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By mars54 - 4 Years Ago
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Hi,
Currently I have a tired 2 speed Merc o Matic in my 1954 Monterrey. I looking for info if a FMX will bolt up without any adapters? if someone can point me in the right direction regarding resources on this subject will be appreciated.
Thanks
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By PF Arcand - 4 Years Ago
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Question? Is that transmission, similar to a Fordomatic, not actually a 3 spd transmission?
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By darrell - 4 Years Ago
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same thing
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 4 Years Ago
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Mars, to answer your question, the FMX will bolt to your existing bellhousing by re-drilling the top two boltholes in the transmission case. The bottom two holes match up perfectly. If you put the memcomatic front pump on the FMX, then you can used your '54 flywheel and converter. The input shaft will have to be swapped, which is a complete teardown of both transmissions. If you want to use the FMX converter, it will have to be modified at its nose, and a '58 or later flywheel will be needed. You may have to re-drill the drive bolt holes in the flywheel to match the FMX bolt pattern. Those flywheels are hard to find nowadays. At the back, a driveshaft will have to be fabricated, or you can use the merc tail shaft and tail housing and the driveshaft and rear mount will fit.
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By mars54 - 4 Years Ago
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Hi
Thank you for the response. I have received some input from others that maybe consider a C4 if i'm going to go thru this effort. Decisions decisions.
Thanks
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By junkyardjeff - 4 Years Ago
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I am going through this with my 55 and this is what I am doing,I am using a 62 COM that bolts to the 55 bellhousing along with the 62 torque converter and flywheel and will use a 67 or 70 FMX valve body to get the D21 shift pattern. I am still in the parts gathering stage and the only thing done is the 55 bellhousing is bolted to the 62 trans and after I get the 62 flywheel I will see how everything goes togather.
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By paul2748 - 4 Years Ago
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Just a question - is there any advantage to a cruiso over a C4. Neither are O/D's and it seems to me that using a C4 is easier to do. I put a C4 in my 56 Bird.
junkyardjeff (8/2/2020)
I am going through this with my 55 and this is what I am doing,I am using a 62 COM that bolts to the 55 bellhousing along with the 62 torque converter and flywheel and will use a 67 or 70 FMX valve body to get the D21 shift pattern. I am still in the parts gathering stage and the only thing done is the 55 bellhousing is bolted to the 62 trans and after I get the 62 flywheel I will see how everything goes togather.
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By RB - 4 Years Ago
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The advantage for the cruiso is you can source factory parts for a conversion, maybe even salvage yard obtainable.. To do a C-4 you need an adapter, which can be costly. C-4 is smaller lighter and has aftermarket support
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By junkyardjeff - 4 Years Ago
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The last I priced a C-4 adapter kit it was over 800 dollars and that is not including the C-4 and having it gone through.
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By paul2748 - 4 Years Ago
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But is the cost of the C4 that much more when you figure in all the miscellaneous parts for the other, which probably means an overhaul any way
junkyardjeff (8/2/2020)
The last I priced a C-4 adapter kit it was over 800 dollars and that is not including the C-4 and having it gone through.
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By junkyardjeff - 4 Years Ago
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paul2748 (8/2/2020)
Just a question - is there any advantage to a cruiso over a C4. Neither are O/D's and it seems to me that using a C4 is easier to do. I put a C4 in my 56 Bird. junkyardjeff (8/2/2020)
I am going through this with my 55 and this is what I am doing,I am using a 62 COM that bolts to the 55 bellhousing along with the 62 torque converter and flywheel and will use a 67 or 70 FMX valve body to get the D21 shift pattern. I am still in the parts gathering stage and the only thing done is the 55 bellhousing is bolted to the 62 trans and after I get the 62 flywheel I will see how everything goes togather. I have damaged more C-4s then I have the COM/FMX trans,my 55 presently has a C-4 behind a 351-W and I managed to hurt 3rd gear on a trip to Florida.
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By paul2748 - 4 Years Ago
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I have an early C4 in my 48 Ford (modified 302) for 30 + years and only had one shifting problem. Lots of mileage on it too.
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By PF Arcand - 4 Years Ago
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Getting back to the original posting... It's interesting how many times I've seen references to Fordomatics/ Mercomatics as " 2 spd" transmissions. The're not, they are a 3 spd. (prior to 1959 if I have it correct) I think that some owners don't understand how they can be driven as a 3 spd..
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By junkyardjeff - 4 Years Ago
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Yes I hear that all the time,I just recently found out they would start out in first with the pedal to the metal.PF Arcand (8/15/2020)
Getting back to the original posting... It's interesting how many times I've seen references to Fordomatics/ Mercomatics as " 2 spd" transmissions. The're not, they are a 3 spd. (prior to 1959 if I have it correct) I think that some owners don't understand how they can be driven as a 3 spd..
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By darrell - 4 Years Ago
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anybody ever try to make their own c4 kit.it doesnt seem to be that hard but i never had a need to do it.
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By paul2748 - 4 Years Ago
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I guess the most expensive part of the kit that is sold is the bellhousing/adapter which is cast aluminum
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By darrell - 4 Years Ago
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many years ago jerry made his own kit for a c4 in his 56 blackbird.it wasnt that hard.
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 4 Years Ago
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I adapted a C-4 to a flathead for my '33 pickup street rod. However, at the time I was working and they had machine tools I could use. Still it wasn't a big deal, I could probably do it again with the meager machinery I own.
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By PF Arcand - 4 Years Ago
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"Jeff" : Yes, a Fordomtic can be used as a 3 spd by slamming it to the floor, but I'm not recommending doing that.. ( I never do that ).. Here's the method; " Start out with low range engaged, to at least 25 mph, shift quickly to Drive & immediately pull it back into low range..now you are in 2nd & it's holding! It will stay in 2nd to any reasonable RPM's, then you can shift up to Drive ... One cautionary note, if you decide to decelerate while still locked in 2nd, kick it back into drive before it drops to under 25mph, to avoid the trans slamming down into low... Now, it's actually a "3 spd", not a 2 spd...
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By DryLakesRacer - 4 Years Ago
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PF I learned to that when I started driving my moms in 1959. The trouble with doing that it’s a pain in the a**. As you said you need to keep the speeds up or it will drop gears or go from 1st to 3rd. There are some trans guru’s who know how to make them act like a CruiseOmatic but I put in a CruiseOmatic instead.
The trans guy who did mine asked if I wanted a D21 or the “green dot” style that could start in 2nd.
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By darrell - 4 Years Ago
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you can use a fordomatic bell in place of the c4 bell.the fordo bell will almost fit over the c4 pump but the opening is a little small you have to open it up about 1/8 inch.i done a rough mockup once.than make a pattern and drill the 7 bolt holes and bolt it on.use a com flywheel your getting close.from what i can see the torque converter will sit back to far from the flywheel.just some minor things.there may be other problems as i said i never tried to finish one.
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By cokefirst - 4 Years Ago
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I have a vague understanding of the workings of an automatic transmission but I have never torn one apart and am not familiar with the differences in one model to the next. I would like to ask a stupid question. Since the early Fordomatic is technically a 3 speed unit, it there anyway of changing the internals so that it works as a 3 speed, starting in low instead of starting in second?
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By PF Arcand - 4 Years Ago
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D.L. Racer: not sure I understood your reply?.. Anyway, if I have the info correct, (?) when the C series transmissions came on the market, the Fordo was reduced to a 2 spd, like a G.M. Power Slide for 1959.. But, I've never driven a 1959 Fordomatic, so I don't have direct experience with it..
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 4 Years Ago
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Cokefirst, yes you can do what you asked, and by the way there are no stupid questions if they are asked in sincerity. You will need a donor FMX transmission. You need the valve body and "rooster tail" detent, and to drill and tap the back of the case to accept the vacuum modulator. If your present transmission does not have a ne-way clutch (sprag) in the center of the transmission drive train then you will have to swap that also. It would be a good idea to use the FMX pressure regulator as well. I hear that you can also use the parts from a Cruisomatic with the double drive range on the shifter and vacuum modulator. In either case, your shift lever may have to be modified to allow enough travel for the extra gear position, or you can leave it alone and not have a manual low gear position. Other options would be to use the dual range Cruiso transmission complete or adapt the FMX to your bellhousing and converter and use it pretty much "as is". The FMX swap is more involved than the Cruiso swap.
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By DryLakesRacer - 4 Years Ago
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Hoosier: needs to look like this when your done. The Drive detent in the column needs to be bigger by about 1/8” for 2 positions now; this was done by a die grinder and a file after the steering wheel is off and the turn signal unit is laid out. 
Last the column shift arm needs to be longer 7/8-1”. 
As a final thing. The “park” on the transmission arm from the internals does not have a detent like R-N-D1-D2-L; you push up your shifter arm (column or floor) and it has the slot to keep it in park. Ford has had problems over the years and with the steering wheel off along with the turn signal mechanism you can really see this.
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 4 Years Ago
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DLR, that's ingenious and well done. Beautiful!
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By chris70 - 4 Years Ago
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Hello everybody,i have a COM trans in my truck,the one that starts in second when you put in drive and strats in first when put in second,did i get it right that by changing the valve body with one off an FMX from 1967 or later it will shift like a C4?
Thanks Christian
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 4 Years Ago
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Chris, the FMX valve body and detent will cause it to take off in low, shift to 2nd, then shift to 3rd. If your trans has no vacuum modulator, you will have to drill and tap the case and install a modulator.
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By chris70 - 4 Years Ago
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My transmission already has the vacuum modulator and cooling lines,so schould it be a simple swap of the valve bodies? I have to ask what the "detent" is?
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 4 Years Ago
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The detent is commonly called the "rooster comb". It is a notched plate controlled by the shift lever and located inside the trans. Its notches actuate a spring loaded bearing ball to hold the control valve in its proper location. I always thought the dual range cruisos with the dual "drive" selection on the shifter took off in 2nd and shifted to third in one position and took off in 1st, shifted to 2nd and then shifted to 3rd in the other position. I could be wrong.
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By DryLakesRacer - 4 Years Ago
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John you are right it’s how the 1962 medium case one I have works. The green dot style started in first and white dot in second.
The first ones in 58 did not have a vacuum module from what I’ve heard not sure on that. I was told that the one I have also could have the later 1-2-3 valve body installed but I wanted the green dot style.
There is no detent for park. There are 5 detents 1-2-3-N-R and a pressure above R held in by the column shift or floor shift.
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By chris70 - 4 Years Ago
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I am a bit confused with all this dots,when i put mine in 1 it stays in first gear,when i select 2 it shifts 1-2-3,when i select D it shifts 2-3. I have no way for the trick to shift first then second and stay in second gear.Here by a couple of pictures of the trans.
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By DryLakesRacer - 4 Years Ago
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If you look at a stock 58-up Ford automatic indicator on the steering column the Second one below the neutral had a green dot at it. I believe this was to tell previous owners that this was the “drive” to use since the older Ford auto trans did not do this.. I do not know when Ford stopped this but for sure was not used with the C-4 or C-6.
The first D under N was a carryover from the earlier transmissions.
Since 6 spots were now needed on the column indicator of my 56 I had to lengthen the shift arm on the column and the shop doing the work shortened the arm on the transmission.
Your 1 is my L. The governor and vacuum modulator determine when it can stay in a gear along with what’s selected. I do not know how that works. I’ve never tried to hold mine in second gear.
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