green-dot Cruise-O-Matic

My '64 Galaxie has the infamous green-dot Cruise-O-Matic.

I'm finding conflicting stories about the shift pattern on this trans. This is a console/floor-shift car, but the shifter parts and indicator are missing.

I was thinking of going with a Lokar or B&M shifter or fabbing something up, but the pattern confuses me. I really can't drive it without a shifter yet, so I need solid info of how to set this up.

From my research, so far I have: Park---Reverse---Neutral---Drive 2-3---Drive 1-2-3---Low as the shift pattern.

 

The shift pattern is as you say. It's the same as other automatics, except for the "start in second" position instead of 2nd.
Wait! I reread your post. they go, Park, Reverse, Neutral, D1 (1,2,3), D2 (2,3), Low. If you want to rev out in Second, pull it back to Low position after it shifts to Second. Otherwise it will shift to direct in either D1 or D2, at fairly low RPM.

 

except what I've read has the "start in second" position where "drive" should be, and "drive" is where "second" should be

 

Bttt!

 

I use to race a green dot cast iron Cruiseomatic. The shift pattern goes as follows:

Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive 2 (white dot), Drive 1 (green dot), Low

The green dot is where the tranny would have 1-2-3 gears while the white dot would start in second gear and shift to high.

For racing I would leave the starting line in Drive 1 (green dot) and immediately pull the shifter into Low. For whatever reason it is quicker to launch in Drive 1 then pull it into Low. At the desired RPM I would move the shifter up into Drive 1, and the tranny would shift to second. Then I would pull the shifter back into Low to hold the tranny in second gear. At the desired RPM I would move the shifter up into Drive 1 allowing the tranny to shift to high gear.

The cast iron Cruiseomatic is the forerunner of the FMX. It is a strong tranny that can take a lot of abuse. The main thing that can break it is shifting to reverse without coming to a complete stop.

There are no high stall convertors made for the cast iron Cruiseomatic but there is for the FMX. For the FMX convertor to fit a cast iron Cruiseomatic behind a FE you must use a spacer ring in the rear of the crankshaft to adapt the FMX convertor and you must use a FMX front pump.

 

Thanks gents!

I wondered why I put the shifter in "Drive" and started the car and it only shifted once.