Trying to identify my 4sp man transmission

[ksmith]

I bought a 69 Mustang a year ago and have finally gotten it to the point where I am able to drive it some. The transmission grinds when changing gears when I am driving aggressively and shifting at higher RPMs.

Other than the trans being a 4sp...I don't know much more than that. The shift pattern is IN (towards driver's knee) and UP which puts you beside 1st gear, 2nd gear is below 1st, 3rd is over and up and finally 4th is over and down. It is very similar to the Borg-Warner T-18 4sp (except that R is on the left rather than the right)
http://www.fordification.com/tech/transID-man.htm

This transmission didn't come in the car because it was originally an auto (and it also has "71 Bronco" in yellow paint written on the bellhousing like it came from a salvage yard).

My neighbor wants for us to rebuild it. I am hesitant to do so unless I can research it and get a level of comfort that makes me feel we can rebuild it and not totally hose it up.

Is there any kind of tag/casting numbers somewhere that I can see (with the trans installed)? I had it on the lift this evening but the trans is rather dirty/greasy. If there are any kind of identification tag/castings, please let me know where I can look for them so that I don't have to try to clean the entire case looking for them.

Thank you for your time.
Keith Smith

[tnlprt]

Look on the passenger side where the trans and bell housing meet and see if it has an Aluminum tag

[Madman]

The proper 4 speed for Mustang application is the Ford Top Loader 4 speed. It is used in multiple vehicles, the tricky part is usually getting the tail shaft length to fit your drive shaft length if you do a swap. Like tnlprt said, you should look for a tag, it may still be present, but it is most likely the Toploader. Another possibility is a Borg Warner T10 4 speed. It sounds like your Synchros are worn in it.

The Toploader 4 speed is a great transmission. Google rebuild and synchros for it. With any manual transmission, there always seems to be a crap load of intimidating looking little needle bearings....look at an exploded view, and if it seems to much for you to tackle, find a local mechanic to overhaul it for you.

[tnlprt]

Every thing to decode your toploader trans ...and then some


http://www.4speedtoploaders.com/

[ksmith]

Thank you guys for the great information.

I will check the passenger side for the id tag.

I was told the "toploader" transmissions had the gear shifter come out through the top of the transmission (mine comes out on the side).

Now to perform some Google-foo and find more good information on rebuilding it.

Again, thanks for the replies!

Keith

[Madman]

Top loader is where you access the gears, not where the shifter comes through...you load the assembly through the top. Many people have an opinion, fewer still have actually done anything with their opinions, and fewer still can claim to do it well.

[67mann]

This is my Toploader out of an 69 390gt mustang

[Madman]

Great photo! And nice application there You can see the top loading plate for the internals, and the shifting arms do come out the side.