At least 750 for the toploader alone.

 

For the money you will give for a toploader, you could probably have a t-5 installed in the car for about the same cost.

 

Toploaders are relatively expensive transmissions...I paid around $1200 (just transmission, no shifter or anything) for a new David Kee unit.

 

two on craigslist in phoenix right now one $800 the other rebuilt $1200 gary

 

I paid $1,000 for a modest rebuilt unit. I wish I would have gone with David Kee for the money!

 

I know of one here in town that is dissasembled and needs a bearing IIRC and I am pretty sure the guy would take 300 for.

 

Go to Toploader Heaven and read up on buying a used trans before you buy anything not already rebuilt.

http://www.toploaderheaven.com/buying_used_toploaders.htm

 

I have sold about 15 toploaders.

First, read what the other person said. There are MANY things that can be wrong, and all cost a lot of money.

Second, there were over 130 different toploaders. Some will interchange, most won't. For example, if it is a 5 bolt, narrow face, run away. Good for concours, but not much else. Person local has (had) one for sale for years in the $150, couldn't move it.

Could be close or wide ratio, big in vs little in, big out vs little out, BB vs Small Block, close medium or long shift pattern, and toss in a couple different tail shaft lengths, and the mess begins. Unless you know exactly what you are looking at, then you will wind up with someone else's problem child. Even the tag is no guarantee, as the guts, inputs, tails, etc. may have been changed out.

Then, after all that, when you find the killer deal for a great toploader for $600 and take it home, and REALLY look at, you will find you actually wound up with a SROD, worth $20/ton.

Buy the correct V8 T5 instead and be much happier.

 

I have a T-5 in my 67 fastback and am putting in a toploader in my 69. I would consider what horse power you have in your car. I was going to get a Tremec for my 69 (500 HP) but it was considerably more money than a toploader. There is nothing like the feel of a T-5 in an older car. I bought one with 17,000 miles on it for $250. I know it was a screaming deal. I think you can find good used toploaders for under $750. I sold one a year ago for $400. (Probably too cheap). Remember the other cost for the switch over. Cable clutch, late model bell housing or adapter plate and old bell housing, a new yoke or shortened drive shaft, and a cross member. I think I reused my C-4 drive shaft and bought a different yoke that was 1" shorter. Just remember, there is a big difference in my opinion between the feel of a toploader and a T-5. Good luck!

 

go with a rebuilt David Kee unit. It will be right for your application & you won't have any unpleasent surprizes. Used trannsmissions often have a sad story to tell once they are opened up. i.e. , not a bargin.

Z. Ray
'66 GT-350

 

If found the toploader for cheap in my Mach 1. If not I would have chosen a a 5 speed of some sort.

You'll always wish you had that 5th gear if you dont. I helped install a T-5 into a buddy's 68 Falcon w 289. Going from three on the tree to five on the floor was amazing. It was a beautiful car to drive after the swap.

 

About 4 years ago I purchased a top loader (wide ratio,small block)with shift linkage and a correct 1970 hurst comp plus for $800. The top loader needed seals, shift linkage needed new bushings, and the shifter needed cleaned and rechromed.
With pedals, Z bar, bellhousing, clutch and so on it still ran around $2500+.
A T-5 or such could probably be done for the same money or possibly less. Then you have a over drive. Old time muscle car feel would be the only reason to run a top loader outside of concours restoration.

 

IMO if you have a LOT of horsepower (over 400) and you want to run very sticky tires then a toploader will be the cheapest option for that kind of abuse. You still will probably end up with $1200 in the tranny and another $300-400 for the shifter before you are done. Don't even bother putting the crappy factory shifter on it - Hurst is the way to go.

However, for all other applications it is a no-brainer. Get a T5 with a Steeda Tri-Ax. $1500 for brand new stuff and 5th gear to boot.

If you insist on a toploader and you drive on the street most of the time, do NOT, do NOT, do NOT get a close ratio. You will be very, very sorry. They suck on the street, especially behind small displacement motors with big cams.

 

I bought my toploader from a fellow VMF member that had gone to a 5 speed for $800 including a like new Hurst Shifter. If you know the seller well or can actually drive the car before you buy the tranny, you can get a good price. Stay away from EBay toploaders and differentials, they are usually nothing but trouble.

 

Man! I got a sweet deal from Fast Freddie (Mustang Masters) at a Pensacola show about 4 years ago: $750 including a Hurst shifter. I dumped the Hurst shifter, and had the toploader inspected by a reputable guy in Pensacola (checked w/Mark at toploader heaven about him), and it was not in need of any work. The toploader was even the right model for my car!

At the time, I thought I had paid too much, but based upon everyone's responses above, I got a deal!

 

I got my big sline rug-S for free, but it still cost me $900 to have Dan Williams rebuild it with his race kit and change it over to a wide ratio with all new gears.

 

I got my top loader (RUG-E2, small block wide ratio) for $160. It was laying in the back of a school bus at a heavy equipment junkyard. It was missing the front bearing and retainer but all the gears were in good shape. $170 for a rebuild kit from Mark at Toploader heaven (highly recommend his kits), $50 for a front bearing retainer on ebay, $50 for a hurst comp plus shifter at a swap meet, $50 for a 164 tooth bell housing on ebay, and a free fresh flywheel from a friend. Total so far=$480, and I still need a clutch and pressure plate. I consider this VERY cheap for a top loader conversion. I would love a 5 speed but with 450+hp, a t5 wouldn't last and I can't yet afford a TKO.