3 speed manual with OD ??

While getting my exhaust ran yesterday, the owner of the shop was giving me the whole hot-rodder's "what you should do.." list.  Once I let him vent, I told him my vision for the van, which is to make is more road friendly.  He immediately blurted out that there was a 3 speed OD manual trans from a granada that should bolt up to the bell housing.  


I googled around and found many conversations about using them in hot rods and even drag cars, but they stressed that in a truck, hauling heavy loads on a regular basis with one will destroy it rather quickly..
there was mention of the RUG TS-OD 4 SPEED, and the SROD aluminum case variety.
Seems the better trans was in the 1975-76 Granada..?

Are these a viable option to swap into a 3 speed van?   I tried searching here and go no hits specific to this transmission..?

I have never seen that swap posted, but Vic has posted a variety of options the best of which I like is the AOD.  My fear with any swap is the tail shaft length and the amount of work for the rear support.

SROD is crap and the TS-OD is not much better for hauling. The TS-OD is a redesigned top loader 4 speed that has the 3rd gear replaced with an OD gear. The way to tell them apart is the TSOD case has a raised area cast into the side of the case for the OD gear on the cluster. Only a few parts will interchange with the toploader though. The SROD and TSOD transmit power through the cluster gear in OD (bad) and are known for friction welding the OD gear to the main shaft under heavy load or lack of oil. I have had to use a cutting torch to cut main shafts out of these boxes. These boxes would be OK in a truck as long as you only tow or climb grades in 3rd gear. Factory linkage can be used for forward gears and the reverse can be fabbed as a remote or a cable. I made my remote with 1/2 inch rod, like factory, and ran it on a bell crank off the sway bar and ran it up through the hole where the choke cable is. Just shift into neutral and then shift the remote into reverse.
The only other thing is to fab a trans mount and have a drive shaft made.

The 1st question, and forgive me if you posted it already (I looked and cant find it) is what size motor do you have??
 The ones from the Granada use the big bell pattern and so that may limit  you if you have a small six. It IS LONGER which creates more drive line issues and as ThunderVan noted it is not the strongest unit around.
  The big issue is our wheel base with what ever transmission you use and REALLY limited with a manual trans much more than an automatic. Personally I used a Gear Vendors unit towing a commercial dive boat for many years and NOTHING can touch it. Its just tooooooooo long to add to any of our transmissions unfortunately....
  Ford made if very easy when they made the under mount type transmissions as most all have the same distance from the back of the motor to its location. I make transmission cross members for a hundy so all of the figuring out is already done in that regard.
  You can use the Granada OD on a small six if you have the dual bell pattern and I cant remember the persons name right now, (tired) by also using the flat flywheel clutch setup as I remember...
vic

The drive shaft behind my top loader was only 17 inches long and I had to make custom mounts and change driveline and pinion angles to make it work. Thanks Vic, it's been a while. Is that a Warner trans and what did it come out of ?

Vic, that trans may be a sweet piece. Is that an electric overdrive on that thing. I've never seen one of those--Yea, what is that out of?
Mike

Looks like a Borg Warner T-85 overdrive to me.

Duane in Tennessee

I may consider an AOD at some point. Just for ease of use for my my wife.

Duanne,,  pleasure reading your here also,,,,   I think it was just that,,,,

Just a note, to keep conversations easier,,,  not saying you didn't say it right, but just making sure?
  When talking about an AOD some people confuse that with an over drive transmission.  Normally an AOD means an automatic and an over drive usually referring to a manual transmission that has over drive..... just making sure I got it right,, LOL>..
  In regards to the over drive,,,,  I may have one but not sure if I sold it or not. It was really rusty and not sure if I kept it or not??
vic

Automatic is what I was meaning, which ever trans has the most gears and will bolt up to a 170.

It will require research and planning, so I can speak the speak to begin a search, so that I will have the proper parts in a pile before beginning work.

The only possible scenario for an AOD with a small six may be the dual bell housing patterend 200 or the 250 and I am not sure of what you would have to do to make that work on the 200?  I think its possible though, 
   The issue there is that the AOD has the big bell as does the Warner OD unit and will only bolt up to a V8, a big six or the 250 small six. The 250 small six using the big bell pattern. Again, the 170 not having the dual pattern or the big bell pattern. I have seen an adapter setup to bolt up the Aussie Cross flow up to an American big bell, pan fill C4 trans, so you should also be able to do that with a 170. The 250 will bolt right up to the AOD.
Vic

Vic, It was Gil in Connecticut that installed a T 85 OD in his 63 pickup. His came out of a 63 Fairlane. He used a bell housing from a Mustang that fits the big bolt pattern on the small six. The T 85 is a pretty nice OD as it gives you overdrive in second and third gears. Kinda like a two speed axle will do. The T 85 is a very good transmission. The down side is it freewheels when coasting. Doesn't bother me as I have a tendency to kick my truck out of gear when coming to a stop anyway.

The Granada overdrive is a completely different transmission and is nothing like the T 85. I'm not sure why you are talking about Granada OD's and show a picture of a T 85

Duane in Tennessee.

Wasn't sure and that was the only pic of an OD that I had. Now that you remind me it was Gil that I had been thinking of,,  but not sure his is bolted up to 170?  and think there was some conversation as to how he did the clutch setup also??    would like to hear about that again in detail as I am just curious and would like to understand ALL the details in full...Was there a 170 that had the DUAL pattern or just the 200?
Thnx for helping on this one,,,
vic

None of the 170's had dual bolt pattern. I think it started in late 66? on the 200'---if not 66, then 67. Someone may make an adapter for a large bell six onto a 170, but I doubt it. Ford supposedly introduced the C4 in 64. I used to do a lot of Falcons and I never saw 65 or older Falcon with a C4---all had Fordomatics---not to say they didn't exist. I don't know that I'd put an AOD on a 170---lot more weight---strain. On the small sixes, I generally stick with 3.03.toploaders or C4's. No fuss no muss.
Mike

I've been told you can bolt an AOD to an 80-83 200 with the hybrid patial sbf bell pattern. You have to drill a hole that was left undrilled at the factory and you have to use a certain flexplate, not sure which and re-drill it perfectly to for the 200 crank pattern. There may also be some sort of spacer needed, can't remember all the details. Stanyon has been looking into it.

Vic,

Gil is running a 200 in his 63. He's using a mustang bell housing. I asked him about the year but he wasn't sure. Just something he picked up at the junk yard. He had to move the engine forward about an inch for the bell housing to clear the back of the doghouse.

Duane in Tennessee

my 57 Studebaker came factory with a borg warner t85 od unit. it was sweeeeeet! I loved it.

Sounds like I will have to drop the gearing to 3.5 or so to make the thing more highway friendly.. probably for the best. The buy in was higher than I wanted, so spending large sums of money on conversions are just not wise at this point in time.