Has anyone installed an AOD to a Y-Block in a 1956 Ford F-100? Im wondering if the floor boards have to be modified to provide enough clearance for the AOD Housing.

 

Shouldn't make any difference what engine the AOD is bolted to...the issue will be where the trans sits under the cab floor. The AOD does have a rather large bellhousing but you should be able to accommodate that with the existing trans cover. Here is a pic of my 56 with an AOD installed.

 

Thanks Charlie. That looks like the stock cross member. Is the transmission bolted up to the AOD at the Cross Member or a tail shaft mount behind it? Mine is just like that but Im afraid when I step on it, the engine torque will move the engine and tranny enough to smack the floor board.

 

The crossmember is the original. I had to fabricate a rear transmission mount which uses the stock AOD rubber mount/isolator, here's a pic.

 

Charlie, Thanks for the photo and explanation. Is your front motor mount the stock center mount?

 

Does the original cross-member not need to be made a bolt-in arrangement so that the transmission can be removed without taking the engine out?

 

I never considered that becasue I removed it so I could remove all the rust and crud before I put my frame rails back together. There is a ongoing debate in lots of forums about removing the factory rivets and replacing with bolts. Some feel the factory rivets are stronger than replacing with bolts. Others feel the benefit of removing the cross members are beneficial to restore the condition of the frame. I was surprised how much corrission (my 3 frames) was hidden where the cross members and frame rails are attached.

First time I posted this response, I thought the cross member might need to be removed to take the transmission out without the motor. Thats just an assumption. Without ever trying it, I honestly cant answer the question. It may be possible but there is another question. Can the cross member be removed without removing the engine? If you cant remove the cross member (assuming its bolted in), removing the transmission without the motor may be impossible if the cross member needs to be removed. I hope that makes sense.

 

From a structural point of view its not that the rivets are stronger than bolts - they aren't. But rivets completely fill the holes so you should get a stiffer joint. Clearance fit bolts on the other hand will allow for some movement. The cross-member can of course be made with a removable section leaving the rivets in place at each end. With the right design I think that is the best option.


As you say though removing the engine is not the end of the world especially given the reliability of the AOD. Depends how much you like burnouts I guess.

 

At present my crossmember is still in its original configuration. When I get back to this project I will modify it to make it removable. As for the motor mounts, I had to fabricate them myself. I have a SBF engine and a Volare IFS. Here is an old pic showing the front end setup with the mounts I built...

 

Wondering this myself. My Truck has a y-block and original HD 3 speed tranny..And its driving me nuts. If it had an auto, it would be so much more enjoyable to drive. Seen loads of adapters for various different transmissions, but no idea which are good and bad. Not being from the ole US of A..iv never used any of the tranny's on offer. C4, C6..AOD..means nothing to me.

 

Only one I am familiar with is the AOD (Ford automatic overdrive). It requires a special bell housing adaptor to mount up to the Y-Block but the set up leaves you with a center mount tail shaft transmission mount and the stock Y-Block center engine mount found in the stock 56 Ford F-Series. Too much movement of the transmission and engine side to side without some sort of modification.

 

A local truck club member bought an adapter plate to mount a late model 4R70W to his Y block engine in his 56 F100. He also bought the electronic controller from Bauman. I haven't seen him in awhile but when I last spoke to him he was very pleased with the setup.

 

adapter is available, not cheap AT all. 850.00. bendtsen's transmissions. 763-767-4480 come on, it'll help the economy. not your's. .