??? 2 & 3 speed merc-o-matic question ???

I'm trying to advise this girl I know on buying an older car, and she's really intent on buying an old comet.

I don't know much about these cars, but I've heard that the 2 speed auto used in the 60-63 cars isn't the best trans & has issues, but the 3 speed used from 64 on is pretty much a c4. Is this correct or have I been misinformed?

I want to give her sound advise. Anything with a 200 straight 6 & a c4 is something I feel comfortable recommending. Some wierd 2 speed tranny that breaks a lot & not too many guys can fix is something I would not. She doesn't wrench.

Help me out here. She's a nice girl & I don't want her to have a bad experience with her first old car (I have already advised her to keep her Nissan Sentra around for at least a year).

 

I've never heard of a breakage issue with the Ford two speeds. (I've got one that has been behind a V8 for 45 years, and it has never even been rebuilt and still works fine.) In fact, the C6 is based on those 2-speeds! I'm sure that the C6 has much heavier duty internal parts, though.

 

Yeah, I run a 2 speed and it works just fine. I wouldn't worry about it. The final gear is the same as a C4. If it ever craps out, you can always get a C4 and bolt it in rather than rebuild the 2 speed. You are correct that the later models sold with the C4 so bolt in parts are common and cheap.

Check out fordsix.com for more questions.

 

So, the C4 will bolt right up to a 144 or 170?

 

yes, with the correct 6 cylinder bell housing and shorter driveshaft.

 

Cool.

Thanks for the help guys.