With parts in hand, I headed back to the shop, where in a single evening I had the tailshafts swapped out, the internals of the transmission inspected, and the entire assembly back between the framerails of the F-1 in preparation for the crossmember and motor mounts to be installed. When the time comes for the trans to be installed permanently, it will be filled with Synthetic ATF and 12 ounces of Lucas Oil. But for now, the shifter falls just under the dash and clears the stock seat assembly and enables the use of a stock-looking early Ford shifter, all with the performance and reliability of a modern day, overdrive transmission.
Inspecting the internals
Since the case cover was removed to install the shorter S-10 shifter shaft, it's as good a time as any to inspect the transmission internals. Visually inspect all parts except O-rings and oil seals, which should be replaced with new parts. Draining the oil out of the trans is necessary to thoroughly inspect the internals of the transmission and makes the mess slightly more ruly. Be sure to inspect the trans oil for metal shavings or other indications of unnecessary contact or wear and inspect the internals and case as well. Check the gear tooth contact patterns and compare with the diagram shown. Parts with contact patterns shown in the accept column are good to go. Those in the reject column will wind up being wall art. The gear and spline teeth also need to be inspected for chipping and compared to the diagram shown. Small burrs, nicks, or chips that fall under the repair column can be blend-repaired using a high-speed, handheld grinding tool. The repair should be blended into the surrounding area, removing as little material as possible and leaving a smooth contour, devoid of any sharp edges. The gear teeth also need to be inspected for contact patterns and replaced as needed. The spline teeth will not show such wear, but may show signs of step wear, which warrants replacement. Inspect the clutch teeth as well for rounding. Face rounding will cause the clutch to jump out of gear. Clutch teeth with rounding on the end are usable, but will result in hard shifting. Burrs, nicks, or chips can be repaired in the same manner as gear teeth.
The offset lever is installed...
The offset lever is installed on the shifter shaft with the ball and spring between it and the detent guide plate. The last thing to do is to install the roll pin, bolt the tailshaft securely to the transmission case, and torque the bolts to 23 lb-ft.
With the assembly finished,...
With the assembly finished, the shifter lever assembly can be installed before running the transmission through all the gears. It's very important to make sure everything works perfectly before the transmission is installed in the vehicle. If it doesn't work on the bench, it definitely won't work in the truck!
Here's the assembled transmission...
Here's the assembled transmission installed behind the early Hemi in our '52 Ford F-1 pickup chassis.
With the internals inspected...
With the internals inspected and checking out, and the S-10 shift shaft installed in the case cover, it's time to reassemble the transmission. A bead of clear RTV silicone is applied to the transmission case after thoroughly cleaning the surface.
Before installing the case...
Before installing the case cover, the two synchros and the Fifth/Reverse shift lever must be in the Neutral position. The case cover is then slid into position with care taken that the shift forks engage the synchros properly. Among the ten bolts that fasten the case cover to the transmission assembly are two that index the case cover to the transmission case (shown here). Install these two first before installing the rest of the bolts. These fasteners are then torqued to 10 lb-ft.
A bead of clear RTV silicone...
A bead of clear RTV silicone is also applied to the mating surface of the S-10 tailshaft prior to it being mated to the transmission case.
Under the offset lever is...
Under the offset lever is a ball and spring that rides on the detent guide. This is what gives the shifter a positive feel when running through the gears and needs to be installed before the tailshaft is mated to the trans case. A bit of grease holds the ball in place while the assembly is slid together.