3 reverse and 1 forward gear

[rodsandwheels]

FMX tranny, with 3 reverse and 1 forward gear, came out of a 73 mustang,
Any reason for this?
The motor is a 351c 2v from a ford ranchero.
The gear selection is the same, neutral is still neutral.
Dont know history of transmission.

[NoChrome]

thats really weird... kinda makes me wonder if somebody didnt put the drive axle in upside down, cause that would make the forward gears go backwards, and vice versa for reverse. I would check to see if the rear axle is stock, or if it looks like it has any amature welding on the tubes, I see no need for more than one reverse gear in a mustang.

[rodsandwheels]

So you don't think something is wrong with the tranny?, bad servo or valve?
I will check the rear axle and see what I find.

[NoChrome]

I bet the tranny is fine and somebody just stuck the rear axle in upside down, if you take it off and flip it over it should be fine.

[rodsandwheels]

That is good news. I will check it this weekend and report back. I know the car was pieced together before I got it.
So basically the ring and pinion is on the wrong side? This is something that I should notice as soon as the cover is removed right?

[NoChrome]

Correct! but i dont know which side is the right side, it may be that the left side is the right side... or the right is right...

but im certan now that its upside down, and even if it isnt, its still easer to fix that than figure out how you got a 3 speed with too many backwards gears.

[NoChrome]

Got some better news for you, after thinking aboutit for a minute or two there should be a bump on the diff cover to alow room for the ring gear to fit. Stock that thing should have come with a 9" diff, and that diff has no rear cover pnl, unlike a chevy 10 bolt. You will have to pull out the whole pumpkin from the front. Any ways what Im getting at is look at the diff from the back and the bump should be on the left side, and the pinion gear on the right....

[Biff85ta]

The pinion is toward the bottom on a nine inch and it should be fairly obvious if it is in upside down as the pinion will be toward the top.