39 transmission. V12 OD to V8-60????

[Thriftmaster]

Hello Everyone
I have an opportunity to pick up a pretty hot rebuilt V8-60 that has never been fired. It comes with a fresh rebuilt 41 Lincoln Zephyr OD transmission that I am told will bolt up but I have not verified this. I was considering putting it into a 26T pickup as I do know this was a choice of some hot rodders in the late 50's to early 60's.
What I am wondering is if I could switch out all the guts from the Lincoln OD transmission and swap them into a 39 Ford tower shifter case complete with the OD and bolt this up to the V8-60 bell housing? I know that the V8-60 transmission has that added dimple for the starter and the 39 does not but was considering purchasing or making an adapter for a mini hi tork starter there by eliminating the V8-60 starter. I was hoping some of you transmission gurus might be able to shed some light on this for me? Thank you in advance for any information.

[flatheadmurre]

Just my 2c...lightweight car....v8-60 needs reving hard or it´s dead boring...that overdrive gearbox is almost as heavy as the engine...
If you and that sixty is going to be good friends you will have to adapt to letting it rev.
I would not bother with the overdrive in that setup...keep it light and run it hard !

[V8COOPMAN]

That V8-60 would have an awful time pulling an O/D. You do realize that a V8-60 doesn't have nearly the cubic inches that a Model A has, right? The "60" only has 136 inches stock, whereas the A-bone is 200 cu. in. The "60s" sure are cute, but they just don't have any grunt! DD

[Mac VP]

The V-8 sixty doesn’t have the power OR the torque for what you envision, particularly with the overdrive transmission. The gearing in the differential can aggravate the problem if it’s a high ratio.

The transmission case can be modified to fit the 60hp block and clear the starter. However, unless you are working with the 1940 motor you will have a problem matching up the 8.5” clutch to the larger input shaft of the Lincoln transmission.

Another question you asked was about swapping the gearset and overdrive components of the Lincoln transmission into a 1939 top loader.....not without MAJOR modifications.

[Charlie ny]

Swap the Linc OD for a T -5 with a Coopman gear set....that's a happy combo.
Charlie ny

[Jack Shaft]

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The 60 wont pull your hat off..Model a engine has almost the same cu in as the big V8 over four slugs instead of eight,pistons the size of softballs match compression and fuel of a 221 or 239 and you'll eat it alive phone pole to phone pole,the A engine torque rise is so much faster.

[rotorwrench]

V8-60 does better with an in/out box on a dirt track midget racer.

[Hoop]

I tried it, got so far and figured I lacked the skill and equipment.

Case at the far top (upper pic) is a side-shift OD. The center is a stock top loader. The bottom shows the opening enlarged .... with the white template the metal adapter that would have to be welded in.

I got this far. It can be done.

FlatheadODadapt2.jpg

FlatheadODadapt1.jpg

[Automotive Stud]

I think you'll have issues with the starter, the starter is closer to the bellhousing on the 60 but it's probably not something that coudn't be overcome. That said, the zephyr gears in a '39 case will obviously work but the overdrive will not just go on the '39 case. Also as mentioned, the 60 probably won't have the umph to make the overdrive usable anyway.

[Thriftmaster]

This has been a very interesting response and a lot of interesting information. and I value all of your knowledge and input on this. As I previously mentioned I know from some of the hot rod mags of the late 50's and early 60's that guys were transplanting V8-60's into model T's and that is were I got the idea from.
I do know that this engine is far from stock, it has boxed rods. bored 60 over, the block is relieved, it has johnson adjustable lifters, stainless valves, Edelbrock block letter heads, and matching 2x2 intake with a H&C magnito. I have never run a V8-60 but I have had a few of it's big brother stock and hopped up. The 5 spd is probably the smartest way to go with this setup along with the right gearing of coarse.
How ever I really like the idea of just the shear challenge of trying to convert the 39 box into an overdrive setup like HOOP is or was attempting to do.
I have not done anything with any of this yet but it is available to me and for a very reasonable cost. If just for the sheer fun of it I decided to buy and install this setup with the overdrive side shifter box I would think that the rear end gearing would need to be in the 4.11 range? But with all your info I will have to give this some serious consideration.

[JSeery]

I believe that some of the stock v60 used even lower gearing. And with a "hopped-up" engine you are shifting the torque curve even futher up the rpm range.

[V8COOPMAN]

If nothing else, throw a '49 or '50 Mercury O/D in it. They're already done and proven! DD

[Kurt in NJ]

I drove a 60 in a 39 for a while. I bought a lot of nos engine parts from retired boat racer, he told me that stock bottom end was good for 2 seasons at a 7000 rpm redline, 1/2 season at 7500, this gave me the confidence to downshift when the car slowed to 40 on hills, the same gas pedal position that it was slowing in 3rd would give 45 in second, usually I wouldn't take second over 50, downshifting would give better gas mileage than struggling in 3 rd, top speed was the ford advertised 74 mph, drove parkways at 65-70, kept under 65 the fuel mileage was over 20,over 70 took it to just under 20
The engine was built with all nos internal parts except block, the boxed sets of rods and pistons were all +\- one gram out of the box
A 4:10 rear is probably not as good at the 4:44 that was stock with a 60, I would have liked a 4or 5 speed, but I didn't see where it would pull much of a overdrive, there's not much power under 2500 rpm, I would think if it had a "hot" cam that there won't be much happening under 3500 rpm, gear accordingly