Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
I use Mac VPs book. I haven't looked at Vern's yet. Mac VP has a thrust washer kit and a snap ring kit that are very good parts to have, The thrust washer for the 68 type cluster would be needed unless the later cluster is already in there. The retaining method for the thrust washers is different otherwise they are interchangeable.
Check the 2nd gear bushing for wear. It can affects function and prevent 2nd gear disengagements. It's as important as proper cluster thrust end play for this. Some new blocker rings aren't the right dimension and don't work right. The correct blocker to gear clearance is about the thickness of a quarter if I remember correctly
Check closely for cracks on the front of the counter shaft bore. It can crack all the way through to the main shaft bore if there is a catastrophic gear tooth failure is its history.
Some pickup gears are truck like ratios. Mac VP's book lists all the gears that are compatible with each other. A lot of Mercury cars have the 15/29 input set where the 16/28 sets are more common to passenger cars.