So I kinda acidentally hijacked a guys thread recently. He was looking for people interested in CNC 4 speed to Flathead adapters. Sorry dude. BUT what I highjacked it with deserves some thought and review. Basically my idea was take a '49-'53 flathead and adapt a very commonly available M5OD-R1 Ford Ranger/Mazda B-Series truck transmission. The Ranger/Mazda transmission has an intergral bellhousing and is a hydralic clutch setup and a forward mounted shifter. They all had electronic speedo drives to the best of my knowledge. Depending on the engine, the transmission could have oneof 2 ratio sets. 2.3 I4's and 3.0 V6's got - 3.70/2.20/1.50/1.00/0.79 4.0 V6's got - 3.40/2.05/1.31/1.00/0.79 My thougth is a half inch thick plate and flywheel spacer could mate them together.
The need for a "flywheel spacer" would depend on the input shaft length of the trans, wouldn't it? I'm pretty sure flywheel spacers have been used before, but, surely there is a better way. Might have to search out one of those transmissions to take a look and make some measurements. Tim D.
if you want a cheap, available 5 speed coversion.. Mike davidson down here makes a bellhousing to fit a toyota celica/supra (and a bunch of other shit toyotas that probably have different names there) 5 speed overdrive... Ive fitted one to an Av8 and its wicked. do a hamb search for 5 speed flathead and the post was by 'psychobilly boi' the cars owner ,and a real dork. uses the original clutch cross shaft so your clutch hookup is easy (original pressure plate and whatever toyota clutch disc size you need as they come in 9,10,11 or 12 inch!) Im pretty sure reds headers sells them..search for 'Flat Attack' products. Ive just got my second one to install in my 32, and are convincing a customer to go this way in his 34 roadster too. you should be able to get a box for a hundred bucks or less. flipping the shift housing so its forward facing is easy too.
Well that's why I'm floating ideas. And you are correct about the input length maybe being long enough to not need any kind of spacer or special flywheel. I don't know. If I could get access (no idea where to fidn the info) I would crunch some numbers and see if it would even work. If I had very accurate flange dimensions for the bellhousing mount of the Flathead and the bellhousingof the Ranger/Mazda transmission, I could draw up an adapter ring on AutoCad at college in the fall.
Found this....http://www.flatattackracing.com/supra.html "This adapter will allow a Toyota Corona, Crown, Cressida, Supra and Hi-Lux pickup 5-speed manual transmission to be fitted to a 1932-48 Flathead. Two sleeves are included to accept the Ford thrust bearing and spigot bearing, with mounting bolts supplied." Listed as $430 AUD which is roughly $355 USD. Not bad. The only one of those vehicles that came to the USA was the Supra. Don't think we got the rest of them except maybe the Hi-Lux under a different name. EDIT: OK it looks like we did get the "Hi-Lux" it is just the Toyota pickup truck here. We also got Cressida's in the mid to late 80's...who knew... We did not get the Crown or Corona. What kind of gear ratios did the come with? Are they tough?
I'd avoid the flywheel spacer, and try to adapt the trans using the original flywheel. You can always put a Toyota disc on the Ford flywheel, or better yet, use a T5 out of a Mustang. I feel your pain, I'm putting a T56 in my '56 Packard, and have to go to such extremes as buying and installing a longer input shaft, just so I can use the original bellhousing. This way, I can use the original throwout fork, throwout bearing, flywheel, and pressure plate, just buy a new clutch disc. PM me, and I can give you some more in-depth ideas on a conversion.
Corona and Cressida were sold in decent numbers stateside. Not sure about the Crown. The hi-lux is just their little truck, the one that's everywhere. It's an easily obtainable available trans.
1984-88 2 wheel drive ratios behind the 22R First Gear: 3.566:1 Second Gear: 2.056:1 Third Gear: 1.384:1 Fourth Gear: 1.00:1 Fifth Gear: 0.85:1 Reverse: 4.091:1 The Hi-Lux and 4Runner... First Gear: 3.954:1 Second Gear: 2.141:1 Third Gear: 1.384:1 Fourth Gear: 1.00:1 Fifth Gear: 0.85:1 Info from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_W_transmission
I'm looking into doing a similar 5 speed conversion on an inline 6 (Triumph 2500) engine in my daily driver. I've got an original Triumph bellhousing, flywheel and pressure plate, and I'm looking at all the Japanese 6 cylinder, 5 speed boxes, Toyota, Nissan etc. What I'm hoping to find is a 5 speed with a slightly longer spigot shaft than the Triumph one, maybe an inch or so. What I hope to do is make a simple machined adaptor plate that will bolt between the Triumph bellhousing and the new box, a plate that will 'take up' the extra length of the spigot shaft, so the shaft nose will fit into the flywheel correctly. I'll probably need an odd-bod spigot bush, but that's a small milling matter. Then I'll use the correct clutch plate for the new box with the original Triumph pressure plate. If all goes well I should be able to use the Triumph throwout bearing and shaft as well. Those Japanese boxes can take a lot of HP by the way. The 'steel case' Supra box especially will handle a warmed over SBC with ease. That's probably the safest and simplest way to do the conversion, and let's face it, with gas prices the way they are, we can all use an extra gear or two! Cheers, Glen.
Just crunched some numbers and the 84-88 2 wheel drive behind a 22R unit is a pretty damn good match for a Flatheads power delivery. My only question is...... does the input for the clutch pedal work on either side of the adapter housing? Looks like it should. Also the W series Toyota transmission looks very small....compact. That'd be handy.
I put 304" flathead in an '88 ranger with a m50d. I cut most of the m50d bellhousing off & welded on a 1/2" plate to adapt to the stock f/h adaptor. I utilized the f/h thro-out system. Works great!
It's not that uncommon, look here http://www.transmissionadapters.com/Nailhead_install.htm Just requires very good machining
Nothing wrong with bringing back an old thread if something pertinent is added. F. Ranger, sounds interesting and another option for the flathead. Do you have pictures of what you did? Neal p.s. pictures of the transmission, not the ranger.
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