tranny swap AOD or tremec 5 speed

[Hendog 10]

I'm looking to replace my FMX and am trying to decide whether to keep the car an auto or maybe convert it to a 5 speed. has anyone here swapped in a Dominator AOD from PATC or a 5 speed conversion kit offered by modern drive line?

[StephenC 10]

I'm looking to replace my FMX and am trying to decide whether to keep the car an auto or maybe convert it to a 5 speed. has anyone here swapped in a Dominator AOD from PATC or a 5 speed conversion kit offered by modern drive line?

If you want to go the AOD route why not spend less money they you would for the AOD from PACT and do an AODE or 4R70W? The TV cables on the AOD are not something I would want to deal with.

[Fordrevhead 29]

Well I'll second that the TV cables suck.

[maxum96 32]

Do want an automatic or do you want to row your own gears? You need to decide that. Some people prefer automatics. Some like manuals. I put a Tremec TKO in my car. My car was originally an automatic car.

[Hendog 10]

I am just starting my research on this tranny issue and don't have all the info on my options completely figured out yet. I am under the impression that the line up of trannies from PATC (the dominator jr, AODominator, and interceptor) are all 4R70W trannies, I don't want to put in a stock AODE or 4R70W. It's worth the extra cost to put in a tranny that will stand up to the abuse that may come its way. TCI also offers up an AOD that would work, PATC just offers a complete kit that would make the install easy. StephenC or anyone else, any info on this subject you can send my way would be greatly appreciated, thanks

[Hendog 10]

Well maxum96, Im sure that tko made your car alot more fun to drive as it would mine, are you still happy that you converted to the tko?

[Grabber70Mach 107]

Do some research here for AOD info:

 

http://www.clickclickracing.com/forums/forum.php

 

lots of good info.

[maxum96 32]

Well maxum96, Im sure that tko made your car alot more fun to drive as it would mine, are you still happy that you converted to the tko?

 

 

I love rowing gears! My car is not a Sunday driver, so the 5 speed is a blast. The 70 in my avatar was an automatic car that I drag raced occasional. It started life as a 302/C4, then became a 351C/FMX, and was a 351C/C6 car that saw occasional drag race duty. Not nearly as fun as my current car, but quicker in drag racing. Here's a little video I made of why I like a gear whacker car.

 

Edited October 31, 2010 by maxum96

[LindenBruce 27]

Do some research here for AOD info:

 

http://www.clickclickracing.com/forums/forum.php

 

lots of good info.

 

I am installing an AOD behind my 428CJ 69 Mach 1 and have learned a LOT from the click click racing website. The AOD does use a mechanical throttle valve cable to tell the transmission when to shift. The AODE/4R70W are electronic, which means you must use a controller and run a wiring harness from the transmission to the controller.

 

The AOD TV cable is not that bad, as long as you use the appropriate brackets for a carb setup or fuel injection setup. Now, you can ungrade the AOD internals with AODE/4R70W internals to make the AOD handle increased horse power and torque. But it will still have a TV cable setup.

 

If you are mechanically inclined, you can easily rebuild your own core AOD/AODE/4R70W transmission. They are fairly simple and it would save a lot of money. The best cores are anything from 89 and newer. Bruce

[Angel 24]

Do want an automatic or do you want to row your own gears?

 

I agree. I went from fmx to aod in my coupe because it was the easy way to go and it was my daily driver. My mach1 has a 5 speed, which is really fun haha. I now drive the 5 speed daily while I fix the coupe. At first it was annoying going from daily auto to daily stick. I went from using two limbs, left arm/right foot, to using all four because of the added clutch and shifter. Now after getting used to it, I like it. Only downside is you lose your freedom to multi-task while driving. Which is a bad idea to begin with, but I regretfully do. When I get the coupe fixed, it will be back to daily duty and the stick will become my back up car. I think a stick is safer because you're more focused on whats going on. Where with the auto, you can get distracted easily. I like the aod and have no problems with it. It still has a fun factor in a DD. However, for pleasure,fun, or just weekend car....stick shift is the way to go.

[Fordrevhead 29]

I miss a standard myself. I am converting my 70 to a standard of some sort.

 

My Fox body I converted from a standard to a C4 for drag. When I street drive it I use the ratchet shifter and drive it like a standard anyway (just no clutch) about 80% of the time, lol. Since it's full manual valve body, stall converter, shift kit, etc, it's a lot of fun. With my stock non power brakes if I am pushing it at all, I also tend to downshift it to help slow down too!

 

Anyway depends on what you want. You can make a C4 stand behind a stroker these days for less cost and less weight then a C6. I have built C4's myself. I had an AOD in a truck that was rebuilt but they didnt set the TV cables right it it did damage VERY quickly. I guess this is why I said they suck, lol.

[SVTRIDE 10]

Maxum96...nice video. I like the sound effects. I am looking for that sound in my project car. What exhaust system components are you running? X-pipe or H-pipe? Pipe diameters? Header type? etc?

 

Thanks

[Fordrevhead 29]

FM American Thunder Kit

 

This is the kit I used,

 

 

It's Flowmaster's American Thunder kit. It's designed to work with headers, but a muffler shop can hook it up to stock manifolds. It's 2 1/2" aluminized pipe. No modifications were needed to put this on my 70. They also make a version that the pipes come out the valance for Mach 1 cars. Summit sells it for $415. But it sounds like this setup might be a little loud for what you want.

[Hendog 10]

Watching your video maxum96 definitely makes me want that tremec and since I'm still saving for this project I have awhile before I need to make my decision. It looks as though swapping in that tremec may run as much as 2k more than an AOD swap so it will take that much longer to save up for it but I'm sure it will be worth it if thats the path I choose. Thanks for your input.

[CavScout 10]

Nice video - inspiring! I am having a 428 SCJ built for my Mach 1 and I want to put a Tremec behind it so I can do that type of driving.

[wantahertzdonut 10]

I also went from an FMX to Tremec TKO600 and wouldn't have it any other way. I was building my car for autocross so there's no room for an auto there. It also make for more fun driving on winding roads, which is about all I do with my car.

 

I am also the type of person who would have every car with a stick if I were able to. I also ride a motorcycle in stop-and-go traffic to and from work every day. Shifting is second nature to me.

[Jurisd 10]

has anyone here swapped in a Dominator AOD from PATC or a 5 speed conversion kit offered by modern drive line?

 

I recently (last Spring) completed a T-5 swap, replacing the C-6 in my '69 vert using the Modern Driveline kit. Although I agree with others that each person will have their own preference, for me, my car became so much more fun to drive with the manual gearbox.

 

As for the install, I had a local shop do it, and had a great deal of difficulty on the clutch alignment (which caused the stiffest clutch I've ever felt). The installer claimed Modern Driveline's kit was faulty, but then he didn't bother to follow the instructions and ended up grinding and modifying the kit's parts because he thought he knew so much more than MD. Long story short, Bruce at Modern Driveline was great - he worked with me to diagnose the problems, and in the end went the extra mile to make sure I was happy. And the installer charged me for every minute of diagnosis and re-work, even for his own mistakes. I'll look to Modern Driveline again if I need something - needless to say, I will not, however, be a repeat customer for the local installer.

 

In a nutshell, I would highly recommend doing a swap to a manual.:biggrin:

[metalgraver 12]

Hello every body. Its the new guy with a Mach 1 to restore. Since I have never driven one of these cars I would like to know why do you change out the FMX, which is what my car came with. My car still has the original 351W and the FMX transmission.

[det0326 179]

Hello every body. Its the new guy with a Mach 1 to restore. Since I have never driven one of these cars I would like to know why do you change out the FMX, which is what my car came with. My car still has the original 351W and the FMX transmission.

 

I'm fairly new to the forum also and I'm sure you will find as I did that there is a huge wealth of knowledge on this forum. From what I know

about transmissions is as always the manual whether it be 4 or 5 speed is just simply fun to drive. The Automatic overdrives over the FMX of course gives you

lower 1st and 2nd with the advantage of overdrive to save fuel. IMO though with 500 HP who wants to save fuel? LOL

Edited October 11, 2013 by det0326

[LiLMike 42]

Metalgraver, Welcome to the forum. There is nothing wrong with the FMX. Only problem is finding parts for them and there are not any performance parts except maybe a shift kit or two out there. It is a good little tranny if you are leaving the 351w stock or very little upgrades. Also don't forget about the rear gears. They can tear up a tranny if you go overboard. Once you excede the limits of the stock FMX you will need to go another route....IE: C4, C6 or an AOD if you are staying with automatics. I also have the same setup as you and I want to stroke out my 351 to a 408 and up grade my gears to 3:73 or 3:89. I have been looking at the AODs so I will not over rev my motor out on the interstate.