I was nosing around through a junk yard today and found a mystery transmission for 200$ attached to a 60's 289, it turns out its 3 speed from a 1979 ford f100. I want to rebuild it and put it in my maverick and run a hydraulic clutch release set up instead of the stock linkage, being that I have full length headers it seems like a better option, does anyone one know what kit I can buy to accomplish this?
Do a search here. I just did mine last year using an older McCleod hydro throwout bearing and a Modern driveline kit. The kit works great, but does need some additional firewall stiffening if you're going to drive it frequently, or want to completely eliminate the possibility of the firewall ever failing from the flexing imposed on it from the pedal pressure against the wall. That transmission you're thinking of using is a 3+1 OD Toploader 4 speed. Not a bad unit, but the gear ratio spread leaves a lot to be desired.
I purchased a RAM hydraulic throw out bearing for my WC T5. It was cheaper than the McCleod (not suggesting it is any better, if as good). The P/N I purchased is actually a toploader application, but it the only one that will work with the WC T5 bearing support. As Baddad457 suggests, do a search on this site and the P/N's should pop up.
Thanks a lot baddad457, do you remember the part number of the kit you used? Yeah I have been told it's not exactly ideal, couldn't tell that it was actually a 4 speed hmm interesting
you can check out past posting/thread: http://mmb.maverick.to/threads/hyd-to-bearing-conversion-kit-for-toploader.92981/ part numbers etc........ David
thanks guys! I did some more research and it seems its not the overdrive and is a regular 3 speed I came to this conclusion visually http://www.davidkeetoploaders.com/imposters.htm the i.d. tag number is RATEL EK22 D9 TRMA 0385 odd enough I don't see It listed on the david keen site???
If it has 3 shift studs sticking out the side, it's a 4 speed. 3 speeds had 2 shift studs (the levers attach to) The late 70's , early 80's units were all 3+ 1 OD units. There's a bulge just behind the front mounting flange (passenger side) on these units for the OD 4th gear.
The only reason I ended up with the McCleod unit was it was the "only game in town" way back when I bought it (around the turn of the century) There were no other choices then that I could find. And it did have it's pitfalls, despite the price ($350 back then.........ouch!!) The banjo fittings they used on it then sucked, leaked right off the bat. I converted it to AN style fittings, which they did as well right after I did.
Yep, that's a 3 speed if it looks just like a Toploader, it's a tough sumbitch, just leaves a lot to be desired from the gear ratio standpoint. If you were using it behind a big block, (or a motor that makes that kind of torque) that aspect goes away.
