Best Tri-Y's for a '69?

[LindenBruce 27]

Yeah here you go. I will take some pics at the carb end tomorrow and post them too. Bruce

[LindenBruce 27]

Here is the cross member I fabed up. Also, check out the AOD clearance on these FPA tri-y's. Bruce

[tonyinsandiego 37]

LB, That looks very nice. What year was the F150 that donated the parts to you. I'm thinking of going with the same set up. It looks very factory, easy and reliable.

 

I also like your transmission mount. Do you have a drawing or did you fab that up by measuring and creating your own setup? Looks like it's somewhat easy to fab.

 

Thanks for the pics. I'd like to mimic your system. My headers will most likely be heated and bent to work. It will be interesting how that works out.

[LindenBruce 27]

I don't remember what year but it was a late 80's F-150 with an AOD, obviously, and a 351W small block with the factory comb-over EFI. I used the TV cable, TV bottom mount bracket, and TV top mount bracket from the F-150 to fab my TV system. I felt the factory cable system is stronger than the Lokar stuff since it was designed by Ford to out last their longest warranty period.

 

The factory bottom bracket will need to have a section cut out of the middle of it so it will be shorter to clear the trans tunnel. Keep the top section to weld to the bottom section and thus creating this shorter bracket. That way the factory TV cable will snap into the bracket as it did from the factory.

 

You will then need to cut up the factory top bracket and fab it to a piece of metal to hold that end which will be bolted to the top of your intake manifold. By the way, which intake are you using? You might even be able to weld the sectioned top bracket to the bottom your throttle cable bracket. I don't have any drawings sorry.

 

For the transmission mount I used a section of 2"x1" channel curt just longer than the transmission mount is wide. I drilled holes into the channel and bolted it to the transmission mount. Once the power train was in the car and the front motor mounts were bolted in place, I used a jack to position the rear end of the transmission in the right place side to side and up and down. I took measurements from the body/crossmember point on the to the channel to get a rough length for the ends of the crossmember I was making. Then I used 1 1/4"x 1/4" bar stock cut to the above length and drilled a 3/8" clearance hole in one end. I bolted those ends to the body/crossmember mounting and clamped the other ends to the channel. Then I removed the entire assembly and welded it up. Threw on some paint and it was done. I have a few more pics let me get those posted tonight so you can see more of what I did. However, since you aren't using an adapter plate to attach the AOD to the 351W, you may actually be able to use your existing factory transmission crossmember. I had to make mine because I used an adapter plate to mate the AOD to the FE. Bruce

Edited July 17, 2012 by LindenBruce

[LindenBruce 27]

Here are some pics of the factory and modded bracket for the top end. As you can I see I hacked off the tab portion of the factory top bracket, the portion where the TV cable snaps into place, and welded it to some sheet metal. I have that attached to the factory mounting tabs on my intake manifold. Bruce

[LindenBruce 27]

Now here are some pics with the carb and factory throttle bracket in place for further reference. You may actually have to add a piece of metal to the driver side end of the throttle bracket and weld the hacked off section from the factory TV bracket to the bottom of that for your application. Depending on any accessory mounting tabs your intake manifold has. Bruce

[tonyinsandiego 37]

Thanks Bruce,

 

This looks like it's exactly what I'm looking for. You did mention I could use my original transmission mount bracket. Is this something I could do by turning the existing bracket 180 degrees and mount the AOD transmission to the original bracket? I keep hearing I need an aftermarket transmission bracket because of the longer AOD. This makes the mounting holes farther out then from the original FMX.

[tonyinsandiego 37]

which intake are you using

 

I currently have a 4v factory intake but I will switch to a edelbrock manifold. Already did the porting and some polishing but not quite ready to install. I'm currently working on the interior.

[LindenBruce 27]

I went out and measured a small block FMX and from the front of the bell housing to the center of the transmission mount it is 22 1/4". The AOD for the same points is 22 1/4". However TCI claims these same points on the AOD are 20 3/16". So, if the AOD is in fact the longer dimension, there is no reason to change out the cross member. I haven't yet crawled under my car to verify these dimensions. But from the pics I have it appears as thought the AOD is 22 1/4". Hope that helps. Bruce

[tonyinsandiego 37]

Thank you very much Bruce. This helps out tremendously. Unfortunately, I think I have the shorter AOD. It's from a 93 ish mustang. Maybe I'll duplicate your bracket if I need to.

[tonyinsandiego 37]

Bruce, another question, How are you hooking up the gear selector from the transmission to the gear selector inside the car? Is this a cable or linkage? You have any pics of your set up. Your pics are helping make a lot.

 

On a side note, are you concerned about the torque from a big block to the AOD? What type of upgrades did the AOD get, if any?

[LindenBruce 27]

Sure no problem Tony. I am using the factory shifter rod to connect the shifter to the AOD shift lever. I had to cut it up to get it to fit and then welded it back up. You will have to place the shift lever arm on the transmission in the upright position. As you know if can go either way, up or down. Up is for a floor shifter and down is for a column shifter. So in the case of the Mustang you need to go up to work with the Mustang floor shifter. It works perfectly. I have a few pics of it installed, but for some reason I didn't take any after it was built and before the install.

 

I rebuilt the AOD. Since mine came out of a 91 Lincoln Town Car, it already had one upgraded drum. The other drums I upgraded to stamped steel and maxed out the clutch packs for each drum and I'm using a 300m direct drive input shaft. I used Raybestos Stage One frictions and a Kevlar OD band along with the factory "A" OD servo piston. I bought the stamped steel drums off of e-bay and the rebuild parts from Dan at SilverFox Performance Transmissions. The converter is a custom 2500 rpm stall 9.5" I got from Alan at Dirty Dog Performance. The transmission is built to handle 550hp. I also got the AOD rebuild video from Bad Shoe productions. Check out Clickclickracing.com for tons of info on the AOD and it's newer versions like the AODE and the 4R70W. Bruce

[LindenBruce 27]

Here are some snap shots I snagged off the internet what other guys have done for their shifter linkage. Maybe they will give you some further inspiration. Bruce

[tonyinsandiego 37]

I read a lot of info on the lokar bracket not having enough spring pressure to return the transmission lever to the at rest position. I came across an F150 and snagged the brackets and the cable. The question I have is did you cut and weld your bracket on the upper part to the carb. I'm pretty sure we have the same bracket from the pics I see. I'm I correct in assuming you did a little cut and welding to get the bracket mounted to the carb correctly? After some research I think this is the best way to go so I'm copying what you have.

 

How many miles do you have on the AOD setup?

[LindenBruce 27]

***** FIRST OFF I NEED TO APOLOGIZE TO THE OP ON THIS THREAD IF HE'S EVEN STILL FOLLOWING ALONG. IT SEEMS AS THOUGHT IT HAS BEEN HIJACKED INTO A TRANS CONVERSION THREAD AND FOR THAT I'M SORRY. IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION. ******

 

Yes, for the carb end I cut the cable mounting portion off of the factory TV bracket so all I had was a tab. I welded that to the top of a piece of thick sheet metal, 1/16" or so, that I had cut out so it would bolt to the mounting point on my intake manifold. You will most likely have to use different mounting points which will mean your piece of sheet metal will take a different shape than mine. My TV tab is NOT welded to the throttle cable bracket. To do so would place the TV cable end to close to the carb attachment point leaving too much slack in the system. It is actually lower and fits under the throttle cable bracket.

 

What intake manifold are you using? I might be able to help you with making a bracket for it.

 

The car is not running just yet. All I need is a radiator, shroud, and some vacuum stuff and she will live again. But a good quality radiator is five hundred buck!!! Money has turned into a short supply for me earlier this spring. It bums me I'm so close to driving her and yet still so far away. Bruce

[tonyinsandiego 37]

***** FIRST OFF I NEED TO APOLOGIZE TO THE OP ON THIS THREAD IF HE'S EVEN STILL FOLLOWING ALONG. IT SEEMS AS THOUGHT IT HAS BEEN HIJACKED INTO A TRANS CONVERSION THREAD AND FOR THAT I'M SORRY. IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION. ******

 

This is definitely my fault and Bruce is apologizing on my behalf. My apology also goes out to the original poster for the hijacking.

 

 

Bruce, Thank you for all the help and expertise on the AOD trans subject. Original it was my intention to find a set of headers to fit the AOD. I will have to work that out later. I have a pair I will try and bend and make fit although not try Y's. That's expensive to try and make fit after cutting/bending and hacking up.

 

Bruce, to answer your question I currently have a stock 4 barrel manifold on a 351W that will be swapped to a edelbrock performer manifold. I did some porting and the polishing needs improving on the manifold. I'll look that up online when the time comes. I'll see how the performer manifold works out. It looks like you have an aluminum manifold also so my bracket may be the same setup your using. Again, thanks for all the pictures and help.

[LindenBruce 27]

Okay, FPA tri-y's will clear the AOD trans no problem. So if the ones you have don't work out that's your best option in my humble opinion. I know they are pricey, but they are great quality.

 

Is this the intake you have? If so I have circled the two mounting points you can design your TV cable bracket for. My intake, while it is aluminum, is an original Ford C7AE intake as used on GT500's. Bruce