The only thing the 700 R4 will give you over the AOD is the low first gear. This helps substantially on loaded trucks. However untill you pay for adaptors and all the other paranephelia to make it wotk on the ford engine a bullet proof AOD can be constructed.

The myth in overdrives is there weak. its all in the setup. I have smoked 700R4s and AODs all due to just lack of setup knowlage.. After the first few costly mistakes you tend to learn.

A good base for you by looking at your question would be a mildy built 302 with an overdrive.

The cab you purchased for your truck has a three speed collum there fore does not have the large "hump" that would have been in your old cab. If remaining with a four speed it will need to be totally cut out of the 64 floor pan and the complete bolt in hump installed.

 

Another question are you going to change out the 9" or Dana for a GM unit? I see no benifit in doing that as the 9" is basically a bullet proof rear with a Limited Slip Setup form the factory.

4.10s are about right range for the 289 or 392 to pull with the AOD. there really tall if not running an overdrive.

Garbz

 

I am definiatly keeping the rear end. The floor of both cabs are identical, except for the large removable panel in the four speed cab.
What is involved in setting up the AOD transmission correctly.

 

The AOD requires settings of pressure while in operaton. can be tricky driving and reading without a helper. for a carbed application the Lokar cable works.

Google AOD transmission and look for a set up procedure. it talks you through the steps. To try an explain them here would only confuse things with shims and such.

Fuel injection is a little easier as long as the cable is replaced in the same position on the mount as it came off you will be ok. still need to check the operation pressures. and possibly do minor adjusting.

I assumed you were changeing the rear out to a ten or twelve bolt with the appliation of "Posi". As soon as someone mentions GM nomenclature everyone gets uhh testy LOL.

I lost a link to a good set up maunal for the AOD. I will root around my old puter and see if i can find it.

Garbz

 

I had a '70 w/ a 302 that I worked hard for years. It was fine in a 1/2 ton truck. The 289 is shorter stroke, which will give you even less torque. If you have some serious work to do, go bigger, or at least the 300 six. That's what's going in my '64 project.

 

I would like to thank all of you that have taken the time to respond to my question. It sounds like most of you feel that the 289/305 will do the job nicely. I am getting the feeling is that the 305 is the better choice.
As for the transmission, I am a purist at heart, I have done 4 frame off restorations in the last 12 years each one being totally stock. Changing the drive train from stock goes agains my philosophy but a necessity with this project.
My next dilemma is whether to carburater or fuel injected?
Garbz2 has got me loking closer at the AOD transmission.
Any other suggestions

 

I'm new to the automatic overdrive game as well. What I've heard (and read on some of the transmission sites) was to stick with the 1988 (or it might've been 1989) up to 1993 AOD's out of Mustangs, Lincolns, or Trucks.(the Mustangs went to the AOD-E in 1994) They said that the earlier AOD's had a lubricating problem towards the rear that messes up the tailshaft and that they weren't worth fooling with. They also said the best later model AOD's were out of the Trucks, Lincolns, or Mustangs because of the number of clutches inside as well as their construction which really helped them handle alot of torque. Mine came out of my buddy's 89 GT Conv. He switched to a 5 spd. (as alot of Mustangers do) and just gave me the trans to get it out of his shop. My combo is going to be a 302 with EFI and the AOD. The 302 right now is in my 81 F150 with C-6 behind it and a 600 Holley on top. I get between 16-18 (highway) mpg right now. When it gets transplanted to the 66 I hope to get close to 20 mpg with the EFI and AOD. As far as hauling goes, I've never had anything I couldn't pull. Of course I'm not hauling any tractors or 32 ft enclosed trailers around. I'd be getting a new power stroke diesel for those. I do trailer cars quite often and don't have any problems what so ever with the small block. The AOD must be a tough little trans because there are several transmission companies that advertise in some of the late-model Mustang magazines that have some of their trans set-up to handle over a 1000 hp! I'm sure there plenty of people on this site that have FAR MORE knowledge than I do on the AOD. Maybe they can shed more light on this trans. I have 4 & 5 speeds in all of my cars but I just wanted my truck to be an easy to drive automatic. I guess I'm getting lazy in my old age.

 

If it's going to be a driver,here's how & why I would set it up;
'85-'95 302 from a mustang-they come factory w/roller cams and forged('85-'92)or hyperutectic('93-'95)pistons.Change to a more torque oriented cam,carb it with a Stealth/holley & headers.
AOD Ford trans-GM 700-r4's are junk!Ask a chevy guy with more than 50hp.The most easily beefed AOD's are from '87 -up.Use a good trans cooler and get the TV cable hooked up on the carb right.
Keep the 9" ford rear,it's already there & better than most mopar and any rearend from the General.If you plan on lots of interstate travel,go with 3.55 gears,if around town driving is most of it,4.10's are ok.351W's get decent mileage,but a 302 will usually get a little better and are the cheapest,most common ford engines to find/build.High teens,low 20's mpg shouldn't be a problem.
To cover the other bases....
352,360,390-great engines,terrible on gas for just a driver
351m/400m-fords joke on the truck community.Uses gas like a bigblock,powers like a smallblock,weak bottom end like a chevy.
351 Cleveland-what most m owners think they have.Great in a Torino,not really a good truck motor.Kinda $$$ to build too.
429/460-see 352,360,390.Can't beat 'em for pulling,racing or towing.
300 six-more torque than a 302,uses just as much gas.Live forever.6 buzzy sound though.
JMO.

 

Thank you for all your suggestion. After a little more research on the transmission it looks like it is going to be an all Ford dirve train. The engine will be a 87 to 93, 305 with a 4 barrel carb and a AOD, overdrive transmission non electronic.

Thanks Again Phil

 

You're sticking a Chevy mill in a Ford?! Dontcha want the thing to move?

 

I think ( I hope!) he meant to say 302 instead of 305...

 

Oops yes it should have said 305 5Ltr Ford
Phil

 

It's 302 cubic inches for Uncle Henry's small block my friend. Or as it has come to be known in the Mustangs, 5.0 liter V-8 You're gonna give some of the guys in here heart failure if they think you're gonna drop a Chevy in that thing! Ha Ha! And if you were, the 305 Chevy would definately not be the one you would want to use! (unless your boat needed a new anchor!)

 

Go Big or Go Home
My $.02

 

Yeah that's the slogan the local getto wheel & tire shop uses around here for their TV commercials. As they have three gangster looking "prison rejects" standing in front of this 85 Impala that's jacked up about 8" so it can fit these insane 28" wheels on it. It looks like something they used to use on covered wagons back in the day! I thought it was one of those joking Geico insurance commercials at first but it was real! I know, I know you were talking about engine size in your reply but the phrase made me think of that commercial right off the bat. Anyway, engine size should probably reflect what you wanted to do with the truck. As much as I would like to have a stroker 460 or 427 in my truck, I realize that it will more than likely be more daily driver than show truck or trailer puller. That's why a warmed over 302 w/ fuel inj & AOD make more sense to me. They're way more plentiful and cheaper & easier to build than the big blocks. And with gas being what it is these days, it makes more sense in that direction as well. I have been able to put lots of miles on them as well. 260K mi. on my 85 model and 171K mi. on my 94 model so longevity is not a problem either. I have towed plenty of cars with the small block and while it's no Power Stroke, it does just fine. The big motors are fine but the small block just makes more sense to me with what I'm going to do with my truck. It's kind of like colors to paint your truck or what wheels & tires to use on it. It's all just personal choice. That is of course unless you want to use the 28's on it like on the Impala! That's just wrong!!! Ha Ha!!!