What is a compatible transmission for 1953 F100

[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.