223 I6 to C4 Transmission

Hi, this is my first post:

I just bought a 1958 Ford Meteor (it's basically a Canadian version of a custom 300), its got a 223 I6 & 3 on the tree. I bought the car for my dad and since he's only got one arm I guess I'm going to have to convert it to an automatic. Now the more I look into it the more it seems that I've got a couple of good options;

1. Install an AOD with the use of an adapter kit fabbed up by Bendtsen's.
2. Install a C4 with a bellhousing from a 1964 ford that had the one year only 223 to C4 powertrain combo.

-Theese seem to be the logical choices opposed to the primative ford-o-matic, or the bulky C6.

I was wondering if any of you guys out there could could recomend one over the other, (I'm leaning twards the C4)
-also I'm not even 100% sure where I could track down a bell for the C4 swap.

Any help would be appreciated, as I'm an Old's guy I don't have much experience with Ford specific issues.
If any one has the C4 bell or knows a speed shop that might carry one please let me know.

Thanks,
-Nate.

Check the rear end gear ratio. The overall ratio with the AOD may be to high for the small engine to pull in a heavy car. The AOD overdrive ratio is .67 to one. Multiply the .67 times the rear end gear ratio (sometimes found on a tag held on by one of the third member bolts) to get your final ratlio. Example .67 times 3.50 (sample ratio) = 2.345 to one overall ratio: very high for a small engine. 2.80 would be better. You could always run the AOD in 3rd gear in which case it would be the same as high (3rd) gear in the C4. With the AOD you could later get better use of the overdrive by changing the rear end gear ratio to a 3.89 or 4.11. This would help the car "jump" off the line better from a standing start, and still give you an economy gear for cruising on the freeway.

With the AOD you have a lock up converter for better mileage if that is important. If you choose the AOD, you will have to fabricate a linkage or cable trans controller connected to the throttle. With the C4 you need only run a vacuum line to the the back of the transmission.

Hi, Thanks for the reply,

So it looks like I might have to do some research on the gears in the back, maybe swap them out if I go with the AOD,
That's not all that bad, or costly with a Ford 9" as far as I know.

I'm hopefully sending the old girl into the tranny shop this week to have the rear end seals and bearings replaced,
I'll have them look it over and give me some specs,

I know that the ford 9" is a beautiful piece of equipment, but I don't know if the fact that its a 55 year old version might limit it's options.

You've given me some good information, and more to move forward with, Greatly appreciated,

Cheers,
-Nate.

Sorry I don't know about the transmisson swap but I know about the one arm buisness, I have a pretty useless right arm and can drive my 55 ford I6 with 3 on the tree without a problem, I usuall keep my thump on the wheel and grab the shift lever with my fingers and shift. so if it's only the one arm thing making you want to swap trannys then maybe try driving it as is? good luck

Nate, I also have a 1958 Meteor and I too live in Ontario. Mine is a Niagara 300 with a 223 and automatic transmission. I am yanking 6 and auto trans to replace them with a 351w & 5 spd. If you are interested I would be interested in a swap of everything you need for the installation of an automatic in your car for some of the things I need for the switch in mine. You would get 223, auto trans, steering column with shifter and selector indicator, brake pedal, linkages, and driveshaft or yoke. This would include flexplate, starter. My engine has internal damage and is seized. Condition of trans is unknown. I bought car this way. I would like your steering column with shifter, pedals, driveshaft or yoke, belcrank and springs, pivot on block, any manual trans related linkages. Let me know if you are interested.
Contact me at rdsgwilson@yahoo.ca

the Gwillyville Kid.

I know of a 64 in a local junkyard that has a 223 and automatic. and I did look up the code on the tag and it has 3.50 gears.

Hi,

Just wondering what type of automatic transmission was in that '64? ... C4?

I've still got no solid proof of the 223 ever being factory mated to a C4

I've long since swapped the Meteor to a '58 ford-o-matic, but I'd still like to upgrade.

-Nate.

You can get a kit to bolt a C4 and also the AOD to your 223. I am looking for all the stock auto parts to convert my 54 with 3 speed with overdrive

Yeah,
I've long since learnt of a couple of shops that'll make adapters to fit just about any transmission you want to any engine you've got.
It'd still be nice to have a complete Ford factory designed powertrain without all the mess of an adaper kit.

Anyone here actually running an adapter kit on there 223?

It has long been rumored that the C4 was used on the 1964 223, but over all the years I have never run into one. But you could adapt a later FMX trans to the stock bell and that could be a decent combo if used with a good shift kit.

Before I did the transmission swap last fall, I'd bought a '71 FMX & measured the trans mounting pattern as well as the ford-o-matic's.
Allthough they look very similar the input shafts are inches apart (vertically), so to make it work you'd actually have to do a fair amount of material removal,
and still redrill the bolt hole locations ( I think)

You're probably right that it is possible - but it would require a proper machine shop to get the fordomatic bell to sink inline with the FMX.

Do you know of anyone who's done this? It'd be awsome to get hold of some specs.
If I had a spare ford-o-matic bell I'd whip up a CAD drawing & shop it out, even if just for curiosity...

...But the more I start to re-think this old problem yet again, I think I'd just be better-off biting the bullet & throwing in a V8 & C4 as is

Cheers,
Nate.

I have no idea on what trans is in the 64 as its sunk up to the frame and probably has been sitting there about 40 years due to being hit in the front,its been sitting there with the trunk open the whole time and a large tree is growing between the quarter panel and frame so it would not be easy to jack it up. I was there saturday and looking at it and could see if I can tell what trans it has the next time I am there,if its a C-4 it would probably be worth it to get it but the floor would have to be cut out to remove the trans.

1958 METEOR 223 I6":2py78oo1 said:

Hi,

Just wondering what type of automatic transmission was in that '64? ... C4?

I've still got no solid proof of the 223 ever being factory mated to a C4

I've long since swapped the Meteor to a '58 ford-o-matic, but I'd still like to upgrade.

-Nate.

Click to expand...

I have done some of these swaps back in the later 1960's using the late Cruse O Matics in place of the Ford O Matics. It was fairly easy to re drill the Cruse O Case to bolt to the Ford O bell housing. I don't think there is much difference between the FMX and those Cruse O cases, I have an FMX to try it with I just need to find a 223 bell, torque converter, and flex plate to adapt it with.

Hahaha!

This might be a record for the longest time to update a thread?…

Damn near 10 years on!

I’ve driven my 58 Custom 300 for about 11 years now with the same 223 I6 and the Ford-O-Matic swapped with my friend (found from this site!) Rick.

Both the engine and trans are getting tired now. I’ve got a sweet 223 in the shop that I picked up for a bargain years ago and thinking that this August is the time to pull the pin and swap it into service!…

…which begs the question again; What to do about the transmission?

Re-reading this thread, I was debating between a C4 and an AOD…

The Ford-O did well over the years (impressively) but leaks like a *****and honestly never got what I felt to be the pull out of the engine that’s there.

So I guess my new question is this:

I don’t care about overdrive, I’d be happy with a 3 speed auto, so what’s the best 3 speed auto that I can fit into a 58 Ford passenger car butted up to my 223?

I know likely it’ll take an adapter kit (I’m good with that!) so if anyone out there could suggest first hand if they’re running a C4, C6, TH350?, etc, and what they used for an adapter I’d really appreciate the info.

Thanks to anyone who’d care to help me out!

Cheers,
Nate

For the Ford 223 Six's in a 3 speed Automatic the improved version of the FMX could be adapted to your current 223 Six Ford O Matic Bell Housing with just a little bit of work as they are part of the same family of transmissions. Ford went back to their tried and true FMX with beefy MX internals inside the smaller FX case for the 351 engines that arrived in 1969. It was a rugged and dependable three-speed automatic. Trans Go has a performance shift kit for them too. Borg-Warner designed and manufactured them from 1968-1979 for 351W and 351C engines. Were used in the 1969-1973 Mustang’s and also the 1969-1979 Cougars. It used the heavy-duty MX gear train in the smaller FX case for durability with the Ravineaux planetary gearset (a single, twin planetary unit) that Planetary was continued in use in the Automatic Overdrive Trans (AOD) beginning in 1980

Ford 223 Six Transmission Adapters

Ford 223 Six to using a Ford AOD 4 speed overdrive and also likely a C4 3 speed but you would need to ask about that.
https://transmissionadapters.com/collections/ford/products/ford-223-to-aod

Ford 223 Six to the Chevy Automatic’s which includes 2 Speeds, 3 speeds and 4 speed Overdrives
https://transmissionadapters.com/collections/ford/products/fo1002301-ford-223-to-chev

I’m currently installing the Chevy to 223 kit mentioned. It is far from a bolt together swap! Most of the holes are off either drilled off center or not perpendicular to the adapter. The starter took some machining to get lined up. Also took a lot of trimming of the adapter plate for clearances. Almost spent the same amount for corrections as I paid for the adapter.