Looking for a good way to hold up the back end of a V8-60 in my A, and thought of the F1 trans crossmember as a light duty solution. Was talking to AJ Hollywood and he mentioned that the F1 crossmember mounted the Ford V8 trans a little high in the A frame. Not wanting to look like a total rookie, I just put on my knowing face and decided to take another look into it. In the searches, the F1 crossmember was always frame height at the top of A frame rails. There was a Vickie with a 60 at the Paradaise Valley swap and the little engine looked like a joke there at the bottom of a hole. wanting the front of the engine at the crank hole level and knowing that there is a correct angle for the engine at rest for the intake to work best. Forget about the 60 issue and imagine the bigger V8 because they are quite the same with my 60 Commercial transmission. The rear mount is the thing. Could there be a problem there. I know that's what mocking up is for but If the plan sucks from the beginning, I'd like to know sooner. Any thoughts? Thanks: Fred A
You'll need a '42??? thru '48 passenger car rear bearing retainer for the rear tranny mount if you're going with a closed driveshaft. A truck bearing retainer for open driveshaft. Is the 60 commercial a 48 series case??? If so it should fit.
The trans case is the 73- that came out in '37 for milk trucks and other light duty commercials that needed the low first gear but not the whole 4 speed of the big trucks. The rear bearing retainer is correct for the '42+ taco style trans mount for the torque tube. My concern was that the crossmember in the "normal" position, flush with the top of the frame may be abnormally high and cause the trans case to ride high, plus the torque tube to crowd the A center crossmember. Just need the little engine to sit right so the hand crank works yet no strange slants. Most of the time the 85hp transplants have more concern with the steering gear, wishbone and the port side exhaust while the 60 is less likely to have that fit problem, yet other oddities could be showing up. Because the 60 is much lighter, some pretty light duty mountings are found. I want something that could be expected on a factory engineered job. It is my opinion that the 60 never caught on big for the street is that the gearing was not given the attention that it should get. When it comes to gearing I read some real dumb-assed ideas being touted as "works great," while using an engine as limited as the 60. Rather than jumping into a T5 and running off the traditional track, a commercial 60 trans with passenger gearset in front of a Mitchell 26% driving a 4.56:1 rear. If the car is open wheeled, of moderate weight with as many abbreviations as practical, I see a streetable 60, running against the tide of prejudice. Thanks: Fred A
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