{"id":48909,"date":"2020-06-09T11:11:38","date_gmt":"2020-06-09T17:11:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/resources\/?p=48909"},"modified":"2020-06-09T11:11:38","modified_gmt":"2020-06-09T17:11:38","slug":"flathead-overdrive-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/resources\/flathead-overdrive-solutions\/","title":{"rendered":"TECH GUIDE: Flathead Overdrive Solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<table width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"100%\">\u00a0\u00a0Put a &#8220;better&#8221; overdrive transmission behind your Ford Flathead with the help of this TECH GUIDE: Flathead Overdrive Solutions.<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-40533 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/21-Stud-FLathead-300x274.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"274\" \/><span style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-48910 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/FH-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"297\" \/>&nbsp;Flathead overdrive begins with the adapter.The<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><em> MDL<\/em><\/span> Flathead bell adapter, made as a direct fit for the 59 series blocks, while also mating to the intermediate ring on the 8 series flatheads, allows you to install a \u201cbetter\u201d transmission than an S-10 take-out. Flathead engines produce significantly more torque than a 4-cylinder transmission can handle.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Upgrading to the <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><em>MDL<\/em><\/span> adapter allows the use of a V-8 Fox-body Mustang transmission or the even better gear set found in the new T5z that <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><em>MDL<\/em><\/span> offers.Looking for even more capacity? The bell is also compatible with the TKO 5-speed series.<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><em>MDL<\/em><\/span> engineered Ford Flathead adapter is designed for a wider range of transmissions than previous adapters, the <em><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">MDL<\/span><\/em> Ford Flathead adapter will ease the task of adding an overdrive transmission to your Flathead project.Compatibility to blocks from 1932 to 1950, coupled with adaptability to Ford T5&#8217;s and TKO&#8217;s insures we have a 5-speed overdrive solution to move your Street Rod, or any Flathead-based project, down the road in comfort and style.It&#8217;s not just an adapter.We offer complete kits for the adapter with forks, bearings, and cross shafts, to full solutions with transmissions, clutches, flywheels, and the whole enchilada.<strong>Check out the details below and give us a call or send us an email for a complete solution for your project.Call us:\u00a0 208-453-9800<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Key Features<\/strong>\u00b7 Improved adapter over existing adapters\u00b7 Compatible with<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0 1932-1948 Ford Car<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0 1949 Truck<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0 1949-50 Mercury Car<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00b7 Direct fit to 59 Series blocks\u00b7 Direct fit to 8 series intermediate ring\u00b7 Compatible with modern diaphragm clutches\u00b7 Adapts to Ford T5, Ford TKO or Ford TKX\u00b7 Compatible with original mechanical clutch linkage or hydraulics\u00b7 Complete kit includes a shaft, fork, throwout bearing, and alignment ring.\u00b7 Optional Hydraulic configurationBest of all they&#8217;re proudly Made in USA<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-42785 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/USA-3-e1587052850385.png\" alt=\"Made in the USA\" width=\"73\" height=\"62\" \/>&nbsp;&nbsp;<strong>Details<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-48911 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/FH-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"337\" height=\"255\" \/><\/strong>\u00b7 <strong><em>Fig. 1: MD-401-2109 Flathead adapter<\/em><\/strong><strong>Improved adapter over existing adapters<\/strong> \u00a0&#8211; Existing adapters are designed for S10 T5 transmissions with their under-performing gear sets, limited shifter position, and very limited availability.The MDL Flathead adapter interfaces to Ford T5&#8217;s which are readily available in the used market, as well as, new.More choices are available as the adapter also supports the TKO &amp; TKX series transmission.\u00b7 <strong>Compatible with:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0 1932-1948 Ford Car<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0 1949 Truck<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0 1949-50 Mercury Car<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong><em>Fig. 1: MD-401-2109 Flathead adapter<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00b7 <strong>Direct fit to 59 Series blocks<\/strong>The 1932-1948 Ford cars sported a 59 series block where the transmission bolted directly to the block. The MDL MD-401-2109\u00a0 Flathead adapter is compatible with this configuration.\u00b7<strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-48912 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/FH-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"297\" \/><\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;<strong>Direct fit to 8 series intermediate ring<\/strong>The 1949 Truck and 1949-50 Mercury cars used 8 series blocks where an intermediate ring was used between the block and the transmission. Our adapter bolts direct to this ring with included hardware.\u00b7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong><em>Fig. 2 bolted: Flathead adapter bolted to a Flathead intermediate ring<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;<strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-48915 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/FH-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>Compatible with modern diaphragm clutches<\/strong>The adapter and kit were designed for modern clutches rather than the old 3-finger design resulting in a smoother, lighter pedal feel. Whether using the mechanical linkage or upgrading to hydraulic actuation, you are ensured of smooth clutch engagement.\u00b7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong><em>Fig. 3: Shaft, fork and throwout bearing<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-48916 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/FH-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"207\" \/><strong>Adapts to Ford T5,\u00a0 Ford TKO or Ford TKX<\/strong>Typical Flathead engines are low in horsepower but high in torque. The T5z is a perfect match for these engines. Coupled with our Front Shift T5,\u00a0 the combination works beautifully in your 30&#8217;s to 50&#8217;s HotRod without notching the seat or pushing the engine forward to accommodate a stock Ford T5.Want even more torque capacity than the T5 offers? Now you can install a TKO-00 \/ TKO600 &amp; TKX behind your Flathead.\u00b7&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong><em>Fig. 4: Alignment rings adapt to T5 or TKO<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-48917 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/FH-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>Made in the USA<\/strong>The MDL Flathead adapter is cast and machined in the USA. No more concern about questionable sources and quality of the adapter. The adapter is cast here in the United States and then CNC machined for repeatable quality.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-42786\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/USA-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"97\" height=\"93\" \/>\u00b7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong><em>Fig. 5: Proud to keep it local<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;<strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Want to run it with factory clutch linkage?<\/strong>No problem!&nbsp;<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-48918 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/FH-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"243\" \/>\u00b7 <strong>Want to run it with a hydraulic clutch release?<\/strong>No problem!\u00a0 Complete kits are available for the configuration you desire. Rather than buy parts you don&#8217;t need or not all the parts you do need when you buy from MDL you get the kit specific to your application. T5 and TKO kits differ in the alignment ring to align the transmission to the adapter\/crank. Mechanical linkage kits or hydraulic kits differ in the linkage portion.A mechanical linkage kit includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0 adapter<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0 cross shaft<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0 bearing fork<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0 throwout bearing<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0 appropriate alignment ring for the T5 \/ TKO \/ TKX\u00a0 transmission<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong><em>Fig. 6: Flathead adapter with fork and cross shaft<\/em><\/strong\n><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;An adapter hydraulic kit leaves out these mechanical pieces and allows the addition of an internal hydraulic release bearing (ordered separately) where the hoses route through the casting where the cross shaft would have been.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>A typical\u00a0<\/strong><strong>complete<\/strong><strong> solution may contain the following:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>\u00b7 MDL Front Shift T5\u00b7 MDL Flathead adapter kit\u00b7 Lightened Billet Steel flywheel\u00b7 Organic 10&#8243; clutch\u00b7 Trans mount\u00b7 Shift lever, ball, and boot\u00b7 Installation hardware\u00b7 Speedometer cable and gear\u00b7 Transmission fluid\u00b7 Driveshaft with a yoke&nbsp;<em>\u00a0<strong>Thirty&#8217;s and forty&#8217;s hot rods are a perfect match for a Front Shift T5 behind a Flathead V8<\/strong><\/em><em>\u00a0<strong>Flathead Adapter cross shaft and fork assembled into the adapter<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>\u00a0<strong>Quality you can count on from <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">MDL<\/span><\/strong><\/em><strong><em>Proud to keep it local<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Adapter mounted to an intermediate ring of an 8 series block<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Rings to adapt to T5 \/ TKO \/ TKX transmissions<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Trans and adapter ready to install onto a Flathead<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Front Shift T5 with Flathead adapter<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Ready to install!<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;<strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-48919 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/FH-8-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/strong><strong>Enthusiasts Who Are Also Engineers<\/strong><em>This is why you do business with Modern Driveline. We are not a large company with huge product development teams with bean counters and Wall Street investors looking over our shoulders. We are automotive enthusiasts bent on getting our products right before they\u2019re ever sold to the public. We are also very determined to deliver great technical support after the sale. As a Modern Driveline customer, you will never be our guinea pig. We find problems before they get to you and solve them before they ever become a headache for you.<\/em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<em><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-48920 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/mm5\/graphics\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/FH-9-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>We don\u2019t just find the fault \u2014 we find the fix at the prototype phase before products ever reach the mass production phase. And if you ever encounter a problem with any of our products, we invite your contact so we may solve it before it ever becomes a frustration for you. If there is a problem after the sale, we are here to provide lifetime technical support for any Modern Driveline product you buy.<\/em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #808080;\"><strong>If you&#8217;re looking for more information or a quote for your project\u00a0send us your details\u00a0and we&#8217;ll get back to you with a quote.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color: #808080;\"><strong>Or for more immediate answers call<\/strong><\/span>&#8230;<span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>208-453-9800<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=&#8221;GET A QUOTE&#8221; color=&#8221;danger&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;lightSpeedIn&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwordpress-261161-947582.cloudwaysapps.com%2Fquick-quotes%2F|||&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A quick guide to Flathead adapters, clutch linkage application &#038; Tremec T5 \/ TKO \/ TKX<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[376,44,51],"tags":[200,322,155,323,312],"class_list":["post-48909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adapters-videos","category-bellhousings-videos","category-transmissions-videos","tag-article","tag-engine-information","tag-flathead","tag-ford","tag-history"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48909"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48909\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.moderndriveline.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}