm not having the best of luck and happy with the fabrication that I have on the shifter. Thank you in advance Donald

 

In case Ron doesn't see this, I bought the Fenton from him about the time of this thread. The instructions would be useful for you, but I'm in Florida for the winter and they are back in Minnesota. If you're still interested in the spring, get back to me.

 

I really appreciate the gesture and I will take you up on it, thank you for replying I would definitely like to see the instructions, thanks again Donald

 

i recently saw a shifter on a lincoln box with o/d. the shifter bracket mounted on the front of the trans (at the bellhousing) and the shift rods went "backwards" to the trans.

 

Whoever did that must have had looooong arms.

 

Try looking on that auction site we all know and love. More to add since my last posting to this thread 2 years ago. I've bought a couple of complete Hurst Synchro Loc shifters for the OD Muncie 319 trans, and several separate mounting plates. I also bought a 3 speed shifter that bolts to the floor pan/hump; should be fairly easy to bend up some rods and find a couple of levers. What this floor pan/hump mounted shifter was originally from, I have no idea; I thought maybe Corvair because of the shape/bend and thickness (really skinny) of the stick. Too bad I can't post pics of this stuff I have. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.