Thank you.

I'm sorry to hear about your wife: I hope her condition improves quickly.

'55 blacktie:

Sorry for the delayed response to your question.  My wife has been hospitalized since your question so my priorities changed some.  To refresh my memory I crawled under my Bird to see what I did.   I see that I did not lengthen the shifter lever, but I have welded on the transmission lever, so I assume I shortened it.  It is now 1 11/16 from the pivot to the center of the linkage hole.  But that is for the FMX, I don't know what a C4 requires for total travel, it may be different  than FMX.  You will need to measure the travel required by the transmission and the travel of your shifter and use the math to determine what the lever lengths would be.  I don't know if the shifter lever can be lengthened, it may hit the frame      X member.  That may be why I shortened the trans lever.  Either that or I didn't want to alter the original shifter.  Also, I'm not familiar with C4s, but does it have internal detents for each gear position?  If not, then your shift lever positions will be  hit or miss.  I  adjusted my shift rod so  that when the trans was in D, the floor shifter was at the D detent.  My only problem with this is that I have no positive shift lever detent for 2nd gear, I have to shift 1-2 gingerly or I'll miss 2 and go to D.  If your trans has no internal  detent, your 1-2 shift will be very iffy.  I hope this answers your questions.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

I think you are correct on all of your assumptions.  The red/blue on the car and the switch go together.and s/b for the ignition.  The other two are for the backup lights, one forward and one to the back.  It's been a long time since I did  mine, but I do remember that the ignition wires of the switch were the same colors for both years.  The other two wires would be  the back up light circuit.  I don't remember which goes forward and which goes back, but it should be easy to find that out.





54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Paul, I hope I'm not beating a dead horse, but I'm going over 55 wiring diagrams and looking at the C4 switch. Firstly, the 55 wire harness has 3 wires/w female connectors; two of the wires are red/w blue stripe. @ of the wires on the C4 switch are also red/w blue stripe. I'm assuming that those wires should go together. There is a third wire on the 55 harness that is black/w blue stripe; it's for the shifter light. On the 55 safety switch, there are two wires, both black/w red stripe; the two remaining wires on the C4 switch are black/w orange stripe and brown/w orange stripe.Those wires must go to the backup lights. Correct? I'm referencing pages 20 & 22 of the Electrical Equipment Installation Manual for 55-57.

You are correct. 

I noticed you are in search of a backup light housing. My 55 doesn't have backup lights, but I would like to add them. What needs to be done to work with the C4 switch? My 55 is 12v.

As I remember, BACK-UP LAMPS were optional (both PASS CAR and BIRD) during this period and FORD released accessory kits to install at the dealer or owner level. The harness leading to the rear lamps incl the B/U LAMP lead. It was not used and tied off.

- https://www.npdlink.com/1955-1957-thunderbird/lighting/back-up-light-block-off          

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The only thing you  should have to do is run a wire from the ignition switch (accessory, hot when key on)  to the backup light switch (combo C4 NSS)  and then a wire from the NSS to the backup lights.

Originally, Ford ran the power wire from the headlight switch, so the backup lights would only work when either the parking or headlights were on.  A know some have changed this and wired the light to a power source other than the headlight switch.so the light would go on every time the trans was put in reverse so people would know the car was in reverse even in daytime...





54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Hoosier, I considered installing a longer lever on the selector shaft/using a longer rod, but the shifter itself will only move so far. If you can recall exactly what modifications you had to make to be able to manually shift through all of the gears, particularly Low, I would appreciate it if you would share the information with us. 

Thanks, Paul 

Two gear-selector shafts were included with the C5 core I bought, neither of which was installed. Although the levers have different bends, neither appears to be for a floor shift. I considered cutting off the lever and installing an aftermarket lever that can be clocked in any position, but it can't be used with the C4 switch. I'm sure the builder (Jim Galatioto, ATO Performance Transmissions) will have what I need.

 I bought a C4 switch/w 4-prong plug; like you, I will have to remove the plug and attach compatible connectors. 

I noticed you are in search of a backup light housing. My 55 doesn't have backup lights, but I would like to add them. What needs to be done to work with the C4 switch? My 55 is 12v.

I drove my '57 Bird today.  It has an FMX transmission.  I used the original shifter and have manual low gear available.   Problem is, I don't remember if I had to modify the shifter or the transmission  arm to get enough travel  or if the FMX arm had the correct hole location to work with the original shifter.  I do have all shift positions available with the original shifter.  The FMX came from a car with floor shift.   I am still using the original  neutral safety switch which I have reworked so the car will  start  in Park and  Neutral.  Backup lightss work too.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"