Does anyone know which automatictransmission can fit the Ford MEL 430 engine that was produced between 1958 and 1967. The engine was used in several Mercury's, Thunderbirds, Edsels and Lincolns. I don't know if a C4 or C6 or what you may call them fits? Transmissions are a mystery to me. Below are some pictures of the transmission that was behind the 430 before which needs an overhaul. I don't think it is the original one. The Ford plate on the transmission reads; PBB-AD 21129 Please help! ps. The car in question is a 1959 Lincoln.
This is fairly complicated, but I'll try to shed some light. There are two issues to think about: one, the engine bellhousing pattern; two, the actual transmission itself. '58-'60 uses the FE pattern bellhousing. Therefore, you can take any bell/trans for the FE & use it (keeping in mind that you have to choose flexplates, converters, etc. as needed). Also, just because it fits the engine, doesn't mean it will fit the car. It gets more complicated when the engine is a '61 or later. The '61-'65 uses a modified FE pattern; the starter is moved to a different location on the bellhousing. Therefore, regular FE bells won't work. You have to have the specific MEL bell/trans. The 1961 bellhousing is apparently unique to that year because of its transmission pattern. The '62-'65 are the same as each other, still with the "modified" FE pattern. In '66-'67 Lincoln changed transmissions to the C6. These engines have a weird "t****zoid" pattern for the bell; some may ALSO have the "modified" FE pattern. Since the C6 bellhousing is part of the case, you must have the specific Lincoln C6 to work; NO OTHER TRANS from FoMoCo has that t****zoid pattern. To sum all this up, with the MEL you need to choose carefully. It is usually easiest to rebuild the trans that came with the car, for these and other reasons. It would be very easy to buy a MEL trans that won't fit. The transmission itself is a heavy-duty version of the Cruise-O-Matic, specific to Lincolns. There was another thread recently where another poster laid out the differences in the cases, & the Lincoln marketing name for it. Search for a thread with MX HX (short on time right now but will look later).
Thanks for your feedback. Can't seem to find the thread with MX HX though. Rebuilding seems my best option, unfortunately also the most expensive. Later
I seem to recall that when I worked at the transmission shop 25 years ago, we referred to it as the "large case cruise-o-matic" I was kind of in charge of the used parts, and I don't recall anyone ever buying any large case stuff....even then.....
That is the correct TWIN-TURBO for the 59 LINC. Have it redone if the car is a restoration. Do you need parts source(s)?
For now I have only found Kanter for parts at $515 for a full parts kit excluding $100 core deposit. So if you have anymore parts sources, yes please! Thanks for the thread Homespun91. Everyone thanks!
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