1951 F3 Build

[jboren]

The 4 speed as already mentioned is the "spur" or straight cut gears with no synchronizers. There is quite the art in learning to shift it without grinding it. That being said it is also the transmission that I have in my 48 F-3 and would not dream of swapping it. It is very different and the sounds and talent of knowing how to drive it is part of the "charm" of it. A lot of people despise the T-9 but they don't know how to drive it. Honestly if I were driving it everyday I would probably hate it but like I said it is part of the "experience" of driving a 65 year old truck. An interesting aside I put my then 16 year old son in the driver seat of the F-3 and he had obviously been watching me as he shifted it like a pro the first time he drove it. He didn't grind it at all on the first shift. He still loves to drive it as well.
One other note. If you run across another flathead 6 to put in there you will not be sorry for making that decision as well. Nothing against the V-8 as I had one too as a kid but I now am very partial to the 6. It has better low end grunt and is incredibly smooth. It is just an all around better engine than the 8 IMHO.