Any ford toploader 4 speed experts out there

[junkyardjeff]

I have wanted a 4 speed for my 65 galaxie but they are way too expensive for my budget so I am going to try another way,I picked up a 3 speed with overdrive that looks identicle to a toploader 4 speed cheap.  From what I have been told 3rd and 4th gears have been flipped to get overdrive and can they be flipped  back so I can make it a normal 4 speed or can I use 3rd and 4th gears from a toploader if reversing the gears wont work.  I would just use it the way it is but there is such a jump in gears between 2nd and 3rd and using tall gears wont cut it  and I want to keep the 3.00 gears,if it cant be done I can get my money back since I got it cheap.   Jeff

[wayne petty]

the overdrive version has a swapped 3/4 shift lever on the outside of the case..

what they did is to make 3rd gear direct... and 4th overdrive..  you cannot swap the gears inside back...

so the shifter moves the 1-2 blocking ring rearward for first gear..
forward for second gear

the forward locking ring on the over drive model is moved forward for third gear which locks the input shaft to the output shaft letting the cluster gear just coast...

for overdrive... the forward blocking ring is moved rearward to lock what is normally 3rd gear..  to accomplish this.. ford just swapped the position of the shift lever... where the 1-2 is in one direction.. the 3-OD is the other  way to it moves the shift fork the other direction from normal...

the cluster gear is one piece...  the main shaft gears are removable..  i don't personally know if you can swap in a conventional top loader cluster and main gear set...  

if you don't like the overdrive unit after you have run it for while you will eventually run into one of the many versions of top loader eventually ... so it would just be a swap in.. everything is done...

if you don't push it .. it should last a long long time...

one thing...   be sure that you set up the shifter linkage with the trans on the work bench..  adjusting the shift linkage under the car is a pain....   and after you put the trans in...   do not let the linkage swing while you are hanging the linkage as it may change the adjustment...   (been there done that)

there is a lot of info over at david keys toploaders...

do yo have the rest of the bellhousing and clutch linkage to do the swap...

hope this little bit of info helps...

i seem to recall that in some overdrive transmissions ... there is one gear .. usually the overdrive gear that is has a cut so deep that the gear is weakened...  i don't remember right now if your version has this problem..   i know some of the early small ford pickups had this undercut issue...      

brand F has several items with undercut issues...  like the focus tie rod ends..    guess it has to do something with computer machined parts...  or just vanity...

[junkyardjeff]

Its got a 3 speed on the floor right now,I was going to put in a 5 speed but there needs to be some modifications done to the crossmemeber that I dont feel like doing so I want to go with a 4 speed and tall gear.

[wayne petty]

jeff... i am going to the manual trans parts shop this week... got a tag number off the said of the case?   i will ask about weaknesses...

[junkyardjeff]

The number is RUG- GA.

[wayne petty]

info starts here...

http://www.davidkeetoploaders.com/imposters.htm

there is more top loader info if you click the site map link at the bottom of the page linked above...

take a look at the pictures.... see if the trans has the rug-CA or is it a GA like you typed...

it might be a real top loader... i have not found all the numbers...yet.. i am going to the trans shop on friday...