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4 Speed RAT/RAN Style Tranny???

Chief Master Sergeant

Retired U.S. Air Force
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
5,177
My wife's coworker invited us out to look at her mother-in-laws 67 that has been in the barn for 20 years. Really! It's no prize, but still cool. They told me it was a 4 speed, which threw me off. It had a Hurst shifter on the side like for a normal 3 speed, but they swore it was a 4 speed. I crawled under it and it looks just like a stock, manual 3-speed. It was dark and my cell phone battery wouldn't give me enough light. I climbed inside and there was a sticker on the dash showing reverse to the top left and 1st through 4th in an H. Any idea what this is? I tried to shift it, but it was bound up. Climbed back under and tried to take a picture, but it was a no-go.
 

Scoop

Contributor
Have Bronco, Will Travel
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Messages
10,632
Loc.
Cuchara, CO
Probably a top-loader 4 speed conversion. Stroppe did some early 4-speed conversions IIRC. Did you notice any Stroppe accessories on it? Too early for a Stroppe Bronco but could have gone through the shop for some mods??
 
OP
OP
Chief Master Sergeant

Chief Master Sergeant

Retired U.S. Air Force
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
5,177
No, this thing was pretty rough. Just looked through the Stroppe Equipment list and the Toploader is the only thing I saw.


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Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,959
When you look again, look for 3 shift rods underneath. Toploader 4-speed conversion. There were kits. There still are. Just like the base mustang came with a 3-speed, which happen to be very much like the Bronco 3-speed. Didn't take too much engineering to adapt the 4-speed into the Bronco. It is a car transmission. It is not a truck transmission.
 
OP
OP
Chief Master Sergeant

Chief Master Sergeant

Retired U.S. Air Force
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
5,177
When you look again, look for 3 shift rods underneath. Toploader 4-speed conversion. There were kits. There still are. Just like the base mustang came with a 3-speed, which happen to be very much like the Bronco 3-speed. Didn't take too much engineering to adapt the 4-speed into the Bronco. It is a car transmission. It is not a truck transmission.



Yeah, looking on Google, the shift pattern indicates it’s for a Falcon, Galaxy, Fairlane, Comet, Cobra or Tiger. Not sure I’ll see it again. They’ve seen EBay and will want that kind of money for it.


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Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,959
Shift pattern can be changed with shifter and linkage changes.

Make them a sensible offer and wait. after it sits on eBay a few months, and they get jerked around by fake bids a few times they may come back to you.
 

nvrstuk

Contributor
Just a Bronco driver for over 50 yrs!
Joined
Jul 31, 2001
Messages
8,818
Good advice Broncobowsher...

Personally, the 4spd toploader I had in my Bronco behind a true HP289 was the most fun tranny I've ever had in mine...and I've had 6 different tranny's in it...

Put a gear doubler behind it and have fun on and off road... :)
 

SHX669

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 9, 2009
Messages
1,997
Also could be the four speed that was available in vans and - ??? where 4th was overdrive . I know a guy who has one - reverse is in a different position than the
standard " top loader " if I remember correctly.
 

broncodriver99

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 27, 2008
Messages
4,780
Loc.
Glen Allen, VA
Also could be the four speed that was available in vans and - ??? where 4th was overdrive . I know a guy who has one - reverse is in a different position than the
standard " top loader " if I remember correctly.

X2. I have one on the bench I just finished up for my Bronco. I set it up so 1st through 3rd are nearly identical to the stock 3 speed but 4th is 20% OD.
 
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