2020 - Ford AOD Installation in a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500

Installation of a Ford Automatic Over Drive Transmission into a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500.
Don't miss "The rest of the Story" near the end of the video.
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[@WillvonTagen]

Hi Richard! Great video. Wow, what an ordeal. I am about to jump into a 351w build and 4R70W transmission swap for my Father‘s 1959 Fairlane Ranchero. We will replace his current 390/c6. He has had terrible luck with the FE overheating etc. My hope is to finally get him a more reliable ride (with OD) by May so he can finally enjoy worry free travel. Any way, your closing talk about all the transmissions you had to sift through to get going made me really feel for you as I think back on my Dad‘s issues. You do great work and I wish you smooth cruising! Cheers from Idaho.

[@ROKuberski]

Some times there is just not a whole lot of fun to be had. But, I do enjoy this car. My engine is original 292 that was rebuilt in 1995 by a previous owner. The story I heard is that he died shortly after the rebuild and the car was in storage for about 15 years when I bought it. I had low compression in three cylinders. So I tore into it and honed the cylinders and put in new rings (there is another video on this car you might enjoy.) Anyway although it starts and runs pretty well, it smokes and burns oil and the engine leaks. Just this week, I've ordered a re-manufactured engine from S & J Engines in Seattle. I should have it by early March. This is a complete long block rebuild with all new parts on the engine except for the crank. I've already bought a new water pump and I've found a place that will rebuild the harmonic balancer. Mine is a 3 pulley one piece unit. I have A/C, PS, Alt., water pump to drive, so I need all three. So, I will remove the transmission one more time and then jerk the engine. I'll clean and repaint the engine compartment and have everything ready when the replacement arrives. This will be my last major project on this car. The only thing I have not touched is the differential and I'll tear into that too just to make sure all is okay.

[@econorock]

Hello, i am wanting to do the same with my YBlock and AOD. The carburetor i will be using is the Holley 94 3 bolt pattern carburetor. Is the kick down and governor okay to connect with my carburetor of choice? Any advice?

[@ROKuberski]

The AOD uses a Throttle Vavle cable to control the transmission. Check with lokar to see if that have a kit that works with your carb, I think they do. You can pitch your kick down linkage, it will not work with the AOD and you won't miss it. I already ditched my carb and am using the Holly Sniper fuel injection. There is no kit that works with this unit and the AOD, but I figured it out. If anyone needs details on this let me know.

[@patfleischman3096]

I'll be doing an AOD swap on one of my '57's soon. The overdrive is such an advantage with today's highway speeds. I have an AOD in my '57 Ranch wagon behind a 5.0 and it works perfect.

[@ROKuberski]

Good for you. You will like it. I had problems that no one should have. If I had to do it over again, I may have gone to Monster Transmission and got one of their basic AOD units. It's certainly got more pep when starting out and when it drops into O/D on the highway, the rpm's drop to under 2,000.

[@eugenesesky8910]

Richard , did you use the original colum shifter if so how did you modify it to show the AOD positions or did you use a floor shifter ?

[@ROKuberski]

I am using the original column shifter. In the video you can see the bell crank I made. That's two levers on one pivot point. I created a drawing on Google Sketch Up to determine the lengths of each arm. As you know, the original shift display only shows "PRNDL" and the AOD is "PRNODL" . What I created is a travel on the shifter so that I can hit all of the AOD shift points in the amount of travel needed for the AOD. Each shift point has a distinct notch that the shifter falls into. It's easy to tell what gear you are in. (I have considered having a new display made, but for now I am not bothering. I always run the car in overdrive.) With the LOCAR shift arm there is an additional adjustment that help fine tune the whole thing. It took a while to figure out what I wanted, but the solution was easy. You do need to be able to weld up the double arm unit, that's the key to the whole thing. If you need more help on this let me know and I will send you the drawing that I made to figure this out. By the way, I did think about a floor shifter, but my car appears stock and the floor shifter just was not something that I wanted.

[@careyhoffman5184]

i know you seems like you are kind of done with this topic, but could you include where you got the adapter kit fromt eh yblock to the AOD. what starter you used and the lokar shift arm part number you ended up using? my fordomatic tarns works fine but my drive speedo gear ont eh output shaft broke and i cant seem to find a replacement gear. so i am thinking about trying this conversion my self. thanks for any more info you can provide.

[@ROKuberski]

The adapter came from Bendtsen's Speed Gems Transmission Adapters (763-767-4480). The new starter is part of the adapter kit. The shift linkage is from Lokar, LOK-ACA-1807. Any AOD gear will work, but you may have to put in a gear to see how much of a correction you need. If you go to the Deluxe Speedometer & Cable Service website www.deluxespeedometer.com you will find the formula for making the calculation. They can also sell you a gear, but you can find gears on eBay too for less money. I think I still have the original gear for my FordOMatic. Let me know if you need it. If so, I will see if I can find it.

[@incompetentdiplomat3716]

do you think i could hook up an AOD to a 71 460 ford? i know they did it for the trucks but i wonder would would have to change

[@ROKuberski]

I'm afraid that this is not something that I know. First off, is there an adapter for this? Seems that there is. transmissioncenter.net/shop/adapter-to-install-an-aod-overdrive-transmission-on-a-460-big-block-ford-motor/ Do a search on the internet about this conversion. There is other information out there. There are kits to beef up the transmission and you may need to do that with the larger engine.

[@incompetentdiplomat3716]

@@ROKuberski from what i found the transmission followed two paths, the AOD for the cars and the 4something or other for trucks, those trucks being 460 equipped, so i guess that answers my question.

[@HectorTorres-gd2zb]

Hi nice work , quick question cau you send me part number from rod on aod transmission? Thanks in advance

[@ROKuberski]

the rod is from locar, don't remember the part number, but you should be able to find it on their website.

[@gingermeig]

Richard I took your advise and watched the transmission saga!! You, my friend have immense patience, but excellent skills. Were you an engineer at some point! Look forward to further videos. Tom

[@ROKuberski]

The transmission project started just before the Covid-19 pandemic. As such, there were no car shows and very few places to go. The problems did tax my patience, but in the middle of the mess there is very little that you can do. I always felt like the first guys were doing all they could to fix the problem, but that's not the way it worked out. Second guys were also great to work with. Not working with jerks certainly helped. I'm not an engineer, but am a retired senior project manager for a design/build architecture/construction company. Did you see my video of raising the roof on one bay of my 3-car garage so I could put 4 cars in a 3-car garage?

[@gingermeig]

@@ROKuberski no! I did not see that one, but will look for it. A friend and I put a lift in his garage and reformed the attic above the garage to allow room.

[@9thgatedim273]

Any advice for a 1956 Fairlane I want to put a bigger tire in the rear this will be my first ford

[@ROKuberski]

You need to make sure it will fit both when on the wheel and when you try to remove the inflated tire. That goes for any up sizing of tires on any car. I used a conversion chart to go from the recommended tire size in 1957 to find a modern tire size for my car. Fronts could actually be a size larger, but in the rear, it's already close for getting the tires up in the wheel well. I could not up size on the rear. And, I don't want to up-size. My car has a stock look and I like it that way. It's not a hot rod

[@jamestone265]

I replaced the original Ford-o-Matic with 1962 Cruise-o-Matic to have a true 3 speed all the time the 60-up have a vacuum modulator to control shifting. After the swap I replaced the rear end with an 8.8 with 2.74 gears. I am very pleased. The rear tires are 215-15-75 which are equal to the original 7.10’s and remove easily. I cruise on the hyway at 70+ @ 2200 rpm which is perfect. city with the starting in 1st is great…Because the Cruise-O is also an obsolete transmission I now would have chosen a C4. I seen no need of an OD after 6 years of the swap. My rear has 11 drums (f-150) so the e-brake was a direct install.

[@JH-oh1in]

Sadly the AOD is getting long in the tooth. Only way I know to get a good core is wreck out a driving car. Most people just bypass them now days for 4R70 or gear vendors. All the hassles you had make an 800 dollar shift controller and tps seem OK.

[@ROKuberski]

I don't know if there is a mod kit for the 4R70 for the 292 engine. I'm not an expert on this stuff, but after all of this that I went through, I might qualify.

[@johnhoward7298]

AWWOOO COME ON Lrts talk MORE transmissions ... LOL ( don't blame You if You don't )

[@ROKuberski]

I drove the car today and I LOVE the way this transmission works. Getting to where I am now was indeed a JOURNEY, but the end product is worth it. In hindsight, I should have bought a rebuilt unit from Monster Transmission, would have cost more, but it would have worked the first time.

[@johnhoward7298]

@@ROKuberski SOMETIMES the cheap way out costs more in the long run !!!! I use a shop that I can count on paying an average of ten percent more on anything They sell , or do ! ( ... but it's done right with the correct parts .. the first time & They GARENTEED the job )

[@ROKuberski]

In my part of the world (Denver,) finding a decent AOD for rebuild was a challenge. Cracked cases, rusty, really worn out. Maybe different where you live.

[@johnhoward7298]

@@ROKuberski what yr. modles works for You ?

[@ROKuberski]

Not sure I understand your question. Are you asking what model years AOD transmissions work with the adapter? It has to be a non-electronic controlled transmission. If I remember correctly that goes up to about 1992. You want to get the latest non-electronic core for rebuild that you can find. Some of the early AOD's are not desirable, but I don't remember what the cut-off year is.