The manual is available for free on TOCMP (The Old Car Manual Project).That's where I got my copy.

A lot of Stupidbaker's used that tranny.   A guy I worked with about 5 yrs ago used to subscribe to the Studebaker club magazine.   Someone in there they was advertising parts and manuals for those trannys.   Might be worth looking into for information.

Here's a followup on this subject.  If you have questions or issues with an early Ford Overdrive, a comprehensive well written paperback book is available that covers everything you want to know.  It's available from Randy Rundle at 785 632-3450 or www.fifthaveinternetgarage.com.   It's $15 and a must have if you have one of these transmissions.

Interesting subject (re: ‘freewheeling’). Not really an option for me, since 99% of my driving is rural (it’s probably been 20 yrs. since my OD cable was pulled out). But, I love the feature. I remember back in the 60s when a famous Indy car racer was asked by an interviewer (re: his driving style), why he didn’t use ‘engine breaking’. His response: “Brakes are cheaper than engines”. But, I guess since Y-Block motor rebuild parts are now way more available than NOS OD trans. components, that logic no longer applies (?).

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Daniel.  My bad.  I meant to say with the cable pushed in, not pulled out.  I’ve gone back and edited that post so it reads correctly.
 
That’s a Yes on the added power switches which compounds the problem.  I see a lot of those added on/off switches simply due to the relays, kick down switches, and/or wiring going bad.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Ted, are you referring to when running with an added cut-out switch (continuous freewheeling) that is often installed by those with OD who do mostly city driving, or do you just have the OD cable engagement directions confused/inverted? Please explain.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Probably the one thing that was omitted from the owner’s manual was to always disengage or deactivate the O/D by pulling the O/D lever to the out position when not using the O/D during normal driving.  This keeps the tranny in a normal 3 speed function and stops the freewheeling feature.  That freewheeling when the solenoid is not activated simply wears out the planetary gears much faster and shortens the life of the transmission accordingly.  I’ve both seen and worn out a bunch of those planetary drives over the years simply because the O/D cable was pushed in rather than pulling it out when simply driving around town without actually activating the solenoid.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Brings back memories.  I once paid a guy to change the front transmission seal in a 1960 Starliner with a 352 and an automatic transmission.  We jacked up the car in a local parking lot.   He manually pulled the transmission down on his chest, then bench pressed the whole transmission back in the car by hand.  At the time, it didn't seem like that big of a feat.  I don't know what that old transmission weighed, but he was one hell of a man.

I once pulled the T85 OD trans from my '56 Bird without pulling the engine.  Besides the bolt in crossmember, I also had to slide the trans as far back as it would go, remove the bellhousing, slide it back to the front of the transmission, remove the clutch and flywheel, then bring out the bellhousing, then the trans.  As Phil mentioned, it is less work to pull the engine.  Besides, there is no way I could lay on my back and manhandle that T85 any more.  I can't believe how much weight that trans has gained in the last 30 years.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

My 55 had a bolt in cross member, but that isn't the only issue.  I initially tried removing the O/D transmission without pulling the motor.  The governor and O/D solenoid stick out of the transmission and you can't move it back far enough for the input shaft to clear the bell housing.  The shifter gets in the way as well.  It is very tight under there.  I had my exhaust off too.  I can image what you would have to go through with the mufflers in the car.   The shop manual says you must remove the bell housing to get the transmission out.  Since I had to go that far, I just pulled the motor.  Funny thing is this led to a complete engine overhaul, which I needed anyway.

To me, it seems easier to pull the engine and put them both back in as a unit.  A 55-57 TBird has a long engine bay which helps a bunch.  The hardest part is getting the hood to line back up right.  You can easily fix this problem by drilling two 1/8 guide holes in the hinges before you take the hood off.