T-bird gears for a '39 top loader

Does anyone know anything about putting early T-bird transmission gears into a '39 toploader case?

Thanks for you help.

 

Pretty sure we're talking a completely unrelated trans that has a longer case than the toploader so there's no possibility of interchange at all...
Ford p***enger transmissions for several years after the 1949 changeover, I think through 1954 from memory, were relatives of the early trans. Roughly '49-50 were very closely similar, though input and bearing there were much smaller, in about '51 tooth style changed so only complete sets could even be considered, but in all cases the interchange was by no means direct. The only reason anyone even considered it was that Zephyr gears were hot sellers, so kits were made up with input cut down to late size and matching sets of gears included. Don Francisco covered all of this in HRM about 1959, I think. These interchanges involved nearly all special parts and were pretty mutated from actual early Ford stuff...by '55, it was all over.

 

I heard something at the Hamb drags about 3-4 years ago about this I don't remember the details.

Thanks again for your effort and help.

 

Somebody here has a T-Bird trans, I'm sure. A quick case measure with a ruler should settle it...pretty sure it will be 2-3" longer than case portion of the early.

 

You need to check your PMs. You told me you were sending me a check, then disappeared.

 

As I recall, many, if not all, manual shift early T-Birds had BW T85 transmissions. That is a different gearbox than the standard Ford box from '49. Higher hp Ford and Mercs from '55/'56 up also used the T85.

Ray

 

Bunch of stuff about this on the Ford Barn.

 

Jim Perkins here in the Tulsa area did indeed build 39 trans with Tbird gears. Unfortunately he is in an extended care facility with dementia. There are no left over trans and Jim is unable to talk someone thru the process.

 

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135537&showall=1