Any Guys with a 39 trans in a 1940 Ford

[37fatfender]

I would like to have a floor shift in my car and rather than the complicated T-5 change I thought a 39 trans would keep the character of my car and give me a floor shifter. Whose done it?

[Bruce Lancaster]

If trans is an actual '39, you would need to change over the clutch cross shaft to the late type and that would be about it, except for the hole in the floor. Hang onto the old case...it bears the car's original serial.
Post-'39 floor shifter trans will have the proper clutch shaft.
For any early Ford trans, maximum changes to bolt in would be clutch shaft, rear mount. For 1942-50 pickups, you will need passenger rear mount and output shaft. Some very late pickups, I think '51 only, have gears not useable with early output shafts.
If '40 trans is all good, it is a nearly complete parts kit to adapt any earlier trans to late type gears and '40 specific small parts.

[Jason in TX]

Glad you are here Bruce! We've missed you and your knowledge!

[funrunr]

I have a 39 trans in my 40, pretty much cut and dry like he said, but I fit mine in with the dash out, painted everything installed dash only to find the shifter hit the dash in first and third gear. I had to bend the shifter at the base about 1/4" to gain 2" at the top. so check fit before painting that pretty swan neck shifter.

[Bruce Lancaster]

Or...any '36--52 stick will fit the shifters needed for late gears, and there are several basic shapes to use as is or as a basis for re-bending. If shopping at the fleamarket any stick 4 7/8" from the flat top of the pivot to the very bottom will fit the late type shifter. There are shifters like this /, a slightly curved one occupying about the same space, and the classic swan's neck. The first two are shorter and more compact.

[Ross in East Texas]

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Originally Posted by funrunr

I have a 39 trans in my 40, pretty much cut and dry like he said, but I fit mine in with the dash out, painted everything installed dash only to find the shifter hit the dash in first and third gear. I had to bend the shifter at the base about 1/4" to gain 2" at the top. so check fit before painting that pretty swan neck shifter.

Don't you mean second and reverse hit the dash?

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lancaster

If trans is an actual '39, you would need to change over the clutch cross shaft to the late type and that would be about it, except for the hole in the floor. Hang onto the old case...it bears the car's original serial.
Post-'39 floor shifter trans will have the proper clutch shaft.
For any early Ford trans, maximum changes to bolt in would be clutch shaft, rear mount. For 1942-50 pickups, you will need passenger rear mount and output shaft. Some very late pickups, I think '51 only, have gears not useable with early output shafts.
If '40 trans is all good, it is a nearly complete parts kit to adapt any earlier trans to late type gears and '40 specific small parts.

I put a 39 transmission in a 1941 once...It went pretty much as Bruce described.
I have done a couple conversions using the original rear end (banjo) and a T5 by making an extra crossmember with thrust plate and using the T5
unmodified.

[Psych]

I've got one in my convertible. Added the steering column also.

[37fatfender]

Very nice.........What kind of dash is in the 40?

[Psych]

The dash is an original 40 convertible dash. Its really hard to explain how I did it, but basically the area that originally held the gauges was split so the SW gauges could be put inline.