Posts: 24
Threads: 11
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,119
Threads: 92
Joined: Jan 2010
Welcome 1st thing the 390 or FE series engine has a unique bell housing, and while they were found in cars with 4 speeds. they were much more plentiful in pickups. So there should be a few bellhousings out there. the trans will interchange with the car or truck bell housing. The thing I'm not quite sure about is. If there is a size difference in the bellhousing. Truck bellhousings may have been larger to accommodate a larger clutch assembly? Maybe some else on here has a little more knowledge about it? 2nd You'll have to have the pedal assembly,which I believe welds in in the older stangs. Then all the linkage. Clutch rod, pivot bar and pivots, Flywheel, clutch, clutch fork, pressure plate, throw out bearing, And various hardware. If you can find someone who has a complete setup? Ohio Mustang is one possible source for original parts. Or look into a swap to a later setup with a fluid clutch.and modern 5 or 6 speed. There are several companies in the back of Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords that offer complete swap kits, but they are pricey.
Posts: 231
Threads: 24
Joined: Dec 2014
I did this same swap on my 1972 Mach1 and my best advice it to get very familiar with the part numbers and what you need. I found Ford Shop manuals were helpful and I spent almost a year going to swap meets and gathering parts. I wanted to get all the correct date coded parts, every nut bolt and washer and bushing had to be correct for this project. When I finished I was surprised how easy the install was. I think the hardest part to find was the shifter boot top and bottom, but I found them at a swap meet and the funny this was he didn't even know what it was and sold it to me for 5 bucks. I would have paid a lot more. Oh well his loss.
Posts: 108
Threads: 3
Joined: Mar 2014
Looks like a sweet car. Why do you want to change it? I know 4-speeds are more fun but is it worth ruining the authenticity of your car? If you do decide to make the swap just don't cut anything and save ALL of the old parts so that you can put the car back into original condition. I'm pretty sure it's a "bolt-in" but you need to make sure that you have all of the correct parts (do your homework).
Posts: 831
Threads: 49
Joined: Sep 2014
That is really neat! Spoiler, wing and louver. You will need more parts than you think. Maybe buy a wreck to get all the nuts, bolts, clips, rods and parts. +1 on the research!!
Posts: 2,305
Threads: 44
Joined: May 2012
Welcome to the site. Should be a straight forward swap underneath but I remember another member running into clearance issues with the stock manifold and clutch linkage. Why I don't know since these cars were optioned with 4 speeds out of the factory.
Heed JRPAV's advice about keeping the original parts.
Posts: 231
Threads: 24
Joined: Dec 2014
one more thing when completed this swap will make your car so much more fun to drive. With all the correct parts this swap will go very easy and I'm sure you won't regret doing it. Good luck and good hunting. Oh if you haven't already found this out the price of a good Top Loader and Bell housing have been climbing. You can expect to pay about a grand or more for a good one.