Thinking about cashing this out to help with paying for paint job for my T Bird.

Good gears and decent syncos. Overdrive works fine. Have kick down swith, relay, wiring harnes, and Overdrive cable out of my T Bird. Only problem is that occasionaly if you slam it hard in to high gear, the syncro assembly travels too far and the dogs on the syncro assembly pop up and lock it into high gear. Thought about puting a stop on the linkage to fix it. I think somone who knows transmissions better than I do could easily fix it. What is it worth? I see crazy asking prices for these. I have a couple of boxes of spare OD parts I would throw in. I am in St. Louis area.

I paid $200. for an overdrive trans this summer, it had everything I need to install

tom in iowa

54 Merc wagon

54 sunvalley

T85 or the light duty?

Price is? Or is this an auction? If so, do you have a "Buy it Now price?"

BOO- YA!!!

I'm not aware of what year your 'Bird is, Slumlord.

IF it's a '55 'Bird, it originally came with the Borg Warner 259 trans. with a Borg Warner R-10 overdrive behind it. In '56, Ford used the B-W T-85 with R-11 overdrive in the 312 'Birds as also supplied in both '55 and '56 Mercurys. To make the Mercury T-85 overdrive fit in the 'Bird, Ford used a stamped steel sheet metal adapter to connect the overdrive trans. extension housing mount to the 'Bird frame mount. For '57, Ford had Borg Warner change the location of the T-85 overdrive tailshaft housing mount used on the 'Bird so that an adapter was not needed.

IF your T-85 overdrive is '57 'Bird, it is likely worth more than if it is a '56 'Bird T-85 overdrive unit. That said, I'm surprised that someone has not reproduced the formed sheet metal adapter Ford used in '56 to shoehorn the passenger car FoMoCo T-85 overdrive into the early 'Birds. The availability of such a piece would facilitate the painless use of a lot of Ford/ Mercury passenger car T-85 overdrives in early 'Bird's. The distance from the center of the trans. mount on a T-85 overdrive to the yoke end of the tailshaft housing is ~ 5 inches different between the passenger car T-85 and the '57 Bird T-85.

The T-85 3 speed trans. and the T-85 3 speed with overdrive were rugged unit used up into the '60s behind the FoMoCo FE big blocks. The Borg Warner overdrive R-11s used four (4) planetary gears, the R-10s used in many passenger cars and the '55 'Birds had only three planetary gears.

I've noticed three Ford passenger car T-85 overdrives sell on eBay in the last 8 months. I recall the selling prices to have been $350, $450, and $650. Whoever you sell your T-85 to, do them a BIG favor and include the transmission drive shaft yoke. These are not available new, only used.

Regards,

NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

As I remember, these 3 speeds were/are non-synchro in first gear (crunch if shifted to low gear before coming to a complete stop.) Is there a modification for this?

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

Mark- No mod needed- just shift into third (when stopped) before you shift into 1st/ reverse. Stops the innard's spinning...

BOO- YA!!!

Duck,



That helps but I am thinking more of a downshift to first on a hill in traffic without having to stop.



Thanks.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

No known mechanical modification for the T-85 tranny, Mark.

Driving option: double clutch when down shifting IF you're not coming to a stop . . . ?



Ford offered some all syncro three speeds in later years . . . I suspect that they were used behind small cubic inch engines and do not have the strength to withstand y-block torque. Perhaps others know the specifics on these.



For improved driveability, consider looking at installing a four or five speed transmission.



The Borg Warner T-10 (T-85 predecessor) from an early Mustang is probably the easiest bolt in for a little 'Bird. The Ford Top Loader can be made to fit behind a y-block also. -Front bearing retainer diameter reduction, and possible input shaft length modification.



Personally, I'm working through a Tremec T-5 installation. IF you Google 'Moder Driveline', toggle 'Tech Alley' and then select 'T-5 History', they have an interesting overview of the evolution of the T-5. The T-5Z has a torque rating of 330 ft. lbs. -sufficient for most y-block builds. Modern offers the Tremec standard .63 overdrive ratio for 5th gear and offers an optional .73 or .59 ratio as well. Installing a T-5 behind a y-block will require a bellhousing adapter, and different pressure plate, clutch disc, and throw-out bearing. John Mummert's offerings can make these installation details easily accomplished!



Hope this helps!

NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

I never understood why some people have to have an old car, and then do everything they can to turn it into something that is just like one of the cookie cutter cars that roll off the line on any given day of the week. These old vehicles, WITH their idiosyncrasies, not only are more apt to retain any value they have, but also allow the younger guys (and gals) to get a feel of what driving a car used to be like. I say if you want a new car, buy one, and leave the old stuff for people who can appreciate it for what it is... sorry, I know this probably belongs somewhere else, or more than likely, not here at all..

BOO- YA!!!