WTB 15 1/2" Toploader tailshaft housing or a complete transmission with one.
Is that a Galaxie type that mounts the shifter towards the front rather then the rear like a Mustang?
I have a 14" tailshaft in my car now. I am using a Mustang toploader now that has a forward mount rather a rear mount but the pattern is backwards from a 17" or a 15 1/2" early Galaxie/ Fairlane transmission. I have a factory Ford Hurst shifter mounting plate and a Fairlane Hurst shifter working in the car now. I have two problems; I am lacking full driveshaft slip joint engagement by 1 1/2" and I want a shifter that has a changeable stick (I don't like the way the Fairlane shifter comes through the tunnel hump). I have a Galaxie shifter with the correct mounting plate and the correct reverse rod. The Galaxie shifter will bolt uo to what is in the car now but the reverse rod is about 1/2'' too short. The Galaxie mounting plate will not fit the transmission but it will fit the 15 1/2" or the early 17". It will move the shifter into the proper position. I have spent an enormous amount of time researching all this and I have spent a few bucks figuring out how to get where I want to go. I know this 15 1/2" tailshaft is the perfect solution to both problems...finding one is the problem. I do have other options though.
Let me check with my friend I got my T85 from. He put a top loader in the 61 Starliner and went through a bunch of parts swapping doing it. I'll see what was left but I think the 15 1/2" is pretty rare and only used in a couple of years..
I went thru this when i first got my 61 Starliner.
P/O Had installed a Mustang T/L. in place of the T-10.
Of course the shifter was so far back that the seat had to be all the way back which was ok
for a 6'6" guy but, not me! I fixed the floor, got a shorter driveshaft and pieced some linkage.
I bought a trashed 64 Galaxie T/L and put the wide gears from the mustang in it.
Been in there ever since....
Runs great w/a 4.57 rear.
Goodluck,
Ron.
Lynn...If you can't find the tailshaft your looking for...I'm gonna be looking at increasing spline engagement also...I am somewhere around an inch short of ideal. Someone here...maybe you?...mentioned that that could be resolved with a taller differential yoke which are available for our 9".
Lynn, If I understand correctly, which isn't always the case, getting more engagement will only be on the tail shaft bushing since the trans output shaft will be remaining the same length?
I have a similar problem, I think I screwed up when I had my drive shaft made, "measure twice, cut once", but not me :005:.
Rich, I had considered doing the same thing as you were thinking by using the longer differential flange but I think if you remove and swap them you screw up the pinion bearing preload.
Quote from: hiball3985 on 2015-01-28 08:05
Lynn, If I understand correctly, which isn't always the case, getting more engagement will only be on the tail shaft bushing since the trans output shaft will be remaining the same length?
Just a thought, when I first got my ranchero the drive shaft looked to short also, maybe from a 56? who knows what someone may have done. I talked to the guy at the drive shaft company and I got a yoke from him for a C4 that was about 2" longer and a combination U joint because the C4 yoke had outside snap rings..
I have a similar problem again, I think I screwed up when I had my new drive shaft made when I put in the T85, "measure twice, cut once", but not me :005:.
Rich, I had considered doing the same thing as you were thinking by using the longer differential flange but I think if you remove and swap them you screw up the pinion bearing preload.
I will work on finding a mainshaft if I can find the tailhousing by itself which is really wishing, best hope is a whole 25 1/2" transmission, hopefully with close ratios. I discovered that there is a Hurst shifter labled for an early Corvette that has the same levers as the Fairlane shifter and is a replaceable stick design. It is actually described by Hurst that way. I can then use a GTO lever and use the support mount in the car. I can always go with an early Galaxie toploader and a shorter drive shaft.
The option of the rear end housing is something I never considered!
My friend ended up using a wide ratio out of a 390 64 Galaxie in his 61 Starliner. But it didn't come with a shifter or linkage and they were getting top $$$ 300-400 just for the shifter and linkage :005:
Wouldn't a longer front drive shaft yoke fix your problem?
I really am being a sticker for details. I have as far as I know a 6 cyl. manual Custom driveshaft. I am on a quest to find the best combination of Ford parts and Hurst parts in this case. I am compulsive about somethings and this has become one. I have two new shifters now and 3 mounting plates. My car drives fine, as is, for most but I know what is not right and it drives me crazy (like y'all don't know already!). It all started because the smallest hole I could cut for the shifter won't allow the shifter stick to be in the middle of the boot (barely covering the hole now) and it fails under the stress of constant deformation. The Galaxie shifter fixes that and moves the shifter closer to the driver besides. The reverse rod is too short because the tailshaft is won't accept the Galaxie mounting plate that fixes that....and on and on...
File too big...
Had lunch with my friend Ron and he didn't have anything for a 25 1/2" He thinks they were only used in a couple of years Fairlanes...
I have a top loader with Hurst shifter, 1 1/16 " / 10 spline, tail shaft / housing 28 " long $775.00 plus shipping. Just a thought. smokin57joe@aol.com
Quote from: hiball3985 on 2015-01-28 08:05
Lynn, If I understand correctly, which isn't always the case, getting more engagement will only be on the tail shaft bushing since the trans output shaft will be remaining the same length?
I have a similar problem, I think I screwed up when I had my drive shaft made, "measure twice, cut once", but not me :005:.
Rich, I had considered doing the same thing as you were thinking by using the longer differential flange but I think if you remove and swap them you screw up the pinion bearing preload.
I'm planning on redoing the complete rear end all at the same time..shorten, trac-loc, axels, bearings, discs, longer yoke, springs, shackles, etc. I'm hoping by getting the longer yoke I can avoid the costs of a custom driveshaft. I wasn't aware of the preload problem though...good to know if things change.
Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2015-01-28 20:14
I'm planning on redoing the complete rear end all at the same time..shorten, trac-loc, axels, bearings, discs, longer yoke, springs, shackles, etc. I'm hoping by getting the longer yoke I can avoid the costs of a custom driveshaft. I wasn't aware of the preload problem though...good to know if things change.
I really screwed myself, I had a new ring, pinion, bearings etc set up in my rear end so I don't want to upset that, and a custom drive shaft made when I put in the T85 and I'm about an inch shorter then I would like to be :005:.
The way to do it:
You need a Galaxie T/L w/the shifter mount in front and the longest
tailhousing (1964 is perfect). Ford used the long housing to shorten the driveshaft. Get the 61-64 bolt in shifter hump (repro'd).
Bolt them in and build from there. Your shifter will be in the correct location as will the rubber mount.
There is an aftermarket part made to replace the Hurst tower so you can bolt on a stock Ford stick if you wish.
Available from most of the usual vendors.
The later big car rear yokes are longer than 57-59's but, to change you will have to check/reset the bearing preload after.
David Kee repops the T/L hardparts.
Stop and take a deep breath....
Goodluck,
Ron.
Update. I found a 25 1/2" Toploader transmission. They came in Sunbeam Tigers so I started looking for a Sunbeam transmission, one on ebay now! The issue with it is that it has a narrow bolt pattern at the bellhousing and wide ratios. I also found a rebuilt Galaxie close ratio that has the next best tail housing, the guy will swap for the one I have plus a few bucks. I won't need the tunnel hump with this transmission and the parts I have (besides my carpet is glued down), I will just have the drive shaft shortened. I am still looking for the housing but I am leaning towards the Galaxie trans. I will pull the trigger after I mull this over for a couple of days. Shifter in the right place, rebuilt transmission, speedo cable on the correct side, close ratios, hmmm...
Do what you think is best, I would use the Galaxie if it was mine. That was my original plan but that all changed when I was able to get the T85.
Unless you are road racing i'd ditch the close ratio gears.
The close has a 2.32 First, wide is 2.78 which gets the car moving easier.
Most drag race cars like about 3.00 (Jerico, ect.)
The T-85 is usually 2.49 first.
I think the Tiger trans has the speedo on the pass side as the Mustang is.
Goodluck w/your project,
Ron.
Ron,
I have discovered all of the 15 1/2" drive shafts have the speedo gear on the drivers side. I have a 3.89 rear end so I think the overall gear ratios would be better with the close ratio first gear especially with a high torque /low rpm engine like the FE. Overall in first is 10.81 now, with the close ratio it would be 9.02. That is the same overall as a wide ratio with a 3.25 rear gear.
I like more gear, like 12 to 1 so i can change rear tire height to suit.
Example, My 61 Starliner 3950 lbs 2.78x4.57x29.5". A real blast on the street.
A close box always felt like it had 1 shift too many for the time in each gear. Like an F-1 car.
Gears have always been the biggest bang for the buck. Like adding 50 cu in. Headers on an FE are a close 2nd.
Goodluck w/whatever combo choice you make,
Ron.