Hot Rods Gear Vendors with a 3 Speed Toploader? Anyone have it?

Deucemac- here's what my PM said...I have sent it to you a couple of times but maybe your settings changed and you aren't getting them???

I dropped off my AMC Gremlin T150/Lay**** transmission yesterday with a local British Transmission expert and he's going to go through it. He spent about an hour with me checking things out so I feel pretty good about it. He had been waiting on parts for other customers and was going to spend his day yesterday ***embling 6 of the overdrives!

Did you need to remove the side shift forks and shaft? Looks like that needs to come out in order to use the Jeep T150 top shifter/cover.

He also said that he's going to try to figure out how to make a switch work so that it won't allow the solenoid to engage unless it's in 3rd gear. Do you use your OD in 1st and 2nd, too?

What do you run for oil in it? He recommended straight 30 weight or 20W50 motor oil. He said that the fluid and filters for the Lay**** should be drained and cleaned every 3,000 miles! That seems excessive to me. What interval do you use, if any?

Lastly, what Hemi are you running out in front? I just have a lowly 292 Y block so unless yours is really early, I am probably nowhere near what you've been putting through that trans for all these years.

 

@deucemac , see prior post.

 

Still no word from DeuceMac...I hope he's OK.

My next question is for anyone that has used this Jeep top shifter on a 3.03 Transmission... I bought another setup to have for the ****** guy to be able to shift so that it didn't put my couple down for the count by me having to take it apart...
The shifter and spare parts came from one vendor and the top cover with forks came from another. Neither included the little shifter pins that go into the side of the shifter under the screwdown cap. Does ANYONE know where to get these, or at least, what they are? I didn't have any luck with the vendors I used, Google was almost ZERO help, and the other vendors I have contacted haven't gotten back to me. I figured someone here would know.

Thanks.
Deyo

 

I am not dead even though I feel like it some days ! The side shift rods and linkage must be removed and Welch plugs installed. About an hour operation if you never did it before. You Mr chance is right that there is no switch to allow 3rd gear overdrive operation when you use the T150 top cover. I mounted a rocker switch under the lip of my dash. It has a VERY bright red light that shines when turned on. I wired that through a relay to the solenoid on the Lay**** unit. Hit the rocker switch and you are in overdrive in any gear you chose. It has come in handy while cruising some semi low speed residential areas. Second is to low and 3rd lugs the engine, so 2nd over is perfect for those occasions. I have driven almost 40k miles and never accidentally shifted into reverse with that red light glaring at me! An AMC mechanic recommend that I use 85-90 weight gear lube and have had zero problems using it. I bought a used top shifter ***embly off Ebay and it has worked well. I have no idea where to look for those pins, but expect they are a standard item. My hemi is a 354 58 2 1/2 ton Dodge block with 56 354 heads on it the heads were heavily reworked by the late Joe Reath in Long Beach. Schneider supplied the custom grind cam and I have a Hot Hemi Heads 4 bbl high rise and a Holley 670 Avenger carb. People ask me how fast it goes and I reply, "Just fast enough to scare the hell out of you!". In all the driving I have done, over all terrains and conditions, I only had one problem. The original overdrive engagement solenoid went out and I got one from Gearvendors. They had dozens of them, and it has worked flawlessly since. The 3.03 trans is virtually bulletproof and shifts like ****er with the T150 top shifter. Although, it isn't meant for speed shifting ! I will pm you with my cell number, my email is all screwed up with no solution in sight. I am sure you will be pleased at how well the combination works!

 

Thanks for getting back to me. I'm glad you're OK.
The guy that's going through the Lay**** is going to go through the ****** and make those modifications, too. If I had to guess, he'll probably be able to find something like those pins before the ones that I'm hoping are coming to me show up.
He pointed to a wiring harness on the trans and said that this was the switch that kept the trans from going into OD in any gear but third. I guess some of the other Lay****s were much weaker than this one and didn't stand up to even the torque of Triumph or Volvo first and second gears. He said he's going to try to make something work with the top shifter.
His shop is FULL of transmission cases and parts all over. It's impressive. He thinks he'll be done with mine in a couple of weeks.

I will post back when there's something to post.

 

I believe that you have a type J unit which is identical to the Gearvendors unit, (although they don't like to admit it. There was a switch on the 2-3 shift rod housing on the case that only made contact with the solenoid in 3rd gear. As I stated before, once the side shift linkage is removed, there is no provision for that switch to operate with the T150 top shift cover. That's why my rocker switch has a bright red light to indicate when the overdrive is engaged. From what I can glean, the secret to the Gearvendors unit over your and my unit is line pressure inside the overdrive. Lay**** used 500 psi to clamp the planerary and they increase the pressure to 900 psi thus giving the overdrive more clamping pressure for trucks and motor homes. Which isn't necessary for our applications .

 

Why not just get a factory ford 3 speed with electric overdrive. They aren't expensive and would near bolt in.

 

The factory Ford offering with overdrive is NOT 3.03 full syncro three speed. It is the old Ford sliding gear 1st transmission with a Borg-Warner overdrive attached. When I began my search for a full syncro Ford overdrive to go in my roadster, I contacted my go to guy for manual trans parts . I always used Gordon at Stick Only in LA. He informed me that ford never made that combination because overdrives were loosing their attraction by then, so they exhausted their supply of sliding gear combos. It was Gordon that educated me about AMC offering the Ford 3.03 adapted to the Lay**** overdrive and offered as an option on 75-77 Pacers, Gremlins , and Hornets. Rare but some are still out there. They are an almost bulletproof combination that has proven itself with me.

 

Another question...How do I know what clutch to get? Do I get one for a Gremlin and know it fits the trans...just make sure it's the same diameter as what a 1959 Fairlane would have had? What if a Gremlin had a light duty clutch? Same question on the pressure plate...or Is there a standard "Ford 3.03 bad*** clutch kit" that I should be looking for?

 

I used regular Ford parts and everything worked out well. Although I like to use a new genuine Ford long style pressure plate. I have had varying success with rebuild units.

 

What "model" of Ford should I search for? Am I better off getting some kind of performance brand from Summit, or something for longevity?

 

I used stock Ford 10" clutch, pressure plate, and a hemi flywheel drilled to accept the Ford parts. The choice is for you to make. If you use it mainly for street and a little hot rod play, the Ford parts will give many years of good service. If you intend to thrash the car, then performance parts are in order.

 

Ever consider a B/W T89 with an R11 OD? I picked up three of them and am planning on using them behind an Olds Rocket and an early hemi. The T89 is a T85 with minor differences and were used in early sixties Ford pickups behind FE's in some situations. I was planning on using a '50 Ford OD transmission until I found these, so I already had the adapters for both engines to '49-'64 Ford transmissions. It looks like I will have to bore out the register hole in the adapter about 1/16" and fiddle around (enlarge) the pilot bearing a bit, but the transmission bolt pattern is the same (as well as the length of the input shaft).

I don't really know how strong top-loaders and the GV and Lay**** OD's are, but the T89 and R11 combination is really stout. Stout enough to stand up behind high performance FE's in early '60's Fords.

 

As far as strength is concerned with the 3.03 full syncro three speed, Ford used them as the standard transmission on 390 335hp Fairlanes and comets. Ford also sold them to GM to use as standard transmissions in Chevelle SS396 , GTO, and 442 in 66-early 67, before GM developed their own full syncro three speed. They are good strong transmissions that hold up well. Having used it behind the hemi in my roadster for 14 years, and occasionally quite spirited driving and zero, none, no problems I don't worry about good service .

 

Hey Deuce...Do your PMs work? I hate to keep messaging you here but there were a few PMs that I sent that didn't seem to make it to you...
Anyway...Do you recall the brand of 85w90 you use, and how often do you change it?
When you shift into OD, do you do anything special or just flip the switch...What RPM would you say the engine is at when you do? Do you stay on the throttle...etc.?

Thanks again.

 

Adding this for posterity... I had a heck of a time finding the shifter pins that hold the Jeep T150 shifter in place and insert from the both sides of the hole that the shifter down into. They are the same as a Ford T18/T19. None of the online vendors had one for a T150. A Jeep Spe******t was going to locate some for me but I haven't heard back from them. I took a chance on these T18/T19 Shifter Pins and they work beautifully on my T150.
If you're so inclined, a 1/4" dowel pin cut to size would also work nicely.

 

Do any of you experts know a part number for the tailshaft seal- where the yoke goes into the back of the Lay**** unit?

 

Manual trans seals for a 76 amc

which one?
Hmmmmmm

 

Sounds like I should pick up a new yoke, too. Any suggestions on obtaining one or a part number?
Would it be the same as any other Ford 3.03?

 

Mine is a slip yoke out of a 66 Mustang T10. Perfect length and correct spline count.

 

Thanks Deuce,
I am going to have him count the splines and see if I can't find that 66 Mustang one.
What are the odds of the yoke for a '60 F100 with Fordomatic being the same? OD looks about right...it's 28 splines but I already own it.

 

Something keeps telling me that mine is a 25 spline, but I am not in the mood to lay on the cold cement in the garage at 30° and remove the shaft to count the splines. Years ago I got my slip yoke from a driveline shop and he told me it was for a 65-66 Mustang with a T10. Lots of Mustang specialty parts houses out there to confirm or deny that. If I remember correctly, the 28 spline was used on the old FMX,FX, MX, cruiseOmatics. Good luck!

 

The Ford four speeds in '64 had the 25 spline yokes and output shafts, but went to 28 in '65.
I would guess the 3.03 is the same, but don't know for sure.

Note that Mouse Tangs that should have been designated as '64 cars were called '65 (or '64-1/2). Which has caused all kinds of confusion for the last 60 years.

 

Ford was always good with confusing people with parts applications.

I will call around once my trans guy tells me the spline count.

All of the online sources that I have found thus far cl***ify the transmission slip yoke by year and ENGINE, and leave out the “trivial” detail on which transmission it works with.