Very well wrote, Justin. Reps to you. Very well wrote.

The 300 doesn't have the horse to be giving it up to an automatic. Or the torque, for that matter.

 

It wouldn't let me rep you, J. =(

 

The C6 uses more power/torque at lower speed than it does once the vehicle gets moving. The most power/torque is used when taking off from a stop, and drops off when rolling.
Yes, it still consumes some power even when just cruising down the hiway, since the pump is always being driven, but less power is required to drive the pump under lighter loads. The highest load on the trans, is taking off from a stop, especially with a heavy load.

 

I love my 300/M5R2 combo. I wish it wasn't geared so tall though (3.08). I wouldn't be afraid to hook up anything that my half-ton pickup is rated for, but I don't beat on my truck and it's 2wd.

 

That's alright buddy, it's the thought that counts.

 

I hate to say it, but you guys are really depressing me. I can see my beloved, tricked out C6 floating away on the dollars being sucked from my wallet for the new trans.

Regarding the clutch: I haven't even considered that yet. I'm still collecting data, and trying to rationalize cutting loose the $. AB wounded me with the infamous "40 hp" remark.

 

You *^t Chit, U changed your "loger title"..."restorer". ("How'd he dooo that?").This aint the first rodeo U been 2! (I finally got one that describes me). I saw n heard that Bronk. Now finish up the last bits n bouts so you can RIP w/a smile.
Congrats on the build, enjoy YOUR Bronco.

I'll thank ya kindly for the link n try it during day light hrs, up way beyond my 'hrs'. U get that caulator from a EB site? I seem to remember seein it on CB, bronco zone, or may B pirate 4X4? Gotta see what gives w/33" tires. Hey, know how I can get a '69 250 I6 up here (MA) from E.TN?

 

Didn't mean to depress you on that. Just got to know what you have so you can understand it and know it's pluses and minuses.

The C6 is a rugged beast, much like the stock 300. Slow and steady. Not the best for high performance. If your C6 is tricked out (remember reading up on what you did to it), I imagine there are some out there who would pay well for it. It's highly prized to go on rock crawlers and and off-roaders where rugged dependability is king.

On the plus side, if you were to switch to a manual, you'd at least know you've got quite a few more smiles-to-the-ears moments coming, instead of wondering if it was worth the hassle.

 

OFF TOPIC: AB, lucked out on head gasket, both collector gaskets broke like ceramic. They weren't soaked, and hard as a rock.

 

That's how mine were. I had to use a bench wire wheel to get the old gasket off. Like you said, it was like ceramic.

 

Hey, just thought I'd chime in.

I just got back from a week and half vacation back to utah. I took the bronco and towed an eighteen foot car hauler trailer with it. I know from the scrap yards that my bronco empty and that trailer empty together weigh 6400 pounds. Once the Utah vacation was over I had to load up a bunch of furniture on the trailer. Two couches, a bed, two dressers, a desk, three chairs, and random house stuff. In the bed of the bronco was a bunch of heavier stuff: canned food, a cast iron miter saw, a t-18 tranny from another truck, and two big garbage bags full of clothes on the front bench with me. All in all the GVW was probably 8K or so. And the Bronco did great! WOW! I was so expecting to do 55 through Nebraska and Iowa and probably 40 through the Wyoming mountains. But instead I was able to hold 60 through all but the very steepest of the Wyoming mountains and do 75 through Nebraska and Iowa (I only actually did 65 or 70 most of the time for safety with the half-ton brakes, but the power to do 75 was there). I was honestly amazed at how well that 300 pulled that load. Here's the specs:

Stock EFI 300 except for low resistance wires and platinum plugs (I changed the air cleaner before I left too)
mazda 5spd
3.55 gears
stock 235/75R15

It worked fantastic. The 300 didn't mind the tall first. Though reverse in that tranny is still a bonehead ratio for a truck. My vote for your truck is for a ZF, or possibly a t-18/np435 with a GV.

 

Thanks for the feedback. That is good to know--from someone who just did it. Sounds like a dream vacation.

Yes, the ZF sounds like the way to go. With my 3.31 rear, adding a GV to it might be too much for double overdrive, but would split each gear leading up to O.D.

 

AB--sometimes knowledge is painful. Lol. I appreciate the feedback. That is why I asked. It is good to have somewhere to go to find out. Thanks.

Bill, from what the other member said regarding towing on vacation, it reminded me of what you said about the 3.55 rears being the best for the 300.

Say I did install the ZF, with the ex. slave cylinder, does anyone know how I connect the linkage for the clutch?

 

Of course, all that info was for a stock 300, which yours definitely isn't. I imagine you feel the affects much less, although they're still there simply because it's still a drain.

Here's a guy over on FullSizeBronco who put a ZF / Hydraulic clutch in place of his mechanical. Yours would be from scratch since you have an auto, but all the info should still be relevant.

1983 Ford Bronco Hydraulic Clutch picture | SuperMotors.net

 

My opinion, I would never swap a perfectly good C6 for a manual. Especially a tricked out C6.
6-7 years ago, when my C6 went out, I did seriously consider swapping to a 5 speed. But, having found a guy that offered to rebuild the C6 for $450, including r&r, and back it with a 5yr/75K warrentty, I opted to go that route since the cheapest I could find a a ZF for was $500, and I would have needed another $200-300 for flywheel/clutch/clutch pedal assembly, and the cost just didn't justify the effort.
Yes, I know the C6 does rob some power. And it also knocks off a little MPG, but I can deal with it to retain the legendary durability of the C6.
I do prefer manual transmissions, and every other vehicle I have is equipped with a 5 speed, yet I still rely heavily upon the old ford to haul the others home, should they ever need it.
I'm even sticking with a C6 when I swap the 4wd drivetrain under the truck, since that happens to be what the donor has in it, even though the 3.50 gears are at the borderline of what a stock carbed 300 can handle without OD at hiway speeds (~2500 RPM @ 65 MPH). I've never been one to get in a big hurry when driving the old ford, especially when dragging a loaded trailer on the hiway, nor do I expect the old truck to achieve much better than 15MPG loaded, 18MPG empty. Heck, new trucks can barely top those numbers......