Trany ID question

rrhorton

Member
When I purchased my 31 coupe with a B model engine installed with a Mitchael Overdrive, the seller gave me a transmission he stated was a full syncro that could be installed with an adapter. Can anyone tell me what transmission I have. Top of bell housing has stamped: *18-5144722*
The ones look like a short topped T with no bottom line. The transmission and bell housing are a single casting rather than a 2 piece like the one installed in my car.
 

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this looks like the 1939 ****** I just installed on my car. It could be an earlier 30s though. The late 39 is preferred, it has made such a difference in the driveablity of my car, best bang for my buck with the HC head coming in at a close second.

dusty
 
Look for a number stamped on the bottom rear of the case. 18-7006 is '32-'34;
48-7006 is '35, '36 and some early '37; 78-7006 is '37-'39 (also up to '52 on light trucks).
In all instances only 2nd and 3rd gears are synchronized.
 
The number on the lower rear of the case is 78-7006. Who makes the adapter to install it? Will it work with the existing Mitchell shaft inline overdrive unit?
 
Now I have another question. Is there a difference between the Model A transmission and the transmission on the model B engine? Might my transmission be a B model transmission not an A mounted on the B engine? How to identify the difference and would it make a difference on whether the adapter kits would work if I had a B model transmission?
 
That transmission has the double detent top. Doesn't guarantee the 3" big fork, though. You'd have to pull the top and measure the large fork. I would guess it is, as the stamped 18- number correlates to a late '39 Ford, but anything is possible with mixed and matched parts from different years being common after all of this time.
 
As far as the B transmission, the bell housing and transmission case are one piece and there is no pedal mounting shaft attached to the bellhousing. They are completely different transmissions otherwise, but those are two easy visible cues.
 
It appears I have an A model transmission attached to a B model engine. With an adapter kit, I should be able to install the '39 transmission assuming the adapter housing will be a turnkey mount to the B engine.
 
The serial makes it a 1939, which could carry either the '36-39 gear set or the '39--48 and beyond. Both would be synchronized on 2 and 3, more modern synchro on the later one.
MANY early Ford V8 transmissions are now hybrids after decades of farmers and hybrids...your case left the Rouge in the 1939 model run, to see what innards it currently has the info is scattered through this old thread:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=91515&highlight=prices&showall=1

In the early V8 years engine # prefixes were attached to the whole series of a particular displacement, and the serials ran sequentially throughout.
221's were all 18 prefix, and the series continued growing long past '42 with military engines and then English v8's until 1954!
 
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