1950 ford f47 (f1) transmission

[kirkf]

Can anyone tell me just from these pictures whether this transmission is the 3 speed or the 4 speed?


Thanx,

Kirk

[DD931]

Well, it's certainly not the "light duty" 3 speed usually found in regular F-1 trucks. So, it's either the "heavy duty" three speed (not very common) or the "crash box" four speed. The plate on the side looks like it would be for a power take-off, as might be on a four speed.

[Overkill-F1]

Looks like there is 3 shifter rails in the shifter housing, so 4 speed.
...Terry
Look at the photo at the top of this page:
http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/t...ruck4speed.htm

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Overkill-F1

Looks like there is 3 shifter rails in the shifter housing, so 4 speed?
...Terry

Correct!

[skidmarks]

The heavy duty 3 speed i had used the 78 case same as the common 3 speed. No PTO. One above like other have said is a 4 speed. There is a hard to find later 4 speed I think was in 52 thats synchronized. Easy way to tell that is the direction the mounting foot on the rear is pointing.

If thats the common early 4 speed and the hoghead unbolts. Thats about the only valuable piece. I never had any luck selling one

[DD931]

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I couldn't even give a low mileage one away when I switched to three speed in my F-1!!! Ended up sold for scrap.

[Bob C]

Originally Posted by skidmarks

The heavy duty 3 speed i had used the 78 case same as the common 3 speed. No PTO. One above like other have said is a 4 speed. There is a hard to find later 4 speed I think was in 52 thats synchronized. Easy way to tell that is the direction the mounting foot on the rear is pointing.

If thats the common early 4 speed and the hoghead unbolts. Thats about the only valuable piece. I never had any luck selling one

The hogs head is part of his transmission case like the earlier trucks.
Maybe a Canadian thing.

Bob

[Andy]

The adapter ring for 8BA to 39 trans is wort keeping.

[kirkf]

According the my trucks serial number, it should have come with a four speed, but as with everything that's 70 years old I have no clue what may have gotten changed out.

I've had several people tell me the 4 speed transmission is terrible. What is it that makes it so bad?

And if I had the three speed transmission is it a direct bolt up, or were there other changes for the mounts / drive shaft etc?

My goal is to keep the truck as original as possible.

Thanx

Kirk

[skidmarks]

They are harder to shift and unless its a work truck it has no advantage. You will need the drive shaft and slip yoke to put the three speed in its place

[rotorwrench]

That is a different transmission than the early 4-speed gear grinder from 1942. Most of the 4-speeds use the Hogs Head bell housing but that one doesn't. It may very well be a Canadian set up. The only problem with the 21C-7001-A was that it was not a synchronized unit so you had to double clutch most of the time. The size of that one may indicate a synchronized type but I don't recognize it.

[Barry-ct]

Any numbers on the case to ail it down?

[mtflat]

The case on the heavy duty 3 spd is marked T87D

[estout81]

kirkf,
Looks like a unique transmission to me. If it were me, I would use it or store it away somewhere. "Might need it someday".

[skidmarks]

I have had a couple closed drive shaft 4 speeds with that style case were the bell is part of the case. Could be a older case with 42 and up tail mount and out put shaft.

[kirkf]

Next time I'm working on the truck i'll try and get the transmission cleaned up and take some better pictures.

The only marking I've seen on it so far is "F-14"

These trucks were built before globalization, so a Canadian truck literally had everything made in Canada. Right down to unique Canadian decals on the air cleaner.

They were also built right after the great depression pushed a lot of countries into protectionist trade policies. So whereas it would seem insane today to be casting heads in Detroit and having a separate foundry casting the same heads in Windsor three miles away, that's the way it was done.

This also means almost anything can have subtle differences from their US counterparts. And of course, ford would use any spare parts they had laying around in any vehicle on an almost random basis.

As I mentioned I'm trying to keep the truck as stock as possible. Or if I do change anything, its a non permanent change where I can swap the original part back in at a later date.

Kirk

[expavr]

Kirk
If you live in an area with light traffic there is nothing terrible about the 4 speed trans IMO. Once you get up on the "double clutching" learning curve it will get you down the road like a 3 speed. If on the other hand you will be driving the truck primarily in stop and go traffic the double clutching effort can get to be a pain. What may be more of a concern and a limiting factor as to your driving experience is the gear ratio in the differential. If the differential gear set is 4.86 which was commonly used with the 4 speed transmissions, you will be limited at the top end to 60 MPH and the shift points 1 thru 4 will be more frequent and at lower speeds. At least that was my experience while driving the tonner with the OEM drivetrain on the streets and freeways around LA. I spent 4 years looking for the HD truck 3 or 4 speed synchroed trans (used on buses) with no luck and finally opted to install a 49 Merc O/D transmission. That coupled to a set of new 4.11 differential gears made driving the tonner a lot more user friendly. I agree with the recommendation to save all the OEM drivetrain components, especially the 4 speed trans .
Les Williams

[rotorwrench]

I learned to drive in my Pop's old 52 F3 with the un-synchronized 4-speed. The truck was not designed to do anything fast and as long as you shifted at a slow pace, there would be little or no grinding while double clutching. I got so used to it that I never thought about it much. The thing was slow but it would pull a hell of a load for a 1-ton.

If that transmission is one of the synchronized type, it would likely be a pleasure to drive just like it is even if 1st gear is a granny. I'd be curious as to what type of clutch is has. Many F1 types were 10-inch Long types but 4-speeds also came with the 11-inch Long types. Most of the 4-speed set ups I've seen were in F2 & F3 pickups but some were ordered for the F1. The F1 heavy duty 3-speed might have been in some trucks but it has a hogs head bell housing.

Ford Canada had there own parts catalogs & maintenance manuals so a person would need to find those to see what the differences were.

[Ross F-1]

That's the F-1 version of the crashbox 4-sp (spur gear). You can tell by the rear mount, up high. On F-2's/F-3's the "foot" is down low. If it were the synchro T98 (original equipment on F-4's thru F-6's) the feet would actually be on the forward side of the foot, due to the added length of the trans (but the crossmember being in the same position).

Canadian crashbox's used the integral hogs-head for some reason, long after Ford USA changed to the separate style.