The Ford Barn

A440cuda1 · 10-07-2024, 02:07 PM

So I am in the process of swapping out a broken t85 to an early T10 behind a '49 Lincoln 337. I was told by a number of people that they share the same transmission to bellhousing mount pattern. It became pretty obvious very quickly that that information was incorrect. Did lincoln use a special version of the T85? My T10 is from an early Falcon.

rotorwrench · 10-10-2024, 10:25 AM

What model of T10 is it? Is it an early pre-66 Ford T10? Early GM T10s were different. I've always wondered the same thing. BW had some odd bolt patterns but most Ford ones were the same. Maybe someone else can clue us in more.

tubman · 10-10-2024, 10:40 AM

I have heard that the T85/T89 transmissions came with different bolt patterns as well. Basically, Ford and non-Ford.

I have personally only seen the Ford pattern.

A440cuda1 · 10-10-2024, 08:48 PM

It's an early 60s T-10 with the narrow bolt pattern. All pre-66 but built from 3 different transmissions, all with the same mount pattern.

rotorwrench · 10-11-2024, 11:04 AM

Chevrolet started using the T10 in 1957 on the Corvette before GM started making their own Muncie and Saginaw transmissions. They used them a lot up to mid 1963 when they started using the Muncie 4-speeds for heavy duty applications. The Saginaws were used in lighter duty use. The T10 made a come back when the super T10 came out for high horse power applications. All the bolt patterns had changed by then.

Ford started using the T10 in 1960 with very little change till 1965 but all were the cast iron case for both the small block and larger applications and had the narrow bolt pattern. The T10 was based on the T85 but was originally used by GM since they had the design patents for the 4th gear in reverse position and reverse in the tail housing. This got BW the exclusive manufacturing rights for those first years of manufacture. Ford later came out with their own top loader 4-speed that was loosely based on the T86 after the patents on it had mostly run their course.

I could find no information that gave evidence that the Ford T85 and early pre-66 Ford T10 have a different bolt pattern. GM did not use that pattern in any info I could find. Studebaker used the Ford pattern for a time. Ford's 259 series transmissions also used the same narrow pattern for interchangeability with the heavy duty T85.

38 coupe · 10-13-2024, 07:59 PM

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The T85 used behind 337 flathead V8 Lincoln engines does not share many parts with later transmissions. The bell housing bolt pattern is different from both small and lage Ford bolt patterns from the 50s and 60s. The gear teeth are cut the opposite angle from later T85s too.
Sorry to say, you were told wrong information.

10-10-2024, 10:25 AM	#2
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 18,007	Re: T85 transmission to t10 bellhousing mount differences What model of T10 is it? Is it an early pre-66 Ford T10? Early GM T10s were different. I've always wondered the same thing. BW had some odd bolt patterns but most Ford ones were the same. Maybe someone else can clue us in more.

10-10-2024, 10:40 AM	#3
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 12,136	Re: T85 transmission to t10 bellhousing mount differences I have heard that the T85/T89 transmissions came with different bolt patterns as well. Basically, Ford and non-Ford. I have personally only seen the Ford pattern.

10-10-2024, 08:48 PM	#4
A440cuda1 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Surprise Az Posts: 20	Re: T85 transmission to t10 bellhousing mount differences It's an early 60s T-10 with the narrow bolt pattern. All pre-66 but built from 3 different transmissions, all with the same mount pattern.

10-11-2024, 11:04 AM	#5
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 18,007	Re: T85 transmission to t10 bellhousing mount differences Chevrolet started using the T10 in 1957 on the Corvette before GM started making their own Muncie and Saginaw transmissions. They used them a lot up to mid 1963 when they started using the Muncie 4-speeds for heavy duty applications. The Saginaws were used in lighter duty use. The T10 made a come back when the super T10 came out for high horse power applications. All the bolt patterns had changed by then. Ford started using the T10 in 1960 with very little change till 1965 but all were the cast iron case for both the small block and larger applications and had the narrow bolt pattern. The T10 was based on the T85 but was originally used by GM since they had the design patents for the 4th gear in reverse position and reverse in the tail housing. This got BW the exclusive manufacturing rights for those first years of manufacture. Ford later came out with their own top loader 4-speed that was loosely based on the T86 after the patents on it had mostly run their course. I could find no information that gave evidence that the Ford T85 and early pre-66 Ford T10 have a different bolt pattern. GM did not use that pattern in any info I could find. Studebaker used the Ford pattern for a time. Ford's 259 series transmissions also used the same narrow pattern for interchangeability with the heavy duty T85. Last edited by rotorwrench; 10-11-2024 at 11:17 AM.

10-13-2024, 07:59 PM	#6
38 coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,135	Re: T85 transmission to t10 bellhousing mount differences Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) The T85 used behind 337 flathead V8 Lincoln engines does not share many parts with later transmissions. The bell housing bolt pattern is different from both small and lage Ford bolt patterns from the 50s and 60s. The gear teeth are cut the opposite angle from later T85s too. Sorry to say, you were told wrong information.