I think i just had the WRONG transmission rebuilt

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mikepasquale1

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Messages
370
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Location
Pittsburgh
My Car
73 Mustang Mach 1
I have a 73 mach 1 i am nearing completion. I had an FMX laying around from a previous project that i had rebuilt with a shift kit installed.

The trans part number is D2AP. I know that doesnt match my mustang but its a 72 FMX. I just looked on Ebay at other 71-73 FMX's for sale. My tail shaft looks really long compared to the others. I also have the incorrect shift selector on the trans. Someone please tell me what to do. Im going crazy with this thing. lol

IMAG0705-1.jpg


 
That's what I found out after cleaning and painting my FMX out of the 69 LTD. Wrong shift lever and tail housing too long. Thankfully I had not rebuilt mine.

The shift lever issue can be fixed without much effort from what I have been told. The tail housing solution I believe is to have a driveshaft cut to length. (I may be wrong - there may be an easier fix. Here's hoping)

Worst case senario - do it all over again. :mad: Sorry.

 
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I'm far from an expert but shortening a drive shaft isn't that huge of a deal. Some transmission installs require modifying the driveshaft (although I know that a standard 71-73 FMX shouldn't require that). It's kind of a PITA I know, but nothing that you can't work around.

 
Or find the correct short shaft FMX and swap the parts over. That's what I'd do rather than modifying the car any further.

 
I had a local driveshaft shop shorten my driveshaft for me when i put in an 8.8 disc brake rearend and it ran around $100. pretty easy to do and not too expensive.

Kevin

 
Its not the drive shaft im worried about. Its the shifter selector and the fact that the tranny needs ripped apart. I found a gentleman in Canton Michigan who has the correct tranny with correct selector, tailshaft and partnumbers pulled from 73 Mach1. The price is right and he also has a friend who rebuilds his transmissions for him. If that price is right, im looking to just sell this tranny and have let his friend go ahead with the rebuild. After its all said ans done, i feel that if i drop out this tranny, find and buy the correct selector, pay to have it installed (I wont tear into a tranny) and have the drive shaft shortened, i think i would end up spending more time and money than i would with this deal. THe correct selector goes for about 200 on ebay alone, figure time and labor for installation, then time and labor to shorten the drive shaft......THats just my opinion though. What do you guys think?

 
As a guy with the same delima - I think you are right. You have done the hard work in finding the correct parts. Go for it.
When you say go for it, you mean just have the correct trans rebuilt insteaad of dealing with frankenstiening the transmission i have?

If so i think im in agreement

 
As a guy with the same delima - I think you are right. You have done the hard work in finding the correct parts. Go for it.
When you say go for it, you mean just have the correct trans rebuilt insteaad of dealing with frankenstiening the transmission i have?

If so i think im in agreement

Yes, Have the correct trans rebuilt instead of dealing with modifications. In the future you will be glad you did.


 
If the only issue was shortening the drive shaft, I would say go that route. Since you have other issues, I agree that you should just do it the "right way" and get the correct transmission. As far as selling it on ebay, you may not have a problem with doing that but shipping will be cost prohibitive for a lot of buyers. I'd try Craigslist first, myself.

 
Like everyone else I'd go with the correct tranny...List on ebay with the addendum of you have the right to end auction early ...yadda yadda yadda, also list on Craigslist and Kijiji...it should go quick on those.

 
Me too... i say go for the correct one... If you customize your hole drive train only to keep the wrong trans, i believe you´ll be spending more money and more time for sure, to do an invension that you dont want from the start...

Go with the correct parts and sell what you have... This kinda things happens to all of us at some point my friend!

 
lol ya true i figured so. I have already located the correct transmission and will be picking it up shortly

 
Swapping the shift selector over is pretty simple, pull the pan, remove the filter and valve body and then you can access the shift selector. I did this many years ago and it took me less than 30 minutes with both transmissions on the driveway. Not so sure about the tailshaft issue though--that sounds pretty involved.

 
From what i understand, in order to change out the output shaft, most of the transneds to be ripped apart.

 
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