Flathead synchronized 4spd?

str8axle63

str8axle63

Member
New to flatheads, I have a 42 ford M-H truck. I was wondering if there is a 4 spd synchronized transmission that would be a direct bolt on that fits a flathead v8. Ive read that guys use the T5, which I guess you need a different bellhouse, any reviews on that?
Thanks for your help
Donn
 
T 98 synchro silent but the correct one is hard to find. Most were behind 6cyl in F6 trucks 50 to 52. 53 and up wont work.
 
Im taking out the transfer case and the other box, don't know what its called but it creates more "drag". Im keeping everything so it can be reversed.
I want to get a trans that doesn't need to be double clutched.
I was thinking the t5 as sort of an overdrive, better cruising mph
 
The other box could be a brownie.

What size truck is it?

A T170 might be a better choice then a s10 t5.
 
Yea, been here before. The T5 isn't really suited for 1 1/2-ton size or larger trucks. The T-98 is the only one that would make life any easier. If I had to go through that much trouble, I'd trade it for something that fit my needs better. The Sno-Go was an under drive truck made to go 30MPH up & down aircraft runways all day in inclement weather. It would be difficult and time consuming to make it into a viable road going truck.
 
str8axle63 said:
Im taking out the transfer case and the other box, don't know what its called but it creates more "drag". Im keeping everything so it can be reversed.
I want to get a trans that doesn't need to be double clutched.
I was thinking the t5 as sort of an overdrive, better cruising mph
Click to expand...


After a while it will become normal to double clutch and it won't bother you. How many miles have you driven it? Much easier than replacing the transmission.


Charlie Stephens
 
I would think that a BW T-98 would be the best fit. There is a version of the T-98 that was a 5 spd OD trans, quite common in school bus applications. I have a '59 Ford school chassis that was converted into a Farm Hand unit.. The GM medium duty trucks of the '60's had a 5 spd Clark tran's that was an OD in 5th gear.. The early model 5 spd OD transmissions are very difficult to find, and quite expensive.. The 4 x 4 off roaders have discovered them because they will fit into the CJ Jeeps that used the T98 trans.
 
Sort of I guess, sorry.
This is more trying to find out if there is a direct bolt on 4spd transmission to the flathead bellhouse that is synchronized,
I am trying to find the best way to get my truck to be able to drive a reasonable speed, over 30 mph.
I would like to hear from different guys who may have a t5 or any other transmission they are happy with. Maybe someone has done this already and I can pick their minds a little to help me.
If my first post satisfied me towards my goal I would not have asked again,
So sorry if my questions bothered you. If I ask again please don't read it,, im just looking for help from guys with more experience with flatheads then I do
I got a lot of great advise with my first post. Just looking for more ideas
Thanks guys, appreciate your time
 
Well, I can answer some of it, there is nothing that just bolts in. Anything you do is custom and takes a lot of work and figuring out things as you go.
 
The only bolt in is the correct T98. there were many variations of the T 98 which makes it confusing.

Besides the correct era ford T98, I was told that the same one was use for a couple years in international trucks.

Midwest is were I see them for sale

But you still need to shorten the driveshaft
 
Sorry man, you have the wrong truck. Don’t gut the very thing that makes the truck super cool. Tons of 42-47 jail around for little money. Find a 2 wheel drive and put in a modern rear end.

You have a crapload of room between the ****** and transfer case. It’s gotta be close to 4ft. Take out the gear reduction drive, find a ******. Not sure I’d go T5, but anyways. Get a driveshaft that fits and run it. .73 OD and 8.25x20 tires with 6.66 gears is 50 ish mph @ 2400 rpm if I remember right. Or put in auxiliary transmission. Honestly, just about every option is gonna run 2k ish unless you come across cheaper parts.
 
Out of curiosity, do you still have the snowblower and auxiliary engine still installed? Are you wanting to keep those but make it capable of driving at higher speeds, or are you simply wanting to turn it back into a "regular" 2WD truck?
 
The T-98 4 spd was very common in Ford trucks through '64 and CJ Jeeps through the late '70's. The T-98's have a very low 1st gear which is not syncro'd between 2nd and 1st.

When the NP T-18 came out in '65 in the F series trucks people were all over them. I wanted to change out the T-98 in my '59 F100 Y-Block 4x for a T-18. Nada, could not find a bell-housing that would bolt up to the Y-Block. I finally gave up the idea. A few years later I decided to re-power the '59 F100 with a 351W and a T-18. I again ran into the bell-housing problem... Every time I would inquire about adapters, etc., I would be told got 'Ya covered', then the bell-housing/adapter would be for a car 4spd, not truck. I finally rebuilt the Y-Block and keep the T-98, etc., power-train in the '59.
One of the problems I encountered was the engine/trans mounts. As a general rule the early 4 spd trans' use a three point mount on the engine, one front, on the timing case and one on each side of the bell-housing. Nothing under the trans. I am referring to F series after '53..
I finally found a 4 spd bell-housing that would fit a 351W by accident many years later. I parted out a '71 F100 six cylinder with a T18. The Bell-housing was for the T18, and had mounting pads on the bell-housing. Still have the bell-housing and T-18 sitting on the shelf.

I have an excellent T-98 and a bell-housing, etc., that is for a Y-Block. The Y-Blocks and most F-E series have a round bolt pattern, where-as later engines have a squared up pattern.. It just might be that a Y-Block bell could be adapted to a flat-head.

A side bar to the T-98.. They use to be cheap as dirt, however, the off road rock crawlers have discovered them because they are bullet prove and have low gear reduction. I have read that T-98's are in the $1,200. range.
When I was a teen I worked in a shop in the rural farm area of Eastern Idaho. We modified a lot of trucks to pull better in the dirt by adding aux transmissions. We would use a regular 4 spd trans mounted behind the main box. As I recall there was an option as to if the aux trans was mounted front-wards or back-wards. The man I worked for did all of the machine work, etc., in our shop, I then helped him mount the trans in the chassis.
As "Super" once said in one of the forums: "The most dangerous person in the world is a farm kid with a welder".
 
I learned to drive in my Pop's 52 F3 so shifting the old T9 4-speed became easy for me. I never minded the double clutch. If you lose the under drive on that Sno-Go and install an overdrive box (over under box or whatever you can come up with), I think it would make it a lot more driveable. The old MH 4WD set up was somewhat antiquated but they worked. They usually have an on road/off road lever (positive or compensating drive) for the transfer case so that the front end can slip free from the drive system when on the road. It's kind of noisy but you only notice it in turns. These old trucks make really good pulling trucks or winch trucks. Here is a good article. http://www.fourwheeler.com/features...n-ford-cm6-4-a-restored-and-rare-4x4-wrecker/
 
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