ford transmission instead of S10 T5

[Bassman/NZ]

Originally Posted by bergie

I need some help with figuring out if I can use a Ford toploader 4-speed apparently referred to as an "SROD". I'm told by the seller that this is a transmission with a Ford bolt pattern in which the 4th gear is overdrive. It is all aluminum and supposedly stouter than the S10 T5's I've been unsuccessfully searching for locally. I currently have the stock 3-speed bolted to a late Mercury V8 in a '50 f1. I'm worried about adapter plate availability and all the discussions I've read in T5 threads about various input shaft splines, etc. Is this transmission a good choice to get better highway driveability? Any advice would be appreciated.

I have an RTS (84-87 F150) trans behind a '47 engine. It works great, I see no need for the 5 speed. Only thing needed is a clutch plate with the centre offset toward the trans to accommodate the shorter input shaft, and the centre needs the splines to match the shaft. Mine was custom built by a clutch shop, but I have read on the interweb that an Astro plate will work. As with all interweb statements, that may or may not be correct.