55 t-bird transmission

Depends on which transmission you have. Automatic and overdrine need to come out with the engine unless you split them in place. The regular three speed can be droped without pulling the engine. Frank
 
While a few people have mastered the art of getting an automatic out of a T Bird without removing the engine,it takes a few fabricated tools and working in tight areas to accomplish.

I say its less time consuming to pull the entire assembly out to access the trans weather it be stick or auto.

Just my thought.

Oldmics
 
I have never been under a 55 T Bird. If the frame is similar to a sedan, its an easy fix if you plan to keep the car. I have a 312 engine in my 55, and had an overdrive, then an SROD, and now have a T3550. To fit the 3550, (as big as the Tremmec 500 and 600), I cut the center crossmember out, then welded flanges on it so it could be bolted back in. Something the factory should have done but didnt. I have four 5/16 grade eight bolts on each side holding the center in. Durring the past 12 years it has never come loose or caused any trouble. It has been driven, drag raced, and run the one mile at Bonneville, so its not a garage queen.
 
When I ahd my '57 Bird back in the seventies I asked the same question about the automatic transmission to a person that rebuilt transmissions . He said he had heard of people taking them apart and removing them in pieces but if given the job he would pull the engine/transmission. I am just about to get started on another '57 T-Bird and plan to pull the engine/transmission as a unit.

Charlie Stephens
 
ole don, i see you have found the easy way to remove that trans, ive done that, it has been said, Give the hardest job to the laziest man and he will find the easiest way to do it
 
ford1 said:
ole don, i see you have found the easy way to remove that trans, ive done that, it has been said, Give the hardest job to the laziest man and he will find the easiest way to do it
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Ford1,

ole don says he had never been under a '55 Bird (and I assume any other small bird). This puts his comments in question since there is a big difference in the frames between a small bird and a sedan (and he states in his assumption that "if the frame is similar to a sedan"). When you say "ive done that" do you mean you have done it on a small bird? The problem is when they designed the frame on the small bird the engineers apparently felt they needed the X member to be an important part of the structure. I can't believe they would design a vehicle that required removing the engine to remove the transmission unless they felt they really had no other choice. This is not the case with the standard cars as the body serves as part of the structure (and convertibles have heavier frames). I would be very careful when considering compromising the X member on a small bird.

Charlie Stephens
 
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yes charlie, ive done 2, the first one i pulled the engine and said i would never do that, the second i removed the cross member welde tabs and bolted it back in, then welded up the cuts i made to remove it
 
ford1 said:
yes charlie, ive done 2, the first one i pulled the engine and said i would never do that, the second i removed the cross member welde tabs and bolted it back in, then welded up the cuts i made to remove it
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If you have done it on two little Birds I can't argue with that.

Charlie Stephens
 
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Ogarland said:
Hi,I should have said,it's a standard transmission with overdrive.
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That makes a whole new set of ground rules. My guess based on what I have seen is that almost all of the Birds had automatics so I assumed that is what you had. I can visualize that a standard trans with od might be easier to take apart and remove in pieces but I will leave it to someone that has been through it.

Charlie Stephens
 
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