Hot Rods 57 ford neutral safety switch

Does a '57 Ford with automatic transmission start in park or neutral or both. Friend of mine has one that starts in neutral only. He says it's the way it should be, I say NSS is bad. I've had 2 '57 Fords and they both started in P or N. Any input?, I asked on the Fordbarn and was about 50/50 on yes and no.

 

When my 57 had the original Ford o matic it would only start in neutral.

 

Fords and Lincolns , neutral only when new.

 

My Father had a near new 57 Fairlane 500. It started in Park

 

Not an expert by any means on the oem drivertrains, but I've recently been told '57 automatics only started in neutral.

 

I have a 1957 Skyliner (my wife's) which appears to be all stock (fordomatic; 292). I have never tried to start it in neutral, but it starts in Park.

Hope that helps

 

The early Fordomatics started only in neutral. Not sure when Ford changed it so the car would also start in park but it is very possible a later neutral safety switch would fit in a 57.

 

Overdrive and conventional drive are both manual transmissions. See if the book talks about automatics. OOPS-- ignore this.

 

I know my 56 with a Fordomatic only starts in neutral...

But, I have also been told it is out of adjustment if it won't start in park. I haven't looked at it yet to figure it out.

 

I just bought a '57 Ford Wagon with the factory automatic and it only starts in Neutral.

Malcolm

 

Just had a thought--- early neutral safety switches were mechanically linked to the shift linkage and not integrated into the transmission like newer cars. On some Fords (early 60s), they were located inside the steering column.
It should be easy enough to find out simply by tracing wires on the car or viewing a schematic.

 

With a '58/'59 Neutral Safety Switch you should be able to start in "P" or "N". -Dave