Surely someone can use it, especially if it bolts to a flathead. It's a bit too old for my purposes, but there are many here whose cars predate mine. Ebay it if nothing else. I wonder if the article was talking about the 2 speed? On my transmission there are cooler lines, and you can shift into 1st. Either flooring it from a start, or putting it in D1 will get you first. I can check the casting number, but I'm pretty sure it's stock. The shift indicator has both D2 and D1 slots to let you start in either 2nd or 1st, respectively.
The early Fordomatics, (the three speed with only lo and Drive on the shift quadrant), were an air cooled transmission, they had no cooler lines. I think the first year that they had cooling lines that ran into the radiator was 1957.
I'll have to report back to you once the car is on the road again, but as Jeff reports, things changed in 57. On the Edsel's maiden voyage it never used 1st. It just cruised along in second until maybe 45 or so (not sure, the speedo is way off) then it shifted to third. I thought it was a 2 speed until I decoded the VIN and learned what the different positions on the shifter were for.
The amount of information that has disapeared over the years is sometimes astounding. I had a Ford Courier at one point when gas was $4/gal and it was mindboggling how much was simply never recorded about those vehicles only a few decades ago. The huge amount of names for these transmissions, the vauge distinctions between 2 and 3 speeds, and the vast movement to throw all of them away to put C6s in thier place isn't making this easy. I guess the only thing you can know is what you have in front of you, and even then you can only be so sure. I'm not sure when the redesign to the trans happened, or even if it was uniform accross the line. FoMoCo thought of Edsel as a nicer brand at the time, so maybe they equiped them with the newer transmissions even as they were putting thier final stocks of air cooled transmissions into Fords at the next factory down the road. Then when you add 50 years for some idjit to change parts around you really just never know.
I'm always changing things. this isn't a hot rod but it's an example I think of what your facing. I just put together a smooth 86 chevy pickup out of an 86 c20, 83 c30 dually, 82 gmc 1500 diesel, and the rear from a 1989 c30 dually. Granted I didn't just buy it this way but I wanted to do something different than a frankenstein build...I tried to keep it as factory as possible. If I break down and have to have it fixed out on the road I want no problems, nothing custom just factory parts anyone can figgure out. I'm really happy with how it is coming along because for starters the body and frame came out of El Cajon Ca. and it is clean, second thing people notice is how clean and stock in appearance the work done so far is even though it was screwed together out of 4 trucks. I started down that road when I changed my 77 f150 4x4 over to a 460 from a 400. there was alot cobbled up on that truck I set straight and when installing the engine I went as far as ordering new sparkplug heatshields, stripping and coating the manifolds, using stock brackets, air filter, etc. Don't get me wrong...It's not stock. It's got a 4x4 pulling cam putting out 375hp @ 4500 rpm and 450ft/lbs @ 4000 rpm and idles stone cold smooth, sounds like a bus untill the 3" single and flowmaster start to talk @ about 2000 rpm then it sings through the shifts like an ho 5.0 The biggest regret I have was getting the ****** built. It comes out of 1st too soon and waits too long for second. It doesn't shift consistently from 2nd to 3rd and there was a problem early on with a warped valve body turned out to be a cheap import valvebody the ****** builder installed. They took it out and had it milled to fix it but...I have another stock c-6 I'm going to rebuild myself with stock parts, premium clutches and steels, a little tweaking on the fluid pressures/governor and junk that rice valve they put in there. other than that it looks like ford put it there and I can get anything I need at Napa. Hard to beat what a team of rocket scientists and engineers designed!!!
I could use some help here please. I have a '64 Ford Fairlane 500 sedan with the original V8 260 and the 2 speed Fordomatic trans. I'm rebuilding the motor but am considering a transmission upgrade. This is a 5 bolt bell housing. Is there a transmission that would be a 3 speed, BUT would bolt to the engine without a 6 bolt adapter? They're pricy and I'd like to keep it as simple as possible, maybe as a last resort even having the 2 speed rebuilt. The car runs but needs rings, hence the motor rebuild. The trans works ok but starting to have a little issue with the shifting, been told it's probably the torque converter. Any suggestions would be helpful, trying to move ahead here, just need a direction. Thanks!
sjs5764.... It's best to start your own thread instead of tacking on to one that's 9 years old. You need a 1964 or early 1965 5 bolt 289 Cruisomatic or the bellhousing from said 289 5 bolt Cruisomatic. The 1964 289 Cruisomatic is a C-4! Ford called all thier 3 speeds Cruisomatics in 1964. Another name for this transmission is the...Green Dot C4. This is a rare piece. I'm not sure the first year C4 was in 289 Galaxies but I know for sure it was in 5 bolt 289 Fairlanes and Mustangs. The 5 bolt bellhousing from the 5 bolt Green Dot C4/ Cruisomatic should bolt up to the later 6 bolt C4 case. Again this is a very rare piece.
I like a C6 but we used primarily FMX transmissions in our Ford mud trucks when I was in Mexico. They are freakin bullet proof. As for the OP's question I am with @Pist-n-Broke on the C6. The Ford-o-matic style transmission will hold up fine if it is up in shape but the C-6 is more economical if the car is not a strict restoration and is the beter way to go.
those early to mid 60's Cruise-O's were designated MX and were bigger than the later '60s FMX ******s. They came on the big 390 powered cars (Galaxies, etc.) and were plenty strong, had front and rear pumps, problem is parts are a bit hard to find and no one made aftermarket parts for them.
Again...... Ford called all thier 3 speed automatic transmissions Cruisomatics in 1964. The C 4 debut in 1964 as a Cruisomatic behind 289s in Fairlanes and Mustangs. I know because I have one in a 64 289 Sports Coupe. The MX is found behind Is, Ys and early Ford Big blocks. My reply was to the Fairlane Ford O Matic question posted by sjs5764 about replacing his tired Fairlane Fordomatic. The Light Duty Fairlane-Falcon-Comet Aluminum 2 speed "FordOMatic of the early 60s was a horrible transmission as far as high performance. These aluminum cased 2 speeds are not be confused with the earlier cast iron 2 Speed Fordomatics that were actually 3speeds. Gosh O mighty you can't make this stuff up!
LOL there is a reason that the old guys called an automatic a shush box. Most of the early automatics didn't have a good reputation on the performance dept.
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