The Ford Barn

Alberta50fordor · 05-30-2023, 10:48 PM

Hey guys, i was working on a 53 convertible tonight and noticed that the overdrive transmission mount is in front of the cross member so that got me thinking of the issue that i ran into with my 51 woodie when i put an overdrive trans back into it
When i got the wagon it had a non od trans that was put in(factory od car), i swapped the mount around and had to push the engine forward due to the mount not lining up, im not sure what the engine and trans came out of that i put in the woodie other than they came out of a shoebox, what changes did ford make to the crossmembers/transmission housings in 51? i noticed on shoebox central that the transmission mount is different in 51 and up, also the transmission i put in has a 5" wide mount vs the transmission i pulled out with a 6" wide mounting area
On shoebox central they say OD transmission for all years have the mount at the back and non OD transmissions have the mount in the front

tubman · 05-31-2023, 12:24 AM

I have both '50 and '51 Ford overdrive transmissions in my shop. The mounts are in different locations on the transmissions. I had heard that Ford changed it from '50 to '51, and my transmissions seem to back that up.

Alberta50fordor · 05-31-2023, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubman

I have both '50 and '51 Ford overdrive transmissions in my shop. The mounts are in different locations on the transmissions. I had heard that Ford changed it from '50 to '51, and my transmissions seem to back that up.

Do you now if the crossmembers are the same?, is there any benefit to having a 51 and up transmission? all it says in the service manual is that the gears are different

tubman · 05-31-2023, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alberta50fordor

Do you now if the crossmembers are the same?, is there any benefit to having a 51 and up transmission? all it says in the service manual is that the gears are different

I don't think so. The transmission mounting change came in 1951 with the introduction of the new for 1951 Ford-a-Matic transmission. I own a '51 Ford so I know about them, and I removed my '50 transmission from a '50 parts car I bought, but I don't remember the particulars of the mount.

Since the Ford-a-matic was continued for the '52-'53 year models, I would speculate that there are two different mounts '49-'50 and '51-53. Hopefully, someone who knows for sure will chime in.

The new gears were a running change that occurred during the '51 model year.

38 coupe · 06-01-2023, 08:13 PM

1949-1950 transmissions are shorter than 1951-1954 (and up into the 50s) transmissions. As tubman said, the mount locations on the tail housing are different between the two styles. Get the correct transmission for your car, turn the transmission mount the correct direction, and it all bolts up.

Ken Henry · 06-02-2023, 06:40 PM

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Hmm, I swapped a 49/50 OD trans into my 51 and it seemed to be the same length. Different mount, crossmember, and trans side cover with the clutch pivot lower on the 51 I believe.

Alberta50fordor · 06-08-2023, 12:04 PM

the clutch pivot seemed to have lined up fine with the older trans, the driveshaft was a different length but i figured that was because they put a non od trans in, my 51 wagon alos has some goofy shift linkage that has completely different bends and the shift fords are both the same instead of having one male and on female

rotorwrench · 06-08-2023, 12:17 PM

1951 was a change year for the light duty 3-speed transmissions as well as the addition of the new Borg Warner automatics. They changed to a new style of gears with what they referred to as the diamond tooth pattern. Ratios changed a bit as well. The Mercury cars had their own transmission till early 1951. February I believe. Mercury changed bell housings and used the Ford design transmission in late 1951. Ford and Mercury both went to the same type transmission and bell housing in 1952 since swing type pedals were coming in and the bodies were more similar.

05-30-2023, 10:48 PM	#1
Alberta50fordor Member Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Alberta Canada Posts: 87	49-50 vs 51-56 crossmember/transmission mounts Hey guys, i was working on a 53 convertible tonight and noticed that the overdrive transmission mount is in front of the cross member so that got me thinking of the issue that i ran into with my 51 woodie when i put an overdrive trans back into it When i got the wagon it had a non od trans that was put in(factory od car), i swapped the mount around and had to push the engine forward due to the mount not lining up, im not sure what the engine and trans came out of that i put in the woodie other than they came out of a shoebox, what changes did ford make to the crossmembers/transmission housings in 51? i noticed on shoebox central that the transmission mount is different in 51 and up, also the transmission i put in has a 5" wide mount vs the transmission i pulled out with a 6" wide mounting area On shoebox central they say OD transmission for all years have the mount at the back and non OD transmissions have the mount in the front

05-31-2023, 12:24 AM	#2
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,320	Re: 49-50 vs 51-56 crossmember/transmission mounts I have both '50 and '51 Ford overdrive transmissions in my shop. The mounts are in different locations on the transmissions. I had heard that Ford changed it from '50 to '51, and my transmissions seem to back that up.

06-01-2023, 08:13 PM	#5
38 coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Texas Posts: 1,631	Re: 49-50 vs 51-56 crossmember/transmission mounts 1949-1950 transmissions are shorter than 1951-1954 (and up into the 50s) transmissions. As tubman said, the mount locations on the tail housing are different between the two styles. Get the correct transmission for your car, turn the transmission mount the correct direction, and it all bolts up.

06-02-2023, 06:40 PM	#6
Ken Henry Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 266	Re: 49-50 vs 51-56 crossmember/transmission mounts Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Hmm, I swapped a 49/50 OD trans into my 51 and it seemed to be the same length. Different mount, crossmember, and trans side cover with the clutch pivot lower on the 51 I believe.

06-08-2023, 12:04 PM	#7
Alberta50fordor Member Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Alberta Canada Posts: 87	Re: 49-50 vs 51-56 crossmember/transmission mounts the clutch pivot seemed to have lined up fine with the older trans, the driveshaft was a different length but i figured that was because they put a non od trans in, my 51 wagon alos has some goofy shift linkage that has completely different bends and the shift fords are both the same instead of having one male and on female

06-08-2023, 12:17 PM	#8
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,440	Re: 49-50 vs 51-56 crossmember/transmission mounts 1951 was a change year for the light duty 3-speed transmissions as well as the addition of the new Borg Warner automatics. They changed to a new style of gears with what they referred to as the diamond tooth pattern. Ratios changed a bit as well. The Mercury cars had their own transmission till early 1951. February I believe. Mercury changed bell housings and used the Ford design transmission in late 1951. Ford and Mercury both went to the same type transmission and bell housing in 1952 since swing type pedals were coming in and the bodies were more similar.