Okay, So I have a question here about my 1956 Ford Customline I am working on. I bought it as a driver from the previous owner with a 1993 Ford Mustang GT T-5 manual transmission. I love driving manuals and all, but am not really a big fan of them on customs, nor do I like having a shifter on the floor when I should have a girl next to me. Anyways I have always been toying with the idea to have an automatic. I have recently aquired an AOD from a 1987 Ford Crown Victoria LTD. Also about 2.5 houres away from me I have connections with an old timer that has a field full of 1955-1956 Fords. (I still have a three on the tree column in my car). So I was wondering if I could pull an stock 1955-1956 Ford column from a parts car in the field (If they even had autos on '55-'56s?). And piece it all together. Basically I am wondering how much time/money it would be to swap the AOD and a '55-'56 automatic column in the car, if it can even be done? Has anyone ever attempted this? Here is a picture of my car as of now...
Yes they did have automatics and I imagine the column and shifter could just bolt in. With some creative linkage work it should work with the AOD. Since you already have a modern transmission in your car the AOD should bolt up after you find a flexplate/flywheel that will work with your motor. I don't know if the AOD is computer controlled though or if all you need is a kick-down lever to control your downshifts. Hopefully someone who may have done a swap like this chimes in with better info.
Thanks for your input. I still have the AOD in the Crown Victoria and looked under the hood today and I did not see any shift linkage there. So I am thinking it may be electronic? (Although I don't know much about later model cars). I am still running the original Y-Block and the previous owner got a custom made adapter from California to bolt up the T-5. So I am wondering if that would also work for an AOD?????? Also the driveshaft in my '56 is crazy redneck scary, so I need a new one anyways. Would the one on the '87 Crown Victoria be the same length needed for my 1956 4 door? Thanks!!!!! I know I am asking about a million questions, but if anyone has any insight about this swap that would be badass!!!!!
There is the AOD and the later AODE being electronic shift . The AOD runs of pressure that is controlled by the TV cable ( Throttle Valve ) when setting the pressures you need a gauge that will mount in a certain port to set the TV cable . The pressure at idle should be a little above 5 psi . Not properly setting this will burn out the trans fast . There is a lot of info on this if you do a google search . Like said above see how much throw you have on the column , and what is on the trans and you can make a bell crank or a Z bar to off set the distance as needed .
what engine/rearend do you have? check Lokar for linkage to use a column shifter with AOD, also will need their TV cable setup and maybe their AOD selector shaft & arm. check at Summit Racing & others for carb linkage extention to use with AOD to make TV cable work properly. need around 3:73 rear gear ratio-since trans modifications already made hard to say about cross member-will depend on what type of rearend you have if donor drive shaft might work. do a search here-lots of info posted.
Since you said the AOD came from an 87, it probably isn't electronically controlled. The AODE introduced in '92 was, hence the "E" in the name. It's kick-down might be controlled by a cable. I couldn't tell for sure if the AOD will bolt right up to your adapter that was designed for the T-5 without seeing what it looks like. I kind of doubt the driveshaft from the CV is the same length you need but you could always measure and see. Then you'll need to know what is the actual length you'll need with the AOD on the Y-block.
Thanks, although I am not 100% sure what a bell crank or a z bar is. I will have to look it up on Google. Thanks! I have the factory 272 Y-Block, and I am not 100% sure what rearend I have. All I know is it is the numbers matching stock one from the factory. So whatever came with the car. I am not sure about the Lokar shifter though, as I want this car to look 100% like it was built in 1959 in the interior and exterior. Athough I don't give a crap about under the hood or under the car as you wont see it. You think I would need to change my rearend gears then? I am not to concerened about the driveshaft as I was going to have a new one built anyways regardless if I did the swap. Thanks, Good to know it isn't electronic. I could always just get a new adaptor from somewhere. I am also not to worried about the Crown Victoria driveshaft as I was going to have one custom built anyways, as the one I have in there now is pretty scary. Thanks guys, for all the help thusfar!
the Lokar set up is just linkage under car. will need to do search for adapter for trans as likely will not bolt up to Y block-then need to find correct flexplate and starter to match up too-need to see what gear ratio you have-if gears low enough then check with drive shaft builder and ask if he can set up later front yoke and older u joints on rear. guess clearance under floor board big enough for AOD.
Hey, did you try posting this in the 52-56 ford group? Wealth of knowledge there and I think this topic has come up more than once. Good luck though.
Dragonknucks is right,you need to stop by the 52-56 Group so here is the "real deal" from the info I have you may not have to change columns Lokar makes an adapter kit, you will eliminate one of the shifter forks.You are OK with the AOD you have they did not go computer until late 1993,the driveshaft will be close the Mustang & Lincoln Mk VII AOD's are 1 1/2" shorter than your Crown Vic AOD.I have a 302 & AOD in my '54 Ford the driveshaft is an '86 Crown Vic I had to shorten it 1 1/4" inches and use a NEAPCO conversion U-Joint to bolt up to the original Ford rear,pm me for the part number if you need it.One of our members rustyfords used the Lokar adapter on His column to AOD so you may want to pm Him for more info on that.Another option since you have a donor is to install the entire Crown Vic column which eliminates the "deadly spear" and gives you a tilt wheel ,for looks your '55-56 wheel should still match splines on the later column but test fit first.Here is a picture of the Lokar AOD column kit.You can go to the Lokar website and preview the instruction sheet.The only thing about this swap is a good used 5.0 and AOD will cost about the same as the AOD to Y-Block adapter kit, here you can see a good picture of the adapter kit in the AOD section of www.transmissioncenter.net cost $850
Hmm, to be quit honest I would rather put the $850 into customizing my car. I may just keep the AOD aside until a later date. I don't think I would want the column of the Crown Vic in my car as I want it to look like it was built in 1959. That is what I wanted an original column. It's good to know that all those parts are out there though. Thanks!
Here is one of a few just did a quick search on AOD pressure adjusting . Hope these help you it's pretty simple . http://www.tciauto.com/products/instructions/instructions/431000_inst.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L3hNzxdiYw http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/733438-aod-tv-pressure-adjust-fluid.html
I agree with BlueStang67 and you should make it a point to check it occasionally as well as it is easier to check than replace the tranny. Most 'performance' rebuilt AOD's now come with a pressure gauge attached to it for just that reason. A little OT, but I just got an 89 F150 for parts that came with two AODs. The first one got cooked when the throttle cable broke.
Thanks, I want a custom though and not a restoration Thanks, looks like I got some reading to do! Thanks man!
TCI makes a constant pressure valve body that removes then need for gnat's ass adjustment, but the cable is still needed. Mustangs Plus is a leading company on installing AODs in older cars, usually Mustangs but it should be simular.
I'm sort of a panther chassis (read: Crown Victorias, grand marquis, etc.) guy, and you've got some great info going on here. You also definetely have an AOD. An AODE or 4R70W will fit an 87 crown victoria, but the modifications on the throttle input side would be enough for any competent person to notice it's not stock. You do have SOME leeway with adjustment of the TV cable, but mal-adjustment is the reason many of these cars are in the scrapyard. Frankly, I'd be suspicious of any AOD that I didn't drive before buying, as so many of them did suffer failure. The good news is that it was generally bands and clutches, not things sheering off or losing teeth. In short, unless you KNOW that this tranny ran through all gears without issue, I'd budget my time and money with the assumption it'll need a rebuild. I have heard good things about the TCI constant-pressure VB, but in general for a performance build I'd contact a good AOD builder like Lentech or Silverfox about getting a new valvebody of some sort. With proper adjustment and a decent valvebody, and behind a relatively low-power engine like a 292, these things will live forever. The only real way to kill it would probably be repeated neutral drops, but even then, I've done that to my daily-driver with a 351W and 2.73 rear gears repeatedly without issue. Hope this helps, and good luck with a very interesting combination!
I have 2 cars and a truck all with 302 GT mustang motors and AOD transmissions-You can use a standard column shift ((2nd-hi gear fork) and make a shift rod. The standard AOD passing gear lever uses a cable or you can get the lokar unit.I didnt like the Locar because the arm ratio is different from the ford AOD and makes you have to recalibrate the trans. keeping it all ford works very well and has for me over 20 years
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