On most any car 4spd, the spread between 1 and 2 will be much smaller than that of a 3spd. With the wide ratio 4spd, 1st is approximately the same as the 3spd and 4th is the same as 3rd. With the 4 spd, you have one extra gear in between. I would go with a wide ratio so that I can use a taller gear in the rear so that it launches just as hard but does better on the highway.

1 - 4 of my 5 spd are not quite as close as a wide ratio top loader but it was a big difference, compared to the 3 spd.


Lawrenceville, GA

You're both going to the sameplace via two different routes. Bottom line is it takes a lot of low gear to launch these cars with a small inch Y-Block!

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

I understand your thoughts on the gear ratios but my experience with different ratios on 3 speeds many years back tells me to go with the close ratio. I tried 3 speeds with the lower ratio in first but the spread between 2nd and high was too wide. I may have to use a lower rear end ratio to launch it properly. I have an all syncro 3 speed in the car now with a low gear ratio that is about the same as my new 4 speed. Had to launch it at about 5500 rpm with a 3.89 rear end and smal cheater slicks. Hard on parts but the car was tough to catch off the line. A 4.11 or 4.57 would work better. I am going to do some serious measuring and see if I can adapt the Torino Hurst to my T-Bird and bolt or weld on the original shifter handle to come through the original hole in the floor so it will still look "right". Thanks for the input.

I also have a HD big input toploader in my bird. Ditto to turning the bearing retainer and splitting the existing fork. But I welded a piece over the split to stiffen it up  

While it is apart consider changing to the wide ratio gear set if it isn't wide ratio already.  The 2.32 first gear is a little too tall in my book and I think the wide ratio first gear is 2.78  I have had both and much prefer the wider ratio.

For a shifter in my  Bird I have short lever Hurst mounted in the body floor of the Bird where Ford put their shifters.  I could not use the Hurst adaptor to the tailshaft because it is too far forward on the trany and your fist rams the dash going for third.  There is a recent interior picture of this in another thread (classifieds, red seat cover) about seat covers and it looks like it was born there. This setup is very tight under the sheetmetal which I didn't want to butcher. But cutting it away and reworking the tunnel would make it easier to work on.

Doug T

The Highlands, Louisville, Ky.

Sounds like a plan to me. That is exactly what I intend to do. Still looking for a front driveshaft yolk. Got a junkyard nearby that may have one. What are you using for a shifter?

I have the same tranny in a 55 bird. I turned the tranny snout to fit the bellhousing and split the fork and rewelded it 25 years ago and abused ever since.

  Vic Correnti

I did the same - much easier

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Appreciate the input. Summit has the clutch disk and throwout bearing I need. Still looking for the driveshaft yolk. I know where there is Lincoln sitting abandoned. It may have what I need. I thought there was a U joint that would work! I have been looking at the factory Hurst shifter that came with the trans and a spare T-Bird shifter I have. I have to do some careful measuring but I think I can modify the Hurst so that I can bolt the T-Bird handle on it and use it without modifing it and have it come through the stock shifter tower. David Kee offers Hurst shifters with stock Ford and Mustang 4 speed shifters bolted to them that fit like originals. If he can do it, I think I can do it. Anybody got a spare front yolk?

I used to use these trans. in circle track cars for years. I just saw a cindered iron solid hud clutch disc for that input shaft, may have more too , Davie 

Po ol Davie

Sparta , Tn.

I found it easier to size down the tranny snout on a lathe rather than machine the bell housing.

Just my experience.Yours will be a different journey,which after all is part of the fun. 

Oldmics