For starters, I know how to search, I did and found nothing on this topic. Ive got a 53 merc with a 3 speed that someone swaped out in the 70's, im not sure what it is but now it will only go about 50mph. I'd like to swap in an automatic but i DO NOT want to use a modern trans. How and what did they use back in the day to swap out the 3 speeds to automatics. Thanks
probably will have to swap the rear gears to get more speed. non overdrive transmissions are all 1 to 1 wether auto or stick
tb33anda3rd, has it right any Automatic from back in the day will have the exact final ratio you have with the 3 speed 1 to 1. Thus the same top speed. Want more top in speed you will need a taller rear gear. H.
OK, so what would be the best auto trans and rear gears? I know nothing about the subject, i just want to keep it old school and no newer transmissions, Im wanting to build the car the way it would have been in the 50's and 60's. Thanks so far guys.
In 53 you could buy a Merc with Merc-O-Matic. Thats pretty old school if you can find one. The only other automatic I can remember anybody actually using was a 4 speed Hydromatic. Never saw one bolted to a Ford product. We just didn't use automatics much.
Lots of folks make adapters to put a late-model Ford C-4 automatic behind a flathead. I'm sure that there will be some problems with rear moiunts and the linkages, but I'm sure that they can be handled.
Man, I gotta tell you, if the car only goes 50mph, that has nothing to do with the transmission. I do not know a lot about flatheads, but it should go 80-100mph unless the engine is very tired. If that tired, it should be smoking a lot and hard to start. Are the points set correctly? Timed correctly? Starving for fuel? I would make a diligent effort to find why it is not running properly. I would stay with the stick also. But if you really want to change, I think you are tied to 53 and back, Merc and Ford. Most others are going to require a lot of work and probably expense. Good luck. Ron
or find a Merc-O-Matic or Ford-O-Matic from an early 50s flatty car, and install it. Try to get all the goodies with it, best bet is to find someone who's taking his out to go to standard shift, then maybe you could swap parts. The early automatics don't require an expensive adapter, but they do take a patient mechanic to get them working right if there are any problems. did those mercs use the same rearend as the Fords? If so you might find slightly better gear ratios in an auto equipped car from 55-56. But I'm not sure if they interchange. It's a kind of ****py rearend, you might be better off finding a 70s 8" rear to swap in? but don't go too low with the rear ratio, or the car won't be able to get out of it's own way.
Really a good 3 speed stick would be the way to go . Get a rear from a V8 car , automatic trans car . They have the 3.00 to 3.25 gears . All the 6 cyl will have the higher ratio gears in them . Measure the rear and find out if an 8" rear from a 64 to 69 Mustang will fit . Those usually came with a 2.79 or 3.00 gears . If you really must use a auto trans , get the trans adapter for a C4 and that will bolt right in . That trans will serve you very well and they are sure tough . That would be your best choices if you can use a standard trans ! Retro Jim
Its a fresh rebuild, starts as soon as i hit the ****on and runs great, but in 3rd grear the rpm's are way up there. I am currently running it with straight pipes though,... would that cause any issues?
What is the rear gear ratio? Even a Chevy with a 4.11 would do 80 MPH if you stood on it... the Merc with the V8 aught to be more highway friendly than that. Unless you have a truck 4-speed in there and you're only shifting it into third gear?
It likely has the original overdrive rear end in it. I'm not sure about 1953, but in '51 the OD rear was a 4:27 ratio. Take away the overdrive ****** and it's like driving on the highway in 2nd gear. 50-60 mph is really revving it. With open pipes it must be unbearable. If I were you I'd either locate an original overdrive ****** (they're around) or I'd swap out the rear for either an original or modern replacement.
I have to agree with those who have recommended an C4 Cruiseomatic. They date from '64 and that ought to be "old school" enough, especially when considering the numerous advantages the C4 offers over the old Borg Warner Ford -O/Merc-O-Matics. Speedway, a**** others, offers an adapter kit for reasonable money for C4 to Flathead engines. A good C4 ought to be very easily obtainable, relatively cheap, light(er) in weight, functions very well, is easily repaired if a problem develops..etc..etc. Besides, no one can see it under the car. Actually, you can use an AOD with the same ease and not have to change your rearend gears. But, as others also have said, you will likely need to change that to get really satisfactory results. I would vote for an 8" Ford axle ***embly from a Maverick/Granada/Mustang. A**** those models there are sufficient differences in width to find one that will work in your car. Ray
Well, you're already slow, so what's the big deal? LOL Swap that rear. It's obviously the weak link for you. http://richmondgear.com/101032.html I don't understand the "old school" automatic thing. Nobody will see it. They ****, and nobody uses them for a reason. That's why there are no less than 5 companies that make adapters to use new ones.
I have a 53" Merc with the "cl***ic" Merc-O-Matic and it will cruse all date at 80+. The car is a Convertible and many of the Convertibles came from the factory with the automatic. Get to a salvage yard and pull one for you car....(by the way the Ford-O-Matic is accentually the same unit, if they only have 52-52 Fords).They don't carry a high price tag and the installation should be straight forward. You might even find one on Craigslist locally, since it has been know that there are those that only want the 3 speed with the overdrive. The stock rear end on my car is a 3.54:1.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
Sorry to rain on this parade...but IF you can find a salvage yard auto equipped Ford/Merc, and after you have pulled it (no easy task), cleaned it up, inspected and/or overhauled it, installed it, you will have expended WAAAY more effort and money than necessary to get the result you want. Stick to your principles (stubborn about "old school") if you choose....it's your car and your effort and your money........ Ray
I think Mike hit the nail on the head. You need an overdrive ******. from the period. And like he said they are around. Much easier than changing to an auto.
ok, thanks for all the info, this helps a lot. Now i found a 3 speed top loader, for $100 bucks the guy says "Ford heavy duty 3 speed top loader manual transmission in cast iron case. 10 spline input shaft and 28 spline output shaft. Tag on case: RAB-N DK JBO364. Casting number on case: RF C5STR" What trans would this be and would it be any better or would i have to still change the rear end?
Aslo found a 3 speed top loader that they guy says "1960 Falcon and the metal tag reads C0DR – 7006 – A." Would this be a suitable option? Again, thanks for the help, i have searched on info about these trans and i really dont know squat about transmissions or rear ends, so what i find is just basically another language.
You do understand that no non-overdrive transmission is going to change anything, right? You either need to get an overdrive transmission of some sort, or change the rearend to something with a more highway-friendly gear. I know there's at least one early 50's Ford OD trans on eBay right now, because I have one listed - so they're not that hard to find.
I do understand, so the best way to go is to change the rear end and keep the transmission i have? If i was to get a for 8 inch, what would be the best gear ratio?
I would use the converison chart but ive got no tach or speedo. I would like to be able to do at least 80mph so that I can safely drive on the freeway.
Is the rest of the car safe at 80? 3.0 to 3.3 is a good range for a daily driver like yours. If you still have thoughts about an auto trans I would suggest, like others have, an AOD. Perhaps you should compare the two projects, a trans swap vs a rear swap. Which one gets you to your desired goal? Compare total costs of each (labour and material), again looking at your end goal. .
I didn't start building on my own until the later 60s and no one wanted a slush box even then. By the early to mid '60s some of the 1320 guys were using clutch torque flites, but you didn't see them on the street very often. I don't recall ever seeing an automatic swapped in behind a flatty. Save the 3 gear and find yourself a set of gears between 3.26 and 3.55. That is a fair tradoff for getting away from the stop light and still cruising down the road. Anyway that's what I would probably do. If it makes you feel any better my new old daily has 5.14 gears and a 3 speed no OD. I'm going to the tallest tires that i can get without going to a big *** romper stomper tire. About 32" tall is what I have found. Still I probably won't be much above 50-55 cruising down the highway. I'll just leave earlier and enjoy the scenery. Edit damnit. See shaded word.
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