T5 for a 36 Ford V8

Just so you know, you can't just drop in any T5 transmission without a lot of other work:

1) It won't fit in your stock frame without semi-major frame modifications in the middle area where the transmission mounts.
2) The stock setup uses a torque-tube and driveshaft that will not bolt up to any modern transmission. To deal with this, most folks will go to an open driveshaft style setup, which requires specialized parts, welding and the addition of stronger rear-end mounting bars than the stock radius rods.
3) A custom driveshaft has to be fabricated to replace the original torque-tube and driveshaft.

All of this is major work and should only be considered with the body removed from the frame. It is all doable - if you have the expertise, time, serious $$$ and/or find the right hotrod shop to do the work.

With that said, I feel your pain . . . I have rebuilt more Ford 3-speed transmissions than I care to talk about. I know all the "tricks" to make them more reliable, but I still don't really like them. On some cars/builds I will go the T5 route . . . on others I will continue to use the 39 Ford 3-speed and add a Columbia rear for better highway gears.

It all comes down to trade-offs . . .
 
rotorwrench said:
A stock rebuild with a good Columbia rear axle would be adequate. The T5 still doesn't have a shift tower like the 36 even if a person did go that way. Folks have set them up to work with the torque tube but that shift set up would be problematic for me. The 36 3W is just so cool the way Bob and Edsel designed it.

The 36 transmission is close enough to the 39 that it's a bolt in. Most pop out of gear problems are either too much cluster thrust movement or a worn 2nd gear bushing. They aren't hard to overhaul.
Click to expand...

I have a 39 transmission with LZ gears which I built myself using original parts for wear items. I bought a book years ago on how to overhaul. Works great for me especially with my Columbia and 3:78 to rear end.

All this T5 work is making a resto rod out of perfectly adequate original parts IMHO.
 
After you have driven a t5 100-400,000 miles or 2,000 miles you’ll never go backwards. Kinda a reason it’s so popular. 90% of the haters won’t even know you have it as they can’t see it lol
 
It's not that Folks hate the T5. They are the go to trans for so many folks that resto-mod or hot rod stuff. The 1936 3W is not a common car. Folks that resto-mod them or hot rod them usually start with an old body that was raced on the stock car tracks and already modified. Folks that take a real nice original body and do a bunch of changes on it would fit in on the HAMB but not so much on a forum that appreciates an original car.
 
rotorwrench said:
It's not that Folks hate the T5. They are the go to trans for so many folks that resto-mod or hot rod stuff. The 1936 3W is not a common car. Folks that resto-mod them or hot rod them usually start with an old body that was raced on the stock car tracks and already modified. Folks that take a real nice original body and do a bunch of changes on it would fit in on the HAMB but not so much on a forum that appreciates an original car.
Click to expand...


Great to read such a polite response on this matter.
 
Just remember that it’s your car and you can do what you want with it. If you want a driver the T5 is hard to beat a 39 will not provide an overdrive gear.
 
Thanks for the reinforcement, i want to drive this car alot! And the old 3 speed even with the 3.78 rear that was installed in the 80’s just has the 221 ( which was bored 60 over) spinning too high for the driving i want to do..found a rebuilt T5 with .76 o/d that should be real nice
 
Chucks363window said:
Thanks for the reinforcement, i want to drive this car alot! And the old 3 speed even with the 3.78 rear that was installed in the 80’s just has the 221 ( which was bored 60 over) spinning too high for the driving i want to do..found a rebuilt T5 with .76 o/d that should be real nice
Click to expand...

All the reason to follow your wants, just as Henry expected. Just FYI, do not know how handy you are, but going to an open tube driveshaft is not as hard as one would believe. They make kits for both the tail shaft and the differential.

In addition, more of a suggestion really, think of replacing the factory radius arm system with what is, in the circle track world, a truck arm suspension. You can even retain the original cross spring suspension. Various circle track parts vendors have aftermarket truck arms (lighter than original GM) and have saddles to fit the rear axle. Five-minute weld job (have seen some bolt on brackets, but for me it takes longer to drill holes) to secure the front mount of the arms to the X brace and you have a solid addition with a modern propeller shaft.

By the way, you can lift the body off in less than a couple hours.
 
I must be a real dumb ***. I've rebuilt a few of the Ford 3 speeds and have had nothing but success. I've even changed cluster gears and input shaft gears to accommodate taller rear axle gears. I drive an early V8 more often than most of the folks on here. Somehow after thousands of miles in Early V8 Fords, I've had no problems with the original transmission. I wish I had known this would all fail and I was doing it wrong years ago. Oh well. I'll just keep driving my failures around.
 
seth swoboda said:
i must be a real dumb ***. I've rebuilt a few of the ford 3 speeds and have had nothing but success. I've even changed cluster gears and input shaft gears to accommodate taller rear axle gears. I drive an early v8 more often than most of the folks on here. Somehow after thousands of miles in early v8 fords, i've had no problems with the original transmission. I wish i had known this would all fail and i was doing it wrong years ago. Oh well. I'll just keep driving my failures around.
Click to expand...

x2 :-)
 
Seth Swoboda said:
I must be a real dumb ***. I've rebuilt a few of the Ford 3 speeds and have had nothing but success. I've even changed cluster gears and input shaft gears to accommodate taller rear axle gears. I drive an early V8 more often than most of the folks on here. Somehow after thousands of miles in Early V8 Fords, I've had no problems with the original transmission. I wish I had known this would all fail and I was doing it wrong years ago. Oh well. I'll just keep driving my failures around.
Click to expand...

I would agree Seth especially if it is a 39 transmission. My 36 pickup has a late 37 or early 38 and it works wonderfully for the way I drive it. It would be nice if it was more synchronized like the 39 though. I think the guys go for the overdrive aspect of the T5 as it allows a little better cruising at highway speeds. I had planned on putting a T5 in my 36 pickup and had all the necessary parts except the driveshaft. I ended up selling all of it as I just didn't think I could handle all of the work. oof. Now that I have a 34 5 window too I bought a nice 37 engine with a 39 transmission to put in. oof. I have a young friend that has offered his help this winter. We will see. Running out of room so I guess I will probably sell the 36 pickup. Oh life's heavy decisions! LOL
 
I put my '37 shift lever on the '39 transmission or series 78 transmission case. Looks fine and who besides a few of us would know the difference.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top