History of the Auto transmission

[Bushbasher]

My old man had a P6 Town Car back in 79 and my 47yr old failing memory is telling me it had a C6 trans in it and not the usual FMX. I could be wrong about this but I was the one who always wound up digging through the service manual when ever anything went amiss and trying to figure out what the problem was cos he was hopeless when it came to cars. He just wanted to be able to hop in it and drive and if it stopped he'd get someone else to sort it out.

Bushbasher

[jcxr]

Originally Posted by XR6_661

BTR stopped making the 4 speeds when the BAs came out...

It was some other mob...IOS...ION? Something like that.

Same factory in Wodonga I think, name change only.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by mickxr8

Interesting, knew there was a 2 sp variant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise-O-Matic

but didn`t think they made it into aussie cars ?, our 59 fairlane had the 3 sp ( us import though )

The original two speeder came in two variants, the MX and FX, the lighter FX was used in early falcon,
Ford then added stronger MX internals and an extra gear calling it FMX...

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

My old man had a P6 Town Car back in 79 and my 47yr old failing memory is telling me it had a C6 trans in it and not the usual FMX. I could be wrong about this but I was the one who always wound up digging through the service manual when ever anything went amiss and trying to figure out what the problem was cos he was hopeless when it came to cars. He just wanted to be able to hop in it and drive and if it stopped he'd get someone else to sort it out.

Bushbasher

The only australian built Ford that i'm aware of fitted with a C6 was the Bill Bourke special, but that was fitted in Detroit.

I don't think any aussie Fords had a C6, usually either C4 or FMX for V8's.

[BGBLOK]

So, an original XY Falcon 500 column auto 250 six would have a what behind it??.. BW35 or C4?.
I'm about to buy one and that is the only thing I didn't check.

[mik]

Originally Posted by BGBLOK

So, an original XY Falcon 500 column auto 250 six would have a what behind it??.. BW35 or C4?.
I'm about to buy one and that is the only thing I didn't check.

I'd take a a confident punt and say bw35 for 6 and c4 for v8 , my 67 XR 289 had a c4 (cruisomatic)in it .

[4stanger]

Originally Posted by mik

I'd take a a confident punt and say bw35 for 6 and c4 for v8 , my 67 XR 289 had a c4 (cruisomatic)in it .

Back in the early eighties, a mate purchased a XA Fairmont, 250, C4 column auto.
My old man was a mechanic at the local Ford dealer and checked this out through the compliance ID plate, and he said at the time, that was a rare set up.
I think the obvious sign that led us to check out what auto was in it, was it had something to do with a kick down cable set up, vacuum hose there or not there, hard to remember.

[2011G6E]

Our XC-Update Fairmont GXL with the iron head 4.1 x-flow had a C4 fitted from the factory.

Autos have indeed come an awful long way...not that many years ago having an auto optioned in your car guaranteed lack of power and bad fuel economy, but not anymore, as modern smart autos allow the engine to operate in it's most efficient zone at all times.
4x4's are another area of amazing advancement...it used to be a case of a fourbie with an auto was a "What, are you crazy?" concept, and people with one fitted were laughed at. Now they're just about the gearbox of choice with modern 4x4's. Our Triton GLX-R has a five speed auto with shift-on-the-fly low range case. It's amazing off road, as was our Landcruiser 100 series GXL some years ago. You just concentrate on steering and let the box make up it's mind most of the time.
On the highway it just lopes along getting 10ltr/100 or less, quietly and efficiently. Best of both worlds.


How about "lock up torque converters"...? Haven't heard too much about them these days. They were all the rage some years back.

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by jpd80

The original two speeder came in two variants, the MX and FX, the lighter FX was used in early falcon,
Ford then added stronger MX internals and an extra gear calling it FMX...

Yep .. The FMX is a derivative of the BW M12 .. As used in AMCs, Studebakers and the like. You can interchange a lot of parts (thankfully for us AMC and Studebaker owners)

[Olbucko]

Originally Posted by frvellm1

I could be wrong but thought the BW35 was introduced in the XP. First seen in the Fairmont if I recall.

The standard auto XP sedans and wagons fitted with the 170 engine were fitted with the 2 speed Fordomatic.
Auto deluxe sedans, wagons, Hardtops, Futuras , squire wagons, and Fairmonts with the 170 or 200 motor were fitted with the BW35 auto which was called the Fordomatic 3S

The 144 was no longer available with an auto in an XP
the 200 was not available with a manual

The BW 35 was also fitted to other cars in Aust. at the time, the Austin Freeway 6 and the Hillman Minx come to mind

[mik]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Our XC-Update Fairmont GXL with the iron head 4.1 x-flow had a C4 fitted from the factory.

Autos have indeed come an awful long way...not that many years ago having an auto optioned in your car guaranteed lack of power and bad fuel economy, but not anymore, as modern smart autos allow the engine to operate in it's most efficient zone at all times.
4x4's are another area of amazing advancement...it used to be a case of a fourbie with an auto was a "What, are you crazy?" concept, and people with one fitted were laughed at. Now they're just about the gearbox of choice with modern 4x4's. Our Triton GLX-R has a five speed auto with shift-on-the-fly low range case. It's amazing off road, as was our Landcruiser 100 series GXL some years ago. You just concentrate on steering and let the box make up it's mind most of the time.
On the highway it just lopes along getting 10ltr/100 or less, quietly and efficiently. Best of both worlds.


How about "lock up torque converters"...? Haven't heard too much about them these days. They were all the rage some years back.

indeed they used to mix and match the autos in those xc era days, one of the good ford things being able to swap different autos with a bell housing, I saw a p6 ltd with a c4, although it may have been a c10? they look the same from underneath with the small pan, not 100% sure I think c10 is a bit beefier?

indeed the old scrubbers where a tad thirsty with the old gears, my old 76 patrol iirc being driven with respect went about 8 to 12 mpg ..... no syncro on 1st 3 hi/lo on the floor ......4.1 diff, frigging unstoppable in the bush, like watching paint dry on the highway .

[mik]

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Yep .. The FMX is a derivative of the BW M12 .. As used in AMCs, Studebakers and the like. You can interchange a lot of parts (thankfully for us AMC and Studebaker owners)

in my apprentice days we used to do a lot of fmx changes, we had the police contract, coppers where very hard on cars, xc police cars had a change over fmx every 40 thousand k's whether they needed it or not.

[Tassie f100]

Xp falcons had BW35 transmissions.Some early 289 XRs also had them before they changed to C4.The BW 40 basically the same trans continued until 1992 in XF utes and panel vans.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

How about "lock up torque converters"...? Haven't heard too much about them these days. They were all the rage some years back.

The new age gearboxes lock up the torque convertor in every gear now i'm sure. I know the ZF's do.

[BGBLOK]

The owner got back to me.. the shift lever is on the left (passenger side) so C4.. cool.. now, is the 250 bellhousing the same as a Windsor?..

Originally Posted by BGBLOK

So, an original XY Falcon 500 column auto 250 six would have a what behind it??.. BW35 or C4?.
I'm about to buy one and that is the only thing I didn't check.

[JG66ME]

Originally Posted by BGBLOK

The owner got back to me.. the shift lever is on the left (passenger side) so C4.. cool.. now, is the 250 bellhousing the same as a Windsor?..

No, you will need to swap bell housings.

[BGBLOK]

Thanks for the reply.. now starts the hunt for one of those. here we go!..
I'm in Perth if anyone has one.. or a complete V8 Windsor or Clevo box they don't want..

Originally Posted by JG66ME

No, you will need to swap bell housings.

[Tassie f100]

I think you will find the 6 cyl convertor is smaller than the v8.