My '72 is V8, A/C, P/S etc has factory 3.00... The '71 200, 6cyl with no power options has 2.79 ... I suspect the V8 std transmission cars has deep enough 1st gear that 2.79 was more the norm... A check of the posted Marti reports would tell what ratio it came with, have one for a '72 GT with V8, 3-spd and no power options that has 2.79...
I just looked through some of the Ford shop manuals to see if they indicated a pattern as to why Ford used 2 ratios and I couldn't find a thing. Even the early 7 1/4 came in 2 ratios - 2.83 and 3.08
I will have to check it to see. I have to bleed the brakes, just put on new master cyl. I will look when I do the bleed soon.
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/1971-75-ford-maverick-grabber-2 Article says all Mavs 72 and later have a 3.00 gear. I don't think that is true.
here's some more for the crew: My : '71 170 3OTT = 2.79 - 4 lug '74 250 3OTT had the 2.79 - 5 lug '76 200 C4 2.79 - 5 lug No AC on them Maybe a DSO thing?? hav e fun . .
Nope, 3.00 considered "Performance Option" & included with A/C(exc 250). Option price $11.66 For '72/'73, these were norms expected . 170... No Automatic or A/C option, 2.79 std.(170 discontinued for '73) 200... All options avail, 3.00 with A/C, 2.79 without. 250... '72 Automatic ONLY, 2.79 with A/C, dunno if 3.00 would have been opt. Std trans aval in '73. 302... All options, 3.00 with A/C, 2.79 without.
They would have ran a lot better with a 3.40 gear or so ! By the 70's, the typical speeds traveled had crept up to 'interstate speeds' and higher off hiway as well. The dominant trannys Auto, 3 & 4 spd stick were still 1:1 final ratio. Without Overdrive capability the mfg's including Ford simply raised there rear axle ratios ( lower numerically) , to be able to keep the same 50's and 60's motors from hi-rpm related MTBF ' problems and dismal MPG. Earlier cars with same engine/trannys typically did have lower geared ( higher numerical) ratios. hav e fun '
Until the FE big blocks(332 & 352) were introduced in '58, the highest ratio(low number) was a 3.10, with std trans & overdrive having up to 4.11. With plenty of torque the 352 got 2.69 rear gears. From that point onward most automatics had 2.75-3.00. Six cyl engines maybe up to 3.25. Was a different story for std trans, my '64 Galaxie 289, three on tree had 3.25, while the 3-speed 390 drivetrain from another '64 had 3.50 (swapped everything from that car to mine). At 75 mph the '90 was a screamin, but never fazed me a bit. With same gear in my Cobra, gas pedal "buzz" would numb my foot. For a trip to TN in Y2K, I swapped to a 3.00, makes a much nicer highway cruiser.
