Good Morning everyone. I have been a FORD truck for a very long time and I just recently purchased a 1966 F100 with the Ranger option, The truck has been sitting for a 20+ years and after spending the last couple of weekends on it and replacing many parts. I finally took it on a test drive yesterday after checking/changing/topping off all of the fluids. Everything was going great, I stopped to fill up for the fuel tank, started the truck up and pulled away from the service station and stopped at a stop sign. Once I stopped and proceeded to pull into traffic, well. the truck did not move. Luckily the reverse worked and I managed to pull to the side of the road.

Now my question, I want to make a swap to a C6 (or if there is another suggestion) and I understand that I can removed/purchase one from a 68 and up truck. What else is needed? fly wheel? driveshaft? special linkage? trans cross member? fabricate trans cooler lines and so on.

I went around this forum and found plenty of other information from a manual trans to a automatic trans and using and making a floor shift. I want to keep everything as factory looking as possible including the column shift.

any guidance. Thanks

 

Welcome to FTE!
A C6 swap is pretty simple but you need to post a little more information. What engine and transmission is in it now? I don't know if you can post pictures. If you can, post a picture of the warranty plate on the door and someone will decode it so you will know what it had in it when it was born. If you can't post pics just post the info on that plate.
If it is an original Ranger with an auto trans you may want to keep it like it is and have your transmission rebuilt.

 

Crop Duster - I guess that I could have included that. The engine is a 352 and the plate should be below. I wish it was smaller to view better.

 

I see that says made in Canada. Some one with the books will show up eventually. As far as the transmission that is in it. Look under there and see if it has a cast iron main case if it does it is most likely the original Cruise-O - Matic.
When it quit pulling did you try it in all the forward gears?

 

It is the cruise a matic transmission no doubt about it. Yes, all forwards gears are out. Only reverse.

 

Classicguy, May I offer a larger suggestion. It has been a few years now, but I have swapped to C6 more than once. If you want to stay with the FE engine, I suggest finding a 73-79 half ton and do a total front axle swap along with the transmission and get power steering and power disc brakes along with the auto. When buying the donor you get so many more needed parts, than just parts buying. The steering column will bolt up as well. I had the engine and trans rebuilt so there would be many years of use ahead without worrying. Then someone came along and made me an offer and drove it away.

John

 

My first guess is the seal ring blew in the forward clutch. Since it sat for 20 years could be other stuff also. Your easiest and probably the cheapest fix is to pull it and have it overhauled. But like John said swapping in a C6 is more than just finding a transmission. Also the C6 will not go in from the back without removing the center cross member which in your case if that truck came with an auto should be bolted in instead of riveted.

 

With a name like classic guy and the fact you said you have been a FORD truck for years now - you should keep your truck classic. Switching to a C6 will work but the COM is a good transmission with all of the consumable parts readily available. John always suggests a newer donor vehicle to get power brakes and power steering AND automatic, but your truck is already an automatic. And, unless you buy a freshly rebuild C6 - instead something used from something you can't drive - assuming - you might have to have the C6 rebuilt or rebuild it yourself before it would be viable.

You said yourself that everything was going great - I believe you - but running any auto that has sat for 20+ years with no attention other than fluids could go either way on a person. If your truck were not a Ranger I wouldn't even reply. But a Ranger with an original automatic - to swap to a C6 is going the wrong way if you want it to be as classic as possible.

My Ranger actually had a C6 in it when I bought it but I've rounded up everything needed to put it back to the COM. The cooling system is one of the coolest things about it.

New old stock - Side mount cooler B7D-7870-A



Transmission Oil Cooler Water Return Tee Connector



Main V2 Control Units



Rear housing with bearing



You won't need this stuff - just saying stuff can still be found with little problem. Certainly clutch discs, bands, gaskets and seals are all available.

My 2 cents, which is going to be a little different than others.

 

Chad, can you decode that warranty plate?
I agree if it is all original I would fix the COM.

 

F10 - F100 4x2

Y - 352 2V 8 cylinder

C - Ontario Truck assembly plant

820291 - 1966 - Assembled February 1966

115" Wheelbase.

H - Sahara Beige

F100 - F100 4x2 5,000 Lbs GVWR

U81 - U = Parchment crinkle vinyl and black rosette pattern vinyl bucket seats (Ranger) - 81 = 81B = Custom Cab

G - MX COM automatic transmission

17 - Ford 9" 3.25 (3.3M) WDM-H-S

5,000 lbs. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.

172 net HP @ 4,000 RPM

22 - Charlotte, SC sales office

 

Thanks jowilker. I a, going to stay and rebuild the transmission. I like to keep everything the as 1966 ford would have built it.

 

Thanks TA455HO. I agree, I am going to rebuild it. Thanks for the information

 

Good Choice How about some pictures

 

here will be a couple on when I picked it up. I would love to pick up some steel wheels

 

Thank you That is going to be a good start to a project.