[REALGONEKATT]

heya fellas, I got This 61' merc. comet, Im runnin the stock 170" six in her, runs like greezed owl *****...not a powerhouse by any means, but it runs smooth and gets 30mpg!!! anyhow, I really wanna 86 the old merc-o-matic 2-speed and get a manual 3 or 4 speed....has anyone out there had any experience with this? I dont really know what trannys will bolt up? or if the bolt pattern is similar to later model 6 bangers? like say a floor shifted f-series pickup? Let me say in advance that I dont wanna put a v8 in her... Ived got other hotrod projects for that..this is my daily driver and I prefer her kinda mild, but a manual shift would be pure fun man...

[speedydude]

My mom drove one of those around in my early teen years. '61 comet wagon, 6-plug but had 3 on the tree. Really fun to drive and believe me........we ran the wheels off it and so did she. You could look for one in a junkyard and yank what you need. I would change rear gears though. I remember at 60 on the freeway it was revvin pretty good.

[only4]

Ive had some intrest in ford 6cyl & if this helps great. in the 70's there is a 250 cid that came in the maverics it is the same size as the 170cid & has the same trans bolt pattern. As far as trans go's the around the world 4speed manuals have aremovable bellhousing for use onthe v8's . but I khow that in 63 the falcon had a h pattern 4 speed , if I remember right it was called a dougnash 4speed . The 5speed behind a 2.9 v6 may fit aswell. hope this helps ..... 0nly4....

[Deuce]

Ford made and installed a 4 speed transmission in the Falcons ... I would suggest finding one of those ... and use the flywheel, bellhousing and transmission ... with the 4 speed ... you would not have to change the steering column or figure out shift linkage like you would with a 3 speed.

There is a complete 170 Ford engine with the Ford 4 speed and bellhousing now on eBay ... And NO ... it is not mine ...



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD-...em270155030168

It has no bids ... as of August the 15th at 5:30 PM EST. Maybe he would sell you want you need ... or buy it all and sell what you do not need.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by only4

Ive had some intrest in ford 6cyl & if this helps great. in the 70's there is a 250 cid that came in the maverics it is the same size as the 170cid & has the same trans bolt pattern. As far as trans go's the around the world 4speed manuals have aremovable bellhousing for use onthe v8's . but I khow that in 63 the falcon had a h pattern 4 speed , if I remember right it was called a dougnash 4speed . The 5speed behind a 2.9 v6 may fit aswell. hope this helps ..... 0nly4....

DAGENHEIM 4/S

Light duty from England. The V8 used a WARNER T-10.

[REALGONEKATT]

Thanks gang...I didnt know that any manuals (aside from 3-trees) were available on early falcons, guess Ill get to searchin...the ebay deal aint too bad (if shipping doesnt kill me!!)

[timothale]

If I remember right the falcoln 6 4 speed was the same as used in the english ford cortinas adequate for a stock engine but not much to spare, V 8 s used the borg warner t 10 and later toploaders.

[jimfulco]

Whatever you do, DO NOT use the 3-speed transmission found behind the 144-200cid inline sixes in the '66 & earlier cars. It's a total weakling. The one in my '66 Mustang went through 13 overhauls before it was totalled at only 28,000 miles. Synchros went south several times, 2nd gear bit the dust once, and the snout broke off the mainshaft 3 or 4 times. My mother (not yet called Grandma at the time, but who drove like one anyway) even tore it up once. Ford quit honoring the warranty on the 8th overhaul, so I learned to fix it myself. What a POS. If it's a top-loader with only 4 bolts on the cover, avoid it like the plague.

I thought about converting to a 4-speed, but the Ford guy said the only one that would fit was the Dagenham, and that it would likely crater also.

In defense of my early driving style, which was admittedly not what I would call gentle, Ford quit using those transmissions in the '67 cars, switching to the same trans that came behind the V-8 motors. End of problem, and good riddance.

[REALGONEKATT]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whatever you do, DO NOT use the 3-speed transmission found behind the 144-200cid inline sixes in the '66 & earlier cars. It's a total weakling. The one in my '66 Mustang went through 13 overhauls before it was totalled at only 28,000 miles. Synchros went south several times, 2nd gear bit the dust once, and the snout broke off the mainshaft 3 or 4 times. My mother (not yet called Grandma at the time, but who drove like one anyway) even tore it up once. Ford quit honoring the warranty on the 8th overhaul, so I learned to fix it myself. What a POS. If it's a top-loader with only 4 bolts on the cover, avoid it like the plague.

I thought about converting to a 4-speed, but the Ford guy said the only one that would fit was the Dagenham, and that it would likely crater also.

In defense of my early driving style, which was admittedly not what I would call gentle, Ford quit using those transmissions in the '67 cars, switching to the same trans that came behind the V-8 motors. End of problem, and good riddance._________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ______________________________


So would a t-10 toploader bolt up? or did they also change the bolt pattern in 67? cause a t10 would be alot easier to come by...

[jimfulco]

I don't know. After that car, I wouldn't have anything to do with a stinkin Ford until I bought an '88 T-bird, and it's an automatic.

Since the '67 6-cyl cars used a V-8 trans, maybe a '67 bellhousing might work with one, but I wouldn't try it unless somebody else chimes in with a definite answer. Ford had a habit of making nothing from one car fit another back in those days, at least nothing like the interchangeability of Chevy stuff, so I could be totally off base.