Hey all,
new guy here. I live in Colorado, and I have a 1963 F-250. Currently running a 292 and a 4-speed, all factory parts. Kind of want to know some various things- what rear end you guys run, if there's a way to adapt a better manual transmission to it, I'd like to know. If there's build threads and you think that would help me out, please let me know.
you can adapt your bell housing and put a t-5 out of a mustang in it. That will give you an overdrive gear that works well with the 292. You can also change rear gears to 3.25 or 3.50 for even better gas mileage.
Do a t5 search here and on the net and you will find a great amount of info on what trans and years to use. John Mummert out of southern Ca is a great resource for this mod.
You will have to shorten drive shaft,build a cross member, get a modified throw out bearing, but your fork and clutch linkage will work unless you change front suspension. Then you can bolt up a hydraulic master and slave to the fork out of a 1960 f100 if you need to.
Sounds like alot but it really isn't.
Welcome from NJ I got a son that lives in Silverthrone
1966 F250 Camper Special parts truck
1966 F 100 w/391 ft
1965 F 100 project
1958 Edsel Pacer Convertible
1953 ford Customline 2 door
1952 8N
1967 triumph Bonneville
I'm still not a good welder but I've become a good grinder
Depends on what your going to do with the truck as to which way to go. There are several different options. A complete 3 speed overdrive setup was available in these trucks but hard to find, and you would need the standard 3 speed bell housing to use it. So to go this way, you need it all. Another possibility is the 4 speed used in later trucks with an overdrive gear, and again you would need a 3 speed bell housing to be able to bolt it up. You may also have to drill the transmission bolt holes for the narrow bolt pattern on the bell housing. The overdrive transmission is a t85n and there are several different ones in the 4 speed overdrive, most desirable would be the cast iron case. You can frequently buy these transmissions for 125 and up, but be sure you get the shifter with it. Came in some trucks, Granadas etc. . I would consider the 4 speed style of which I speak , being the cheaper way to go. A good T85N will cost a lot more as you have to have the wiring bell housing kick down relay, kick down switch, And possibly a few more items. The 4 speed style transmission looks like the four speed top loader installed in cars, but is a 3 speed with fourth being an overdrive gear. The drilling of the case for bolt holes matching a 3 speed y block bell housing is only conjecture on my part as I have not tried it. Another trade out might be the early T10 style car 4 speed, and or car top loader. As to using a T5, it is a good option but more costly and a weaker transmission in my opinion.
Most likely, I could supply a complete T85N setup but shipping on anything is killer. I also have some of the 4 speed look alike 3 plus overdrive transmissions. In any case, you will have to alter your drive shaft, if only to shorten it.
At this point, I will say usage is important. If, you plan on hauling or pulling any large amount of weight then you must consider an overdrive as a better option. Rearend ratio is important, do you know yours? You have a 292 which are good engines, but not all that powerful. An engine transmission complete swap out might be the best of both worlds and possibly cheaper. It's all a matter of where you want to be.
