Small block with a T-10

[Ottoparts]

Anyone running a sbf with a T-10 in their Ranchero? Mine is a 57. I was looking through the transmission threads and find tons on info on bbf with top loaders.
If any folks are indeed running a sbf with a T-10, what issues did you run into? Was it a fairly simple install?

Thanks

[59meteor]

I have seen numerous 57-59 Ford cars with 302s and 351s, with automatics, Toploaders and T5s, realistically the T10 should fit pretty much the same as a Toploader. I have a Toploader with a FE in my 59, the T10 should be no more difficult. I retained the factory mechanical clutch linkage, I can`t imagine a SB Ford should be a difficult  swap.

[KULTULZ]

Read This - https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1957-ford-fairlane-engine-swap.964715/

What model year is the engine?

[Ottoparts]

My engine is a 289. Not a 5 bolt block. However I do not remember the year.
I have a chance to buy this T-10 with shifter for a decent price. My car was not originally a manual car, however there was a box with clutch pedal assembly parts in it when I got it. I'm sure I'll have to find the ball for the block and a pivot bracket for the frame.

[brushwolf]

My 57 car is getting a T10 which is already bolted to the 351c engine for fitment purposes. The T10 I am using is a 62, though I also have another excellent 63 T10 for backup. The 390 guys in early 60's reported the T-10's broke too easy, hence the toploader evolution and development.

Shifters for them are getting scarce, but still around. Input shaft clutch splines are 22 spline (58-64) instead of 10, IIRC. I used all my toploaders in other cars, except for one CJ big spline toploader that is overkill for my 57 and saving that for a 61 Galaxie convertible with a 460.

There are some SBF bellhousings that have both old (narrow) and new (wide) transmission bolt patterns drilled, but real hard to find and expensive. Cheaper way is what I did, drill the undrilled bosses that were carried over for years on some SBF pickup cast iron bellhousings.

I brought the later wide toploader pattern SBF bell (which had the undrilled bosses cast into it) to a machinist along with an old FE narrow trans pattern bell and he drilled and tapped the undrilled narrow pattern bosses in the later wide pattern bell.  So, the bell now accepts both narrow and wide pattern transmissions.

The 2 bells I have drilled and tapped like this are both from mid 70's pickups and use 164 tooth flywheels. 289 is probably a 157 tooth, so you would have to change the flywheel to 164 tooth unless there are some smaller bells for 157 tooth floating around.  If there are, I did not find any, though. I can get the casting numbers off my bellhousings if you decide to go this route and need them.

This bell does not have a provision for the clutch linkage ball on engine side, so I fabricated a bracket that bolts on longer bell-to-engine bolts. Think you can buy them aftermarket from Mustang shops too.  It emains to be seen how that lines up with the frame side, or if I will need to shorten the clutch pivot linkage to fit. I expect the engine will be in within the next couple months and can tell you more then. Could use a hydraulic clutch system too, but decided to keep the old school mechanical linkage.

T10 is not as strong as a toploader, but plenty strong for small block, Y block, or for normal driving with even a 390.  The Ford T10 bolts right up on a Y block bellhousing, shifters for them are scarce though. The narrow front bolt pattern on Ford T10 trans was used thru 64, I believe and then toploader wide pattern transmission was used from 1965 on.

They also made T-10's for GM with different front case, so make sure it is a Ford T10 by the narrow bolt pattern. It is easily distinguishable. Should be the same front bolt pattern as a 49-64 three speed transmission and have fine 22 spline input shaft.

[mustang6984]

I went through a couple of T-10's on my FE's before finding a toploader. No more T-10's for me in big blocks.

[Ottoparts]

Input does not look like 22 spline. I did not count. Here are a few pictures and the tag.
Tag shows "HEK-AD-1" and the input shaft has the "two" groves on it.
If I am understanding the tag correctly, I believe this to be out of a 66 Mustang. Supposedly it has been gone through.

[Ottoparts]

One more picture of the bolt pattern.

[Ottoparts]

Not a big power house by no means, but fun none the less!

[John Palmer]

Make sure your transmission (either T-10, or Toploader) has the shifter mount at the front of the tail housing, NOT at the rear of the housing.  The Mustangs had the shifter at the rear for bucket seats.  The Galaxy's had it mounted forward for a bench seat.

I would find a Top loader and not look back.  It's the car weight with the added power that kills the transmission.  Don't even try to tell yourself that your going to keep your foot out of those 2x4's.   

Everyone here was a teenager at one time.  As they say, you have to grow old, but you never really have to grow up.  Gary's C-6 Clutchflite is the winning ticket.

[59meteor]

The Fairlane Toploaders also had the shifter mounted in the forward position. The Toploader in my 59, I bought from a guy who had it in his recently purchased "K" code 65 Mustang, but according to the tag ID on Dave Kees site, the trans was originally from a 66 289 Fairlane. A bonus was that the tailhousing had both the forward and rearward Mustang shifter bosses drilled and tapped, and my Hurst Super Shifter 3 came with a mounting plate and rods for both applications. The Super Shifter has a short, straight shifter handle, and in the forward position, the factory bench seat clears the shifter, provided I don`t need the seat all the way forward. (Sorry, Wife!  ) ) If bucket seats were used, either position would work.

[lowrider]

Back in the day I picked up a box of parts that was a T10 trans at one time. Figured out what I needed to put it back together and ran it in my 63 Galaxie. Ran high 12's with a far from stock 390 and never broke anything in the trans. Snapped an axle shaft once though.

[Ottoparts]

I have buckets to put in the car. The bench seat will go on the shelf until I can figure out if I want to keep it or not.
I asked for a picture of the shifter mounting as I could not remember. The attachment is what he sent. Looks to be at the end of the tail shaft.
Great info and thank you everyone for the help.

[brushwolf]

That is one of the transitional transmissions that has both wide and narrow patterns and after 64 they went back to 10 spline input. The good thing is this transmission will bolt to either a 157t or 164t SBF bell and will work with no adapting required on the mounting end. Perhaps will make your clutch mechanism easier to fit than my 164t bell as well.

News to me that they were still even using T10's by 1966.. but that is a T10 and it is made for a Ford with old and new bolt patterns drilled. A good find I think, if it is in decent condition. Check to make sure it shifts into all the gears and turns, plus should have a side cover you can inspect the gears for the cost of a gasket. Not as strong as a toploader, but not a weak trans by SBF standards.

Chances are if you have the automatic rear end still in it, you may want to also swap that center section out for a lower ratio though. Automatics were normally higher ratio rears and takeoff will be sketchy with the high geared rear, plus your rpm drops between gears will be steep.

[SkylinerRon]

Ford was still using some T-10's in Mustangs.

The pics show the longer pilot bearing nose which the small block will need.

You will need a long output housing with the shifter at the very front of the output housing.

I went thru the same problems with a 61 Ford, the mustang trans mount, shifter location and overall length were wrong.
You will need a Galaxie shaft and housing to make everything work.

Good luck,

Ron.