I have a 58 Edsel with a 361 and the factory teletouch automatic, however a couple weeks ago the 361 blew up, and blew up good. So I though of rebuilding the 361, but I cant really afford it, then I found a 68 Mercury wagon with a good running 390 in it, which would bolt right in, however he wants $1250 for it. So that brings me to option C, My dad has a good running 460 with a C6 transmission I can have (free). I am quite familiar with 460's and have built quite a few racing ones, however they are god awful ugly and I'm not sure if the Teletouch shifting mecanism will work on a C6. Has anyone ever done a tranny swap in an edsel and kept the teletouch? Could it be done? The main reason why I dont really want to put the 460/c6 in s because I dont want to lose the teletouch.
I would think the 460 has the same bell pattern as the 361 if they are both FE engines. This would then allow you to install the original transmission with teletouch shifting onto the 460. It might however be a Mercury-Edsel-Lincoln (MEL) engine and was derived from the 383/430 blocks which might not work at all. Do some measuring on the 460 before making any quick decisions. It all depends on what the 460 is, I believe grew out of a MEL engine. This might be good for you. I will look up the engines tonight.
351M, 400M, 429, and 460 share the same bellhousing bolt pattern. Does the Edsel Teletouch work by the buttons on the steering wheel ctr. activating electric solenoids, which in turn move the shift arm on the trans? Would there be any way to adapt the Teletouch system to the C-6?
Pretty much thats how it works. I believe the edsel has an FMX transmission (not 100% sure). So I think if the C6 has the same size shifter arm on the side of the transmission it should work. I just thought maybe somebody on here has already possibly done this, and would know for sure if it will work. If not I do own a big hammer and a torch so I could probably make it work.
Hey there, JalopyKid: Wow, that sounds like an really cool project you are weighing options on there. Putting a 460 (Lincoln?) in there for the 361 sounds like it would make for ONE great Edsel -- AND still keeping it in the FoMoCo family. I wish I was more of a Ford guy (that was my dad & we never had anything bigger than a 351 Cleveland, So I can't help with the tech stuff. BUT, someplace I have a control unit from the hub of a '58 Edsel. Long ago, somebody removed one of the plungers, maybe to do another repair. But this one has all the other parts. Since you seem to know your way around the TeleTouch, IF you think you can USE this part, I'll send it to you when I turn it up. Lemme know & I'll look for it. The only condition I place on the offer is that you come up with some other part you think another HAMBer could use. The thread was started by Axeman and is called "Pay It Forward, Free Parts for HAMB Members." Axeman started it earlier this year I think. Anywho. Good LUCK on your swap. Edsels are different from all other cars & are fun & worth saving!!
The Edsel does not use an FMX, it was either a 2 speed auto (Ford-o-matic) or a 3 speed auto (dual power auto). The C6 is very close in size to the three speed, but I'm about 99% sure the teletouch was only used with a 2 speed. I can see one potential issue off the top of my head. Shift pattern on the Edsel teletouch is P-R-N-D-1. The 3 speed is P-R-N-D2-D1-1. You need to look in your donor and see what the pattern is for the C6 (or wait for a fellow hammer to chime in). And I can second, the FE does NOT have the same bolt pattern as the 460. That is a 385-series motor that replaced the FE. But if you can't adapt the teletouch, send me a PM and I'll trade steering columns with you so you can have a normal shifter
anyone have a picture of a "teletouch shifter"? put the 460/c6 in for now and i bet you could make the teletouch work.
My shifter has p-r-n-d-l, however in low it will shift twice, and if I have it in drive it shifts 3 times, so I'm almost positive it is a 3 speed auto. I would love to keep it an FE mostly because it will bolt up to my existing tranny, I just found a complete tri-power set up for $600, and cause 460's are so damn ugly. However I do have some cal custom valve covers for the 460, and it is free...I like free!!
Wow, that sounds a little weird what with L shifting twice and Dr shifting 3 times. Dr shifting 3 times would make it a 4 speed automatic. Wonder if Furd used a Cruise-o-matic and blocked off the L position (or something)? You also might have the old FURDOMATIC, which is really a 3 speed automatic in sheeps clothes. By adjusting the TV linkage you can get a Dr with 2 shifts and possibly (not sure) 1shift in L. Maybe that is what a teletouch does. If the 351M has the same pattern as the 460, then it sounds like a FMX from a 351M, 429, or 460 would work in your application. The FMX is an updated Cruise-o-matic with some minor differences, but I would think the teletouch stuff might bolt to it. You have some information on how the transmission is actually suppose to work, IOW's owners manual?
Unfortunately, I think the only way to figure this out is to try it and see what happens. If the car is dead, I'd remove the actuator from the transmission and see if it can be fitted to the C6. Physically mounting it should be straightforward enough. The real question is whether the actuator will accurately shift a C6. In other words, when you hit reverse say, and the actuator moves the selector shaft "X" amount. Is "X" the correct distance to move a C6 into reverse? If not, you might be able to engineer a solution, but a picture of the mechanism will be really helpful. Also, with P-R-N-D-L being your options, the actuator will have 5 possible positions. If a C6 has the same, you're all good. I know the 3 speed in my car has 6 positions (2 "drive" modes). If the C6 is the same you won't have access to low, but that isn't that big of a deal unless you need a stump puller option.
I have a '58 TeleTouch 'keypad' plate & buttons somewhere... I'm quite positive it reads : 'P R N D2 D1 L'. The '2' and '1' are smaller and top-aligned with the 'D's (superscript) - from a graphic design standpoint it always looked 'off' to me.
Hey Jalopy Kid, I've got a shop manual for the teletouch system. Let me know if you need a copy. Greg
There are a lot of little things to consider to do this kind of swap besides what has been mentioned- especially if you want the TeleTouch. IMO, you'd save tons of time (and in reality not spend much more money) to just have the 361 rebuilt with a budget Egge kit. Or go on eGads; there are two complete running 361 engines under $500 on there right now. EDIT: Oops, those are HD truck engines. I don’t know if there is any interchangeability there.
Thank you for asking me to double-check; something I -as a rule- always do.... but didn't this time. I found the buttons (tho somehow the plate got separated from them). Still, one can arrange them correctly... and they read : "P R N Dr Lo" Sorry for the mislead.
I read on one website that the Teletouch automatic is a FURDOMATIC 3 speed, that starts in 2 and shifts to 3, unless you floor it from a stop, which it will start in 1, then shift up from there. You could however adjust the TV rod to allow a start in 1 when in Dr, but it would shift very high. The only other possibility is that the teletouch automatic (and probably Furdomatics after 57) have the one way sprag added to them as the cruise-o-matics have. My guess is Furd started making Cruise-o-matics in 58 and had some old Furdomatic valve bodies to which they installed to make a 1st gear start happen, but not have a dual range Dr setup, aka PRNDL.
Sorry I havent responded, i've been real busy the last few days. Anyways I think I might have found a solution. Another hamber just gave me a lead on a rebuilt 390 not too far from my place for $600. I think i'm going to go that route, it is simple, and cheap, by the time I buy new gaskets for the 460 and material to build new motor mounts i'll be into it for a couple hundred bucks anyways, so may as well go woth one that bolts in and is ready to rock. I'll still post some pics up though.
That sounds like the best idea! Pull the heads off the Edsel motor and you can use them on the 390. I believe the ones off the 361 are better than the garden variety heads. Good luck with the swap!
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