39 ford trans? What's so special?

Can anyone tell me why the the 39's are so sought after? Why old timers put zephyr gears in them? Does anyone have pics or identifiable features for the 39 top loader? Also is the a difference between the 39 and 40 rear? Why are the 40's so desireable? Some dude is driving by tonight with a 39 trans cheap but I would like to know what to look for before I shell the dollars out...

 

As a general statement, almost every year the manufacturers made each part bigger and stronger and better. 39 was the last year of the floor shift, therefore it is the best.

 

Last year for the floor shift and the first year for the true brass syncronizers. My cousins 46 Ford coupe ate up 1/2 of the 39 trans in the S.E. Pa. junk yards. It came with 3 on the tree but real hot rods had to have a floor shift. 39's were the only ones in the junk yards with the good syncros. back when they were plentiful.

 

But the '37 and '38 cases will take the Zephyr gears or the cheaper, more plentiful and better-than-the-'39 '46-'48 gearset. So will the top-shift pickup boxes used from '39 to '49 or so.

 

39 was the last year for the cluch arm, just one other reson.

 

Absolutely great if you must have a sloppy slow shifting piece of antiquity and are married to a closed drive system.

Otherwise there are plenty of much better choices.

 

not good in a 70's "street rod" ether.

 

It was the best choice,at the time.
Better solutions have been developed in the life time since.

 

Wasn't really looking to put a 39 trans in a Camaro. Just wondering if it would be functional for the lat 40's style roadster I'm collecting parts for. I'm thinking 27 roadster with a flattie, whippet grill, 40 rear, 16 inch wheels something along the lines of Ray Browns or Barney Navarro's roadster.
Although the Jimmy blower on Barney's might be a little much for me...I've also read in the old books that Packard transmissions were pretty good as well?

 

You ought to make up your mind if you are going open or closed drive.
If open then just about any tranny ever popular had someone making an adapter to a flattie.

If you are going to huff it then dont play around with old junk. A Ford 8" will handle it unless you get carried away and then you need a 9". A WC T5 will probably handle the torque if set up perfectly. Otherwise you have a choice of Fords muscle era 4 speeds. A blown 276 is capable of 300 ft lbs of torque so plan wisely.

Personally I have no use for a closed driveline. If you stay unblown and want a banjo go with an open style late 41 thru 47 1/2 ton but dont expect highway gears unless you buy them new. A matching truck tranny case and 46-8 car gears will be fine.

 

A good '39 box w/ a banjo will work fine w/ a flathead. Old junk is fun, besides if you want a modern rig......buy one. I think 286Merc needs to add more fiber to his diet.

 

It's true.A flatty with a '39 tranny,closed drive banjo is very old school.It ain't fast or smooth but very much fun.That is if you don't mind a top speed of 50-60 on the freeway(4.11 gear).Myself,I think it's a blast.The sounds,smells and your allways busy,double clutching ,bliping the throttle on your downshifts.
It's very different from the SBC streetrodders world.
Sorta of like compairing Model A's and Cadillac's.

 

I think 286Merc needs to add more fiber to his diet.

I think Iceberg should learn to read the complete thread before dummying up on the keyboard. Or are you just stupid enough to think that putting a 39 tranny and 40 banjo behind a supercharged and built flatty is a reliable combination?

How many times have YOU replaced a clutch and/or tranny in a closed drive system? Most of the automotive world woke up long before Ford and went open. Only Buick continued the idiocy into the 50's. Rodders were going open by the late 40's.

If I wanted a car that could only do 50 Id have a stock Model A. Rods arent meant to run that slow.

Nuff said, I have to go and shit all the fiber I had for breakfast.

 

I believe AMC continued the idiocy until 64 actually...

 

personally ive seen 39 closed drive last trough some punishment 350 small blocks with adaptors people drivin stupid ect... they hold up ,BUT its like a hand grenade with the pin pulled...when your hand gets tired and you drop it somethings gonna blow and your fucked...

you have 3 very weak points trans cluster , axle keys and axles ,you can put 9'' axles in that solves 2 i have seen full syncroed late model ford pickup trans converted to closed drive... that would solve everything, what a ton of work though

if you like the flattie chances are you are an antique type guy anyway so if burnouts and donuts arnt your thing and you can drive very gentle the 39 closed drive wont give you any problems, if its all good cond to start with

 

We've been running a blown flat, '39 trans, '48 rear for 8 years no probs.