Hello! I have a 66 3 speed and I'd like to swap it out for a 4 speed. I don't want to monkey around with a hydraulic clutch or a cable. I want a simple afternoon swap with no fabrication. What years of transmissions will work for me? Are ALL of the Ford 5 speeds cable or hydraulic? Thanks for any help.....

 

4sp or 5sp? Either can be done in an afternoon, but the 5sp swap requires more parts (see the post a little farther down).

 

If you are looking for a 4-speed NOTHING beets a toploader they are damb near indestructible, few people know this but Ford sold the design of the toploader to Tremec who subsequently added a 5th gear and rail type shifter linkage and the 3550 and TKO series was born. That should give you an idea of how solid the design is. I cant remember but to upgrade from a 3 to a 4 you may need a different bellhousing clutch and flywheel, and if so you might as well go with the T5. If you want to go with a T5 and retain the stock linkage it can be done. You use a 1" block under the original type clutch fork, on a T5 bellhousing, works very well. Another option is to gat an adaptor plate that goes between the original type bellhousing and the T5. They are normally about $180 for the adaptor, but I have one I can sell you for less if you are interested. IMHO the only reason to "upgrade" to a 4-speed is because you cannot find/afford a 5-speed. I have lots more info on the T5 swap if you need it.

 

Just to piggyback on this - does anyone know for certain? Is it a clean swap to go from a 3 Speed to a 4 Speed Toploader? Or does it require a different bellhousing, clutch and flywheel?

 

Unless you just like to shift gears or say you have a four speed, low and high gears are the same. If you are going to change, might as well get the OD. You won't be happy with 3:00 rearend gears with the OD!

 

A 3 and 4 speed manual are interchangeable, everything is the same except the shifter. Driveshaft, clutch, bellhousing can all be used. I went with a hydraulic cuz I just got freakin tired of fighting the adjuster on the end of the z-bar with the headers right there. Now my clutch is set once when installed and adjusts itself.