I believe it is a '56 3-speed for a 292. Can anyone confirm? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Why did Ford Motor Company call BOTH the 2 speed, and 3 speed automatic transmissions, Ford-O-Matic's? Along with the "other" names of Cruise-O-Matic, Flight-O-Matic, Merc-O-Matic, Multi-Drive, and Turbo-Drive? This all comes from my 1959 Edition of Motor's Auto Repair Manual. Even both 2 and 3 speed automatics had the SAME name in 1959 (???-confusing!). If your torque converter is all steel, then it's the 2 speed version; if it has a finned aluminum cover on the torque converter that bolts to the flex-plate, then it's the 3 speed version. At least that's my take-away from Motor's. Pull your trans out from under the trailer for some additional pics to include the torque converter and pan. Keep in mind, I'm primarily a Chevrolet guy, so I could be completely wrong; but since no one else answered your thread, I took a chance. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
No water lines.. 55-56 early. Ford-O’s were all 3 speeds starting in 2nd gear. 58 they changed to Cruise-O’s starting in 1st or 2nd on the drivers selection. Later Ford did make a 2 speed Ford-O that had nothing to do with the original transmissions They were used behind the small V8’s and 6’s in cars. I believe the pickups retained the 3 speed behind the 292 until 1964.
There was a 2 speed that was put behind Y blocks from 59 to 62? and it might have been all aluminum,never seen one but I do know they had only 3 studs on the torque convertor where the 3 speed had four and I have one of those 3 bolt flywheels that came off a 62 292 I picked up for parts. You have what looks like a 55/56 3 speed trans.
Yep, a '56 292-flavor air-cooled Fordomatic, small case. There was a medium-case version used in the bigger cars and/or higher-HP versions. The air intake for cooling is just below the starter 'hump'. Had a finned-aluminum multi-piece torque convertor. One interesting thing about these is they had a rear pump and the car could be push-started; get it up to about 35 mph in neutral then drop it into gear, away you go.... Handy feature when the starter bendix failed. More than a few got replaced under warranty with water-cooled units; it wasn't uncommon to find '55-56 Fords with the later trans.
Yes, the '59-65 two-speed was the only true two-speed automatic Ford built. All aluminum, mostly found in Falcons and Fairlanes, but some did get used in full-size cars as the entry-level automatic with sixes or the lower-power V8s. Basically discontinued in '64 with the introduction of the C4 (which initially was only available behind the 289), a few made it into early '65 behind the 260 as Ford depleted inventory of the five-bolt small block motors.
I just googled the PAR number, and it popped up, on some Tbird site. here https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...c-Guides.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2hgZrO9qYaGMmpHt54HFlS
In 56 there was a change to the valve body that allowed a 1st gear start if you floored the accelerator. Earlier units would only go into 1st gear if you moved the selector to low. Most hot rodders would start out in the L position, wind the engine out, move the selector to D to let it shift into 2nd and then back into L to hold the tranny in 2nd, wind it out and then back to D to get 3rd gear. In 58 there was a design change that included an overrunning clutch. (Cruise-O-Matic) This allowed a 1st gear start in the D1 or "green dot" position on the selector.
I had a couple of those two-speed Fordo's... not one of Fords better ideas. A well-tuned 292 could fry one pretty easily.
Probably for the same reason all Chevelle two speed transmissions were Powerglides, be they cast iron case two speeds in a 50 Chevy with a torque tube, and three speed automatics were Turbohydramatics, be they turbo 400s or small block turbo 350. The marketing guys make those decisions.
Interesting, sorta. I lived within 30 miles of Decatur, ILL for over 16 years and did not know that Borg-Warner ever had a transmission manufacturing plant there. I wonder what years that was?
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