3spd- 4spd

handywipe · Post by **handywipe** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:06 pm

i have a 71 f-100 with a 3 speed and im converting it to 4wd...I have a 390 for a motor ..will a 79 f-250 4-spd work on my 390.... if not which trans will

heep70 · Post by **heep70** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:09 pm

Is the engine in the 79 a 390? If so, get the bell & flywheel also.

handywipe · Post by **handywipe** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:15 pm

thats the thing it could be anything from a 351 to a 460

heep70 · Post by **heep70** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:19 pm

If it is a 460, get that to. 351 to a 460 bells will not bolt to a FE engine.

I am not sure if the three speed tranny you have now has the same bolt pattern as a 4 spd tranny.

handywipe · Post by **handywipe** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:24 pm

the three speed is shot... or at least i think... the shifter is sooo sloppy so im not sure i wann convert it to 4wd but i need to see what else i need all ready got a front end just need trany and transfer case

thanks for the help

oldhalftons · Post by **oldhalftons** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 3:44 am

all the 1965-up ford light-truck transmissions that bolt to a bellhousing (T-18/T-19/NP435/303 3spd) have the same bellhousing to transmission bolt pattern and 1-1/16" 10-spline input shaft (some of the diesel transmissions Might use a different input shaft)

One of my trucks( a 79 F150) has a '67 300, a '75 bellhousing that was in front of a 3spd and an '87 T19 that was behind a 460 bolted together.

willowbilly3 · Post by **willowbilly3** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 10:41 pm

First off you really need a 4wd frame or a front of one as they are completely different in the front. Next are you running a married or divorced T-case? If the divorced then you will need to make a shifter for the T-case since it was mounted to a boss in the tranny tailhousing that only the 4x4 tranny had. Also remember that 2wd and 4wd married NP435 trannys have different patterns on the back of the case and they aren't interchangable.

bumpside-smitty · Post by **bumpside-smitty** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:42 am

oldhalftons wrote:all the 1965-up ford light-truck transmissions that bolt to a bellhousing (T-18/T-19/NP435/303 3spd) have the same bellhousing to transmission bolt pattern and 1-1/16" 10-spline input shaft (some of the diesel transmissions Might use a different input shaft)

One of my trucks( a 79 F150) has a '67 300, a '75 bellhousing that was in front of a 3spd and an '87 T19 that was behind a 460 bolted together.

so....If a guy is looking for a bellhousing for a np435 to go to a 460 what year of truck should I look for??? any ford truck that came with a 460?

willowbilly3 · Post by **willowbilly3** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 7:33 am

Actually you need a bell housing from a 351M/400. The early 460 pickups only had automatics and when they reintroduced the 460 in 83-84 it had a juice clutch and some other things different.
We have discussed in length what is required to put a 460 to a 435 or T-18. Maybe you could do a search. Anyway I think you need a different starter or maybe a 390 starter drive. A 360/390 flywheel and some guys say you need 2 bellhousing spacers but I am pretty sure I knoe guys who didn't do that. Anyway the input shaft might need trimmed if you don't.
Call Dick Holt up in Talkeetna, He has done a few and will be able to help you out, probably has all the right stuff to do it too.

oldhalftons · Post by **oldhalftons** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 9:44 am

460's with sticks and a mechanical linkage in 73-79 trucks are out there. look for 250 and 350 camper specials

not all 351m/400 bells will work. 460's have the same bolt pattern but the crank hub sticks out farther than other engines. there are 3 bellhousing depths

a true 351m bellhousing is the worst choice. ussually these will require a spacer up to 7/16" between the bellhousing and block. you have to use a pre-79 460 and a 360/390 truck flywheel and an 11" diaphram clutch to clear the bell housing.

a HD 400 bellhousing is the next best choice. these are a little deeper and can be found in 4x4 3/4 tons and 2wd F350s. with this bellhousing you can use any 460 because the stock 460 flywheel will fit. you can use a 12" stock 460 clutch but it has to be a diaphram clutch (1980's 460 clutch). the spacer required here is much less, sometimes a 2nd block plate thats been cut out will work.

a true 460 bellhousing is a direct bolt in, no spacers, long arm clutch.

if you use the wrong combination the 460 wont turn after everything is bolted up. the clutch will bind on the bellhousing, or the input shaft will bind in the pilot bearing , or the bearing retainer will bind againt the clutch disk.

willowbilly3 · Post by **willowbilly3** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 12:53 pm

Good info on the different bell housings. I guess that is why some guys used a double spacer and some didn't
I would still argue that NO 73-79 pickups came from the factory with a stickshift. If you see one it has been converted. Probably originally a 400 and had a 460 installed later.

tex1264 · Post by **tex1264** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 7:56 pm

i had a 76 1/2 ton 390 4-speed, i knew the original owners it was black with a white explorer package stripe kit,had dual tanks and extra heavy rear springs,i'm thinking it was a 5/8 ton because i don't remember any f-150 body imblems on the cowl, had bigger coils up front, swaybars too

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