What transmission to use

[wndsofchng06]

I am getting ready to put a new engine in my 69 f100. I am using a mercedes 5cylinder turbo diesel. My truck has the original ford 3.70 rear. Should I have the benz transmission rebuilt? or spend on an adapter plate and put a 700r4 behind it. I know that it won't be a hotrod or heavy hauler, just being unique and fuel efficient.

[tqwrench]

Diesels do not wind out like gas engines do, and both will be governed and not to each other. In other words, the engine will likely be governed to say 4000 RPM and a gas engine transmission might be 4500 or higher depending on what it came from. That means at WOT the engine will be turning max RPM and the trans might never shift up.

IMHO, the transmission and engine should be a matched set. I don't even know where to begin to point you on this one. I do know there were both 700R4 diesel units (Suburban, etc... 6.2L), and 2004R diesel transmissions (Olds Diesels - Big Caddies and such). They'd be close enough to work if the MB transmission just WON'T work. Either way you're into some heavy mods to make anything like that fit.

I do know there's threads in here discussing adapting a Cummins 4BT to a bump, so anything is possible.

In my fantasy land, I'd like to see what I could do with a Detroit 2-stroke. That would be funny as hell. A screaming demon under the hood of a bump.