I bought a toploader 4 speed with a Hurst shifter for my '71 column shift automatic car. I found the 2 dimples on the trans hump or tunnel. Where do I cut and do it right the first time? I have heard that 3 speed cars have a plate that fastens onto the dimples and that can be used as a template. Where do I find one of these? Can I just use an automatic floorshift "hump". I just need the advice of fellow 4 speeders to keep me straight. Thanks. Dave.
Surely somebody can help Dave out. he just wants to know where to cut the hole and how big to make it. Dan Hines, Dan Starnes, Dennis Martin...anybody else with a 4-speed in their car? I do know that the automatic floor shift "hump" was not used on the manual floor shift cars.
The best thing I can tell you is to bolt in in without the shifter handle (if you can) and see where the shifter is in relation to the floor. Or if the handle cannot be removed, bolt the transmission in with just the shifter adapter plate installed and see what you've got. Also, what Toploader did you buy ? They're not all the same and there's at least 4 different shifter locations in 2 tailhousing lengths out there. For a Comet or Mav, I'd think you'd need a small block Toploader with a Mustang/Fairlane tailhousing on it with the shifter mount bosses all the way to the rear of the tailhousing. In cutting a blind hole, it'll be better to cut first where the shifter handle is in neutral, then cut outwards in steps until you have a large enough holes to allow full travel of the shifter. The hole requirement also changes with what Hurst shifter you're going to use. The short straight rod shifter (sorry I don't recall the name this one had offhand)will need a smaller hole as it's mounted higher than a Comp Plus shifter designed for stock applications.
which toploader I bought the toploader from a guy who had it in a 1965 Mustang. It is a 1970 Mustang wide ratio with the shifter plate on the tailshaft end. I also have the small block bell housing. In looking at the pictures of the red '71 Grabber with a 4 speed on this site, the shifter looks like it sits in the same spot as the 3 speed floor shift. I am hoping that this will be just that simple as to mount it in the original 3 speed position. If I find out where that is I can start cutting. Is that too hopeful? Dave.
Bolt it in first and see where the shifter mount falls in relation to the place you're talking about. Back in the 80's I had a big block 67 Stang that also came with a 3 speed manual, when I converted it to 4 speed, I had to cut the hole bigger, but in retrospect, knowing now what I didn't know then, I may not have had to do that. That was when I first got into Toploader 4 speeds and was ignorant of the variations in these transmissions. I may very well have simply needed to get the right tailshaft housing to avoid the butchering I gave to the drive tunnel. It sounds to me like you've got the right tailhousing though, but doing a mockup first before cutting may save you from what I went thru then. What is the I'd numbers on the tag riveted to the main case ? And do you have pics of the transmission you can post here ? Reason I ask is the 390 specific Toploaders are basically a small block unit, but with a shorter front snout that sticks into the pilot bushing/bearing in the crank. Using one of these with a small block bell will net you a broken input bearing and/or broken 4th gear set. What the last guy who owned it had it in is irrellevant at this point in time. What application it originally came it is.
I'll get you the tag i.d. when I get home. I was hoping that someone has had a 3 speed floor shift car and switched to a small block 4 speed toploader and found that the shifter used the same hole. I will mock assemble everything before I cut the tunnel. More to follow. Thanks, Dave.
Does anybody here know if the tailshaft housing from a maverick toploader 3 speed trans will bolt onto a toploader 4 speed trans? I'm also curious about cutting the shifter hole as I will need to do so on mine soon.
If that turns out to be the case........ I will need to find the plate or ring that screws to the 2 dimples on the floor that were standard on the 3 speed floor shift models. This will be the best template for outlining my cut. It would also be cool if I could find the original boot and plastic trim ring....I know wishful thinking. Anybody got these? Dave.
The trans tail shaft I have is marked DOZR-A and the case is marked C8AR-D. The tag is marked RUG-AT1 followed by 010411. Does anyone know if the manual 3 speed with floor shifter mounts to the same hole as the automatic with floor shifter?? The shifter is a Hurst Competition Plus model.
RUG-AT1 is from a 1970 Fairlane, close ratio (2.32 first gear) I hope you've got better rear gears than what most Comet/Mavs came with, cause the 2.32 first is steeper than the Wide ratio Toploader's 2.78 first. The transmission mount is a direct fit(same as) to a C-4 mount, no change there. The Comp Plus is a good shifter, but as you haven't cut the floor yet, there's no need to worry if it will use the same spot as a 3 speed shifter or an auto shifter.
It may bolt up, but it lacks an extra hole for one of the shifter rails to slide into and out of. The tailhousing's for the two look the same externally, but that is one definate difference between the 3 & 4 speed housings.
in my car i installed a rug-av1 toploader with the 164 tooth bell and the competition plus hurst shifter. the shifter came out in the exact same location as the shifter opening for my c4. from what i learned on here, c4 and 3 speed use the same location for the floor shifter - one with the hump, one without. i'd suggest you mock up the transmission without the shifter handle, measure and cut from there.
Anytime. Been messing with Toploaders off and on for 30 years now. Here's the top guy for them: www.4speedtoploaders.com This is David Kee's company. He builds em from scratch, cases and tailhosuings included. If he ain't got it, you don't need it. Good guy to do business with.
