AOD into 72 w/ 302

[Joshpow]

I got a deal offered to get an AOD from an early 80s crown vic or ltd. I can't remember which it was. It has a 351 Windsor. It has paperwork backed rebuild. I can drive the car to check the transmission out. I was wondering what all may be involved in the swap from a c4. Also, could my 78/9 tilt column be adapted to the overdrive pattern? I want to keep tilt and column shift. I have heard van overdrive column parts could be used. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[flatblack]

is the car carberated or fuel injected? the reason im asking if it is carberated it will be a simple swap as you can use the tv (throttle valve) cable on your own carb, if its fuel injected you will have to buy an aftermarket one, do not drive without one as the aod's tend to depend on the tv cable to run right or you could mess up your trans bad. if you have a c4 they are the same length so you wont have to worry about the driveshaft. you will have to swap over the backing plate and i think the flywheel. again it all depends on what you have behind your current 302 and if the car is fuel injected or not

[FORDification]

I don't know...I'm thinking you'd probably have better luck converting a van column to use in the truck than trying to convert your existing tilt unit to shift the overdrive.

[marxtoys]

C4 or C6 flywheel <might> work.

Shifter could be as simple as taking a sharpie and drawing an 'O' around the existing 'D'.

IIRC, shift pattern is usually PRN432 .

[flatblack]

pretty sure the c6 flywheel wont work, and i doubt the c4, i made the mistake of trying to bolt up an aod right after a c4 and it didnt work

[willowbilly3]

I had a 302 Gan Marquis with AOD (or was it ADD?) Well it was a great car but that thing could smell a hill before you got there. In OD about all it could do was maintain speed on flat ground.

[binder56jd]

i had a AOD behind a 5.8l in a conversion(long wheel base) van--avg'ed 16 mpg, but as WB said it'll shift on any small grade--if it were me i'd do the whole package--engine and trans--but then i like small blocks

[Joshpow]

I guess I'll stick to a c4 then. I really don't want alot of hassle. I figure a bunch of work on the column and flywheel would end up costing as much as just buying another c4. My only problem is I am not sure if the replacement transmissions have the tailshaft with a bolt on yoke. I plan on a TCI right now.

[flatblack]

i dont know alot about shipping prices but if you pay for shipping i have an extra aod and tv cable for carb that you can have for the instal.

[willowbilly3]

I was reading an article in Hotrod a few years back on overdrives. One of the staff members put an AOD in his 64 Comet convert. He smoked 4 of them before he got the TV cable adjusted properly. Probably didn't know what he was doing tho.

[Alvin in AZ]

My neighbor started and ran his own automatic transmission shop
and his son now runs it, a very successful business. :)
He don't think much of the Ford AOD! :/
E4OD yeah, AOD nope.

Me?
I can can't stand any of the dangged squirt boxes. LOL :)
YMMV on that? ;)

Alvin in AZ 360FE+T18

[Joshpow]

I appreciate the input guys. I've had lots of praise from one guy about the AOD, and I figure the overdrive might help. However, after a little more talking around, he seems to be one of a few. I guess I'll stick c4. Thanks for the help.