I have two early Ford 3 speeds, one is a “78” case truck open drive top shifter. The other is a 3 speed side shifter out of a 51 Ford Coupe. Both have the late syncros. Can I take the car 1st, 2nd, reverse, and cluster gear out of the side shift and directly install them into the top shifter case so I have an open drive top shifter with higher car gears? @vanpelt @ Mac VP Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Was going to suggest Vanpelt Sales but they are already on there, They have a parts list which might help with interchange information.
Mac is the expert. But, I'm pretty sure that won't work. You CAN use the gears out of a side shift trans from '40-'48 (I did!). The '49-up is a different trans.
You really must know which gears are in the open drive transmission before anyone can determine if the 51 car transmission gears are interchangeable. There are 3 basic gear sets used by Ford in the open drive 3 speed light duty transmissions: 1) 1942-44 transmission - the 78 case with either the 28 or 29 tooth cluster gear 2) 1945-50 transmission - the 78 case with either the 28 or 29 tooth cluster gear 3) 1950-51 transmission - the 78 case with the 27 tooth cluster gear Nothing in the 1942-50 open drive transmissions can be swapped with the 51 p***enger car 3 speed except the synchro ***embly. In fact, only a few gears or shafts from a 51 car transmission can be used in the 51-52 open drive pickup truck transmissions.
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