I have a slanted top 35 ford shifter tower and a 39 ******.can I convert the earlier tower to work with the 39 gear set?is it a matter of just replacing the forks to 39 style?
If I remember correctly the bottom end of the shifter that installs into the ******, measuring from the base of the ball of a '35 shifter is 4 1/8" long ...'39 is 4 7/8" long.
Thanks Larry but I'm really looking for info on the tower and linkage. Macs sells 39 forks. Wonder if I could replace the early ones with those. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
If you ask this question over on the "Ford Barn" site, someone will have an answer for you. It's the sister site to this one.
The forks and levers differ between the two styles in several ways and would not generally be considered interchangeable. The key difference is the offset of the 2nd/high shift fork....about 1/4".....to accommodate the different location of the fork groove in the synchro sleeve. So, here is what you'd have: your new 91A fork would match the groove of the late style synchro sleeve. You'd have to redrill the shift rail to relocate the pin....at the exact correct angle and location. But then, the 32-35 lever would not locate to the slot in the 91A fork correctly. You'd have so much jury-rigging to make this work (if it even could) that it would not be worth it. Get a 36-38 straight upright tower and rebuild it using the 91A shift fork for your early gearbox. These are generally easier to find and less expensive than the true 39 double detent shifter housing. It will mean opening up the trans tunnel cover slightly. You can use any 36-39 car lever or any 36-52 pickup truck lever on this tower. PS: we make the reproduction 91A-7230 shift fork.
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