How can i make the 3 on the tree in my 50 dodge a floor shifter like this. Also i have heard that i can a Dakota tranny on the bell housing is this true.
There are aftermarket shifters made to convert your 3 on the tree to a 3 on the floor. Look for "Indy" shifters. I'm not real impressed with them, but they will work, you just have to cut a hole in your floor pan, mount up the brackets and rods that come with the shifter. I have a 5 speed Dakota here, I don't picture that trans bolting up to any of the old bellhousings. What engine do you have in your 50? Gene
Your stock trans is what is known as a "Selector " shift style,that is only one lever on the side and another smaller lever that causes the first to select one of 2 rails on the inside. The bad news here is floor shift conversions for those type trans have not been made in many years. The trans in your pic looks to be a S-10 style T-5 ,which with enough work could be made to work. Think of a special spacer/adapter plate trans to bell maybe.
I'd like to bump this thread again to see if there is any info out there. Looking to get a 50 Dodge wayfarer myself and was searching for info. Ratfinkforever, I did read some good info on the p-15 d-24 site on the t-5 conversion....
There are a couple of adapters to mate the t-5 to one of flat 6 bells (not my package so cannot say which bell). If you want to use the Dak trans you also need the Dak bell and a block adapter. Stay tuned, I am working on this particular swap. We do have adapters on the shelf if you want to run the Mopar A-833. Send a PM if you have questions. .
When I had my 49 Special Deluxe Coupe back in highschool I was fired up to do the conversion but never figured out how. I'm not a big fan of 3-on-the-tree or column shifters in general. Btw, Mercedes had a 4 on the tree in the 50s.