85 F-150 Tranny Swap Guidance

[Six]

Looking for some input... I have an 85 F-150 with a 300 six and want to swap the 3.03 3 speed for a five speed. Wondering what will bolt up with little or no modification (preferably none). So far none of the information I can find goes past mid-70's. Thanks.

 

[Ramcharger90]

M5OD-R2 should be what you need.

 

[Six]

Thanks. I'll look into that

 

[franklin2]

The 5 speed has the bellhousing made into the trans, unlike the 3 speeds and 4 speeds with a separate bellhousing. So you will need a 5 speed that came from a 300 six, 302, or 351w.

I didn't know they had 3 speeds in 1985 still. What type of hydraulic clutch do you have? Some were external slave, some were internal slave. You may have to swap some stuff there.

You may need some modifications to the driveshaft also. If you find the right truck with the trans you want,, the proper engine and the proper wheelbase, it will be a bolt in. You just need all the right parts. Much easier if you get a donor. Can be cheaper also once you sell off the leftover parts.

 

[Six]

I didn't know either until I bought the truck. It has been transferred to the floor by a previous owner. Not super savvy on transmissions, but it looks like the same one that I had in a '70 Bronco that I had years ago, difference being the hydraulic clutch with the slave cylinder in place of the linkage (so, yeah, external).
I'll keep it in mind while I look around. Don't really want to buy a whole donor if I can avoid it, the rest of the truck is pretty solid, and down here the things that I might replace would likely be in the same condition anyway.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

3 on the trees lasted untill 86 in the F series.

They got rare as shit after 75 or so though.