What is a compatible transmission for 1953 F100

[jonahboo]

Well, a big thank you to you guys for your insights

After i pulled the side cover i discovered a chipped gear and bit of metal trapped between the gears below it

so, i'd like to see if i can find another trans to swap in

the truck is a '53 Panel - attached are photos

what years will work?

thank you again guys

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by jonahboo

Well, a big thank you to you guys for your insights

After i pulled the side cover i discovered a chipped gear and bit of metal trapped between the gears below it

so, i'd like to see if i can find another trans to swap in

the truck is a '53 Panel - attached are photos

what years will work?

thank you again guys

[tony1960]

does it work after you cleaned out the bits of steel? It may run fine as is, most old trannys have chips in their gears. they are not to rebuild also , good luck!

[GB SISSON]

Welcome to another truck guy here at Fordbarn. I will assume you aren't going for strictly original options since you asked. Here's my best answer though. A borg-warner T5 5sp overdrive manual box from a chevy S10. I think it was in 1993 they improved the T5 with better bearings and synchros. With those updates it's called a WC version for 'world class'. I had a stock 3 speed in my '47 half ton for 8 years and installed the T5 2 years ago. You can find the adapter bellhousing quite easily. Totally different driving experience. End of rant.

[jonahboo]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

Welcome to another truck guy here at Fordbarn. I will assume you aren't going for strictly original options since you asked. Here's my best answer though. A borg-warner T5 5sp overdrive manual box from a chevy S10. I think it was in 1993 they improved the T5 with better bearings and synchros. With those updates it's called a WC version for 'world class'. I had a stock 3 speed in my '47 half ton for 8 years and installed the T5 2 years ago. You can find the adapter bellhousing quite easily. Totally different driving experience. End of rant.

that's an interesting idea

are there any build specs for this?

i assume a drive shaft shortening.


a car club also mentioned that - but, not sure hot to implement

[jonahboo]

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Originally Posted by tony1960

does it work after you cleaned out the bits of steel? It may run fine as is, most old trannys have chips in their gears. they are not to rebuild also , good luck!

it does not spin now
that little bit is wedged in good, IF i get that out, should i be able to spin the trans by hand?

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by jonahboo

it does not spin now
that little bit is wedged in good, IF i get that out, should i be able to spin the trans by hand?

Should be able to but there's a good chance some smaller bits are still swirling around in there. If you were desperate for transportation or marooned in the desert, it would be a good idea, but somehow I don't think that's the case. There is TONS of T5 specs on the 'net. Many parts mix and match, but since it's a pickup, I'm gonna stick to the S10 option. Some say the lower 1st gear isn't what most people want, but I prefer. Most of these trans (if not S10) have the shifter way back on the tailshaft, totally wrong for a pickup with a bench seat. And yes, driveshaft shortened, but mine was pretty cheap and well worth it.

[mcgarrett]

I had a '53 F100 p/u several year ago as my daily driver. The 4:11 rear end with the stock 3 speed wasn't able to comfortably handle highway speeds so I swapped in a Borg Warner R10 overdrive. Wow, what a difference that made. After the swap, it was a completely different truck...smooth shifting and when it dropped into overdrive it settled down and cruised at much lower RPM's exactly like I wanted it to. I would recommend one if you can find a good one with the controls. You will have to shorten your driveshaft, but that's no big deal.

[tubman]

Maybe someone who actually knows will step in here, but aren't the '53 trucks a one year only transmission? I seem to remember that they mount differently and have a few other differences.

Experts?

[mcgarrett]

Originally Posted by tubman

Maybe someone who actually knows will step in here, but aren't the '53 trucks a one year only transmission? I seem to remember that they mount differently and have a few other differences.

Experts?

Transmissions were definitely a big change for Ford in '53 and running well up into the 1960's if memory serves me right. You may be thinking about the bell housing for '53 trucks - that was a one year only part which allowed the new-design transmissions to bolt up to the last year of the Flathead in the U. S. Mac Vanpelt would be the best source for more information on this topic.

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/F...truck-3spd.jpg

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by tubman

Maybe someone who actually knows will step in here, but aren't the '53 trucks a one year only transmission? I seem to remember that they mount differently and have a few other differences.

Experts?

Denny, I know for sure there were changes in '53. I figured that occured because of the OHV six coming into play. I one owned a '53 F350 and the engine mounted very differently than the other flathead era trucks. I also recall mine had a synchromesh 4 speed, something previously unavailable. I never had to pull of service that transmission, but assumed the same bellhousing compatible with our V8s was back there, ready for the T5 conversion bellhousing. It is true that I have never heard of anyone installing this desireable synchromesh 4 speed into an earlier truck. When a person wants to get rid of their crashboox T9, they are often instructed to source a HD 3 speed truck transmission. In other words, you might be onto something here. You certainly ARE an expert in the realm of the T-5. Heck you taught me most of what I know about them!

[The Art Doctor]

T5's are great as long as you switch out the 4.11 gears for something else. I have one old car with a .86 overdrive S10 T5 and a 3.08 rear. Its perfect around town and on the highway. Only pre-1989 S10- T5's have a mechanical speedometer and shifter location in the right spot. None are World Class but you are not giving it anymore HP than it was in the original truck so it will be fine. You can get an electronic to mechanical speedometer convertor but why have the extra expense and complications? That said early S10 T5 trans are getting very hard to find so start looking now. Might be cheaper to buy a whole truck to get one, it is here.

[pistonbroke]

Go to any decent swap meet and pick up just about any 53 through 67 ford three speed with over drive. The car will work ,but you will need a drive shaft end. I'm currently walking my older brother through this vary prosses with our fathers 72 ford high boy. I've swapped more OD's into old fords then I can remember. Un like the S10 chevy overdrives with only 15% overdrive the warner units are a full 33.3 %, made to work with 4.11's. If your lucky you will finde the one that was a made for your truck.Once youve driven your truck with one of these you'll wonder why the didn't all come with one. Tim

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by pistonbroke

Go to any decent swap meet and pick up just about any 53 through 67 ford three speed with over drive. The car will work ,but you will need a drive shaft end. I'm currently walking my older brother through this vary prosses with our fathers 72 ford high boy. I've swapped more OD's into old fords then I can remember. Un like the S10 chevy overdrives with only 15% overdrive the warner units are a full 33.3 %, made to work with 4.11's. If your lucky you will finde the one that was a made for your truck.Once youve driven your truck with one of these you'll wonder why the didn't all come with one. Tim

Looks like we found our expert! So, with this info, let me ask this. Since '49,( '48 in trucks) we have the 2 piece bellhousing with a hogs head and the larger section bolted to the block. With the advent of these new trannys in '53, did only the hogs head change? Are the stamped steel bells and the truck cast iron bells the same as they were in '48-'52? If this were the case, one would source a '53 hogs head and be able to bolt up a 3 speed OD with 33% to any 8ba style flathead? Would this also allow for one to install a T-19 in a flathead truck? If so, it seems like a piece that would or should be reproduced.

[1952henry]

The 53 bellhousngs were one piece and had cast in “reliefs” for the crossmember, iirc.

[mcgarrett]

Originally Posted by 1952henry

The 53 bellhousngs were one piece and had cast in “reliefs” for the crossmember, iirc.

52Henry is correct. The bell housing on the '53 Flathead V8 bolted into the frame and sat on rubber pads much like the Model A, making it basically a stressed member.

[38 coupe]

Originally Posted by pistonbroke

Go to any decent swap meet and pick up just about any 53 through 67 ford three speed with over drive. The car will work ,but you will need a drive shaft end. I'm currently walking my older brother through this vary prosses with our fathers 72 ford high boy. I've swapped more OD's into old fords then I can remember. Un like the S10 chevy overdrives with only 15% overdrive the warner units are a full 33.3 %, made to work with 4.11's. If your lucky you will finde the one that was a made for your truck.Once youve driven your truck with one of these you'll wonder why the didn't all come with one. Tim

The 53-64 F100 overdrive transmissions are not the same gear set as the passenger car transmissions. I have a friend locally who just went through this. The main drive gear is longer and has a different bearing inside where the output shaft runs. It isn't as simple as mixing and matching the car and truck gear sets either.
If you do figure it out it makes the truck very driveable, I agree you will wonder why overdrive wasn't in all the vehicles at the time.

[pistonbroke]

38 coupe makes a good point that the truck gear sets are much more robust and the overdrive unit is as well. If you can find one for the truck application it will bolt in with the arms of your old trans. Ford offerd this trans in their light trucks from 53 thru 72. The car version is a ligh duty with a longer tail shaft. I'm assuming you wont be hauling or towing any gold bars or muti car trailers so the car version should be fine.

[pistonbroke]

Gary, you asked about the hogs head bell and I can't answer on that because I've never had the chance to work with one. on the 42 thru 52 half ton I use the 49 mercury style overdrive trans with a modifacaion to the crossmember and drive shaft. Tim

[jonahboo]

thanks guys

yeah, my head is swimming with "what do i do"

1. repair existing - find a trans shop to swap gears assuming i can locate
is this cost actual make sense?

2. find a direct replacement

3. find an Overdrive Trans and swap in and deal with some modifications

or

4. the T5 swap
here's my discovery in doing that
53 bell housing has 2 supports points that secure the rear of drivetrain (from rotation) and 1 mount under water pump - leaving front outer engine mounts unused
so....id have to do the following
obtain 3" stamped bellhousing and attach 2 mounting locations to take place of original (to be removed
get Speedway or equal trans to bell house adaptor
get T5 (S10 with shifter forward) - non world class is fine
somehow create an attachment of clutch Z bar to trans or nearby
crossmember for trans support - with hopes it doesn't interfere with gas tank

......meeting a guy this weekend who has some transmissions in his shop....wants like $150 for one....that's fair, assuming i can find one that will work for my application...

feel free to weigh in and thank you thus far