Ford Toploader people unite!

A neighbor down the road saw me in the liquor store this weekend.  Not only do we have the same taste in whiskey but we're both car people.  He asked me to come by as he has some stuff he wanted to get rid of.  One of the things I am most interested in is what I think? is a top loader trans.  I forgot to take pictures but it's behind a 351 Cleveland that he said came out of a 74/75 Ford truck.  Definitely has a plate on top with 10 bolts.  I thought the tag on the passenger side would id it easy but although it says RUG BD I can't find that anywhere.  Afterwards I realized it might be the later 3 speed plus OD and I didn't know to look for the budge in the case to see.

I don't know enough to be helpful but the 351 might be an "M" or Modified. If so, I don't think it has the same bell housing pattern as the Windsor. 

Probably from a 351M, which has a 385 series bbf bp, most Rug stamped trans from a truck are garbage. Yes it's a "top loader", but it isn't worth anything.

Looking at it compared to a 300 6 he had sitting there I think they were both the same bellhousing pattern.

Here's a page that lists toploader ID tags.  There are a lot that start with RUG, but I didn't see BD. http://www.davidkeetoploaders.com/idchart2.htm

There were some overdrive transmissions that look like a regular four speed but aren't as desirable.  I found an RUG-BP, could that be the ID you found?  http://www.davidkeetoploaders.com/imposters.htm

It's possible, at that time, that its an overdrive, with the third/fourth shift lever reversed so third is direct, and fourth is an overdrive ratio in what would traditionally be the third gear position.

In reply to Stampie :

SBF and the big sixes are the same bolt pattern, yes. Interchangeable clutch as well except for the 300 being a neutral balance on the flywheel.

The OD Top Loader was Ford attempt to improve fuel economy in the 70's.  My brother in law bought a Ford van with the 302 and that trans.  I enjoyed driving it as the van was not weighed down with many options so it wasn't terrible.  Today if I had one of those vans I would drop in a Tremac 5 speed with a 5.8L.