Bellhousing pattern

[REDNECKMOBILE]

Is the bellhousing for a 3 speed 3.03 HFF transmission the same as for a Borg Warner T-18 4 speed transmission. I wish to put a T-18 behind a 390 FE motor and hope I can use the existing 3-speed bellhousing.

[Rick]

Yes, the bell housing is the same, do you have a T-18? What are your plans for the 3 speed? I am in N.C. also and have a T-18 behind a 390, maybe we can trade? Thanks, Rick

[kid]

What you don't like NP435s Same pattern

[REDNECKMOBILE]

Yes, the bell housing is the same, do you have a T-18? What are your plans for the 3 speed? I am in N.C. also and have a T-18 behind a 390, maybe we can trade? Thanks, Rick

Contact me , thanks, Dale.

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[REDNECKMOBILE]

What you don't like NP435s Same pattern

I started out looking for a NP435 but the junk yard only had T-18s so that is what I've got. My F-100 is a 2wd short wheel base so if anybody has any ideas what the best way to go please let me know. I have the driveshaft from a long wheel base truck but it is two piece unit and I figure that I can keep my one piece setup it I can find a machine shop to make one out of the two piece version or maybe someone has a factory unit they will sell.

[ToughOldFord]

When the NP in my '79 fell apart I replaced it with a T-18. A couple of shops told me this was the way to go anyway, that the T-18 was a better transmission. Of course that's just a couple of guy's opinions so it's not gospel. From what I've read though, there's not much difference between the two as far as function other than slightly lower first and third gearing in the NP.

[willowbilly3]

I like the T-18 better. If for no other reason, because reverse is up and you don't have to mash the center passengers leg.

[spartman]

Hey redneck, you could try this to make it work.

Look for a driveshaft from a 4x4 chevy lwb truck and hook it up.

That is what I am gonna do with my setup when I get to that point.

Might have to lengthen it but not sure, in the process of moving so all projects are on hold.

[kid]

198 and I had new driveshafts to fit all new parts except for the sliding yoke.

[REDNECKMOBILE]

Hey redneck, you could try this to make it work.

Look for a driveshaft from a 4x4 chevy lwb truck and hook it up.

That is what I am gonna do with my setup when I get to that point.

Might have to lengthen it but not sure, in the process of moving so all projects are on hold.

Thanks for the tip, I been thinking of looking for driveshaft from another brand but I am not sure the universal joints would match. Seems like the "divorced" transfer case 4X4's had a long shaft. I would prefer to shorten one than to lengthen.

[spartman]

As far as the ujoints are concerned you should be able to go down to your local NAPA and they can match up one from their catalouge.

I did that once on a truck I was working on. The shaft was a different size than the rearend. They had ujoints on hand that worked.

[flyboy2610]

What you don't like NP435s Same pattern

I started out looking for a NP435 but the junk yard only had T-18s so that is what I've got. My F-100 is a 2wd short wheel base so if anybody has any ideas what the best way to go please let me know. I have the driveshaft from a long wheel base truck but it is two piece unit and I figure that I can keep my one piece setup it I can find a machine shop to make one out of the two piece version or maybe someone has a factory unit they will sell.

You need to get a tailhousing with a slip yoke. You will find those in SWB trucks. LWB trucks had a two piece driveshaft with a carrier bearing and a slip yoke between the driveshaft pieces. The tranny had a bolt on yoke and the driveshaft u-joints bolted directly to that.
SWB trucks had a slip yoke since the driveshaft was one piece and the tailshaft was where the driveshaft 'play' was.

[snake]

Didn't any long wheelbase F100s have a one-piece driveshaft??

Just wondering because about 1-1/2 years ago I picked up a 1971 long wheelbase f100 Ranger with a 360 andc C6 that has a one-piece driveshaft with slip yoke. The truck appeared to be all original and I bought it from the original owner's daughter.........

[kid]

Yes the C6 was so much longer than the Manual t18 and NP435 that it would have been feasible to do the work with one drive shaft. The C6 reaches almost within 8 inches of the Carrier bearing mount.

But learn from the big boys (Semis and $50s and up), drive shaft lengths are usually held to less than 8 ft to prevent torgue loss and damage from twisting that longer (so weaker) tubing.

[REDNECKMOBILE]

I want to thank everybody that gave me help on my T-18 conversion. I finished the conversion last Friday and everything went well. I used the existing one piece driveshaft and had a slip joint installed at a local truck shop. The shaft is a 3.5 inch diameter and the shop ordered a slip joint assembly that they installed and looks like a factory setup, real professional these fellows. It cost me $187 for the joint, new universals and balancing of the shaft, they even painted the thing. I have drove the pickup over 200 miles and it runs as smooth as it ever did with the 3-speed setup and now I have the granny gears, I am very pleased.