Ford Toploader

This is information I have gathered about Toploaders. If any of this is not right or if you would like to add info to this page please email me.

There are two ratios of toploader four speeds. wide ratio= 1st=2.78 2nd=1.93 3rd=1.36 4th=1.00 close ratio= 1st=2.32 2nd=1.69 3rd=1.29 4th=1.00
Go here to see a list of id codes for toploaders.

I know of four different tailhousing shifter bolt patterns. Maybe I can help determine which shifter to order when ordering a Hurst shifter for a 65-69 Mustang toploader. It is easier to order the shifter to match your tailhousing than it is to find a tailhousing to match the shifter. After all how many early Mustangs have the original tranny in them!

This is a tailhousing for a 289 in a 65-69 Mustang. Note the two horizontal bolts at the very rear. This tailhousing would use a Hurst 391-3180 shifter and a 373-7637 inst kit.

This is a tailhousing for a 390 in a Mustang. Note the two horizontal bolts at the front. This tailhousing would use a Hurst 391-3180 shifter and a 373-7717 inst kit to use this tailhousing in a 65-69 Mustang.

I am not sure what this was used on originally but you would use a Hurst 391-3180 shifter and a 373-7717 inst kit to use this tailhousing in a 65-69 Mustang.

This is a Fairlane tailhousing. I am not sure what to use on this one.

If you are ordering a new Hurst shifter for a Mustang and dont know for sure which one to use, Buy it from Dan Williams and give him the code from your trans and the part no. from the tailhousing. The man is very sharp about this and he is very competitive on price also. I mail ordered mine and then had to ask him how to make it work. Then I had to buy an extra plate from Hurst. It would have been much cheaper and faster to have bought the shifter from him to start with.