Trev & Rick,

My point from earlier was to make sure you use the gearbox you will end up with and get the right parts so you don't have to buy again.

Do it right and do it once.

A Y powered A model will be a nice ride. don't forget some pictures.

cheers

Warren

Grizzly (Aussie Mainline)

Warren, I have the cusso box now and I dong mind using it as long as it is strong enough (won't brake under normal driving conditions, too old for burnouts and crap like that).

But after reading the link you put up it sounds like the aren't very strong, so I contacted a bloke that has the Toploader and he said they are a really strong box, so it sounds like the one to get.

The coupe will be a long way off but I'll do a build thread somewhere on here as I go, Trev.

Top loaders are a very strong box. The standard Cussy box is a good box also. In an A model coupe the Cussy box would more than hold up. The only advantage the top loader has over the Cussy box is that it has synchro on first which will make it easier to drive in today's traffic, though they are pretty hard to get into first due to their inherent stiffness.

My comments about a tail shaft don't really matter in your situation as you will have to make a tail shaft up to suit anyway. The shorter top loader may actually be a good idea for your application. The top loader I am using has given me trouble free service for almost twenty years - seen out two clutches- and is still going strong, though I am sick of changing gears these days.

I would suggest that you get a new Hurst shifter from someone like Speedway Motors in the US, whichever way you go.

You could use an Oz Falcon four speed shifter and just block out the reverse gate. At one stage I was going to fit a straight line shifter like the Impala shifters we had here in Oz in the late sixties but thought it would muck up the seating. In your situation you will only be able to seat two in the front so that is probably not as important to you.

My earlier comments about a 58 Cussy box would work well for you even with a floor shift as they are a mirror Image of the earlier boxes with shift on the right side of the gearbox and would put the shifter closer to you.

I hope we haven't confused you.

Regards

Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!

Trev, I'm with Rick the cusso three speed is a robust gearbox. The top loader is a development of it. I'm still running one behind my 272. Not being able to go back to first and with a standard 4.09 rear really sucks in Sydney traffic.  I need another gear either side of my two speed.

Rick, I plan on installing a AOD four speed auto. I have the trans and the adaptor plate but need to do a trial fitting before going further. I cannot find out if anyone has installed one on the mainline/sunliner chassis with the large x member. Inital measurements looked good but things keep getting in the way. I get some time off over xmas but it may be too hot to do anything. We'll see.

Regards

Grizzly (Aussie Mainline)

So not being fortunate enough to live in Australia, what is a cussy transmission or cusso transmission? And hopefully not breaching etiquette, but how does that relate to "cussobill"? Perhaps the inventor?

Jim - Erie Colorado, 1957 Country Sedan

Ha Ha Ha

Very simply Australia got very few "American style" Fords in the fifties. These were up market and pretty much all Customlines. Aussie slang changes that to Cusso or Cussy.

I think Bill got his name from Drag racing Cusso's he also had a shop in Western Sydney which was one of the few places which catered for these fords.

cheers

Warren 

Grizzly (Aussie Mainline)

Warren, thats close enough and apt explanation. As my 1st car was 56 customline which served as the test bed for any modifications back in those days and have stayed with them to today, and have perserved pushing their exploits and supplying parts in a diminishing market place due to the internet. I appreciate you and ricks reccomendations for the lost aussies, regards bill.

Heres a pic of my recently finished 66 mercury cyclone.

YYY

YYY

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

Glad I asked, I wouldn't have guessed that! So a cusso 3 speed is the same manual trans that we have in the US. Always learning something new.

Jim - Erie Colorado, 1957 Country Sedan

Yep, in Oz we didn't get the variants you got in the states. So we generally refer to the box by its application. T85 or T86 mean nothing to me or anyone I know.

Regards

Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!

Rick, i agree with that and fair enough as local terminology of parts is confusing both ways. Thats the beauty of learning things and shareing our interest from afar.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia