The Ford Barn

wbedwards · 06-05-2015, 09:39 AM

While mine is currently working, shifting, leaking, is there any logic in buying a 2 speed core out of the junk yard if I can get it pretty cheap? Just in case I need to rebuild mine.

thanks
wbedwards

361FEdsel · 06-05-2015, 10:37 AM

Dad was plagued with leaking on his Fordamatic in his 59 Villager.
It was hooked to a FE332. All the cases he found had the same problem.
Most were cracked at the shift bosses and leaked there.
He had some success by cleaning with acetone, and using JBweld.

He ended up putting a Cruise-o-matic in out of a 65 390 Galaxie.
You couldn't tell it unless you crawled under it, and of course listened to it start. That was an added benefit, later model starter that would kick off every time without the bendix whizzin. He also had to modify the driveshaft length. The shift linkage worked fine. If you just put it in "D" it would start off in 2nd and shift once, but if you pulled it on down into L it would start off in 1st. I just put a cable actuated kickdown on it because the cruise linkage was reverse of the Ford a Matic, and a lot of the time they kickdown when I don't want them to.

I know he was better pleased with the Cruise-o-Matic, and was much better on the road.

5851a · 06-05-2015, 11:23 AM

If you could find the same as yours I would get it. Most of the cars now are mostly original. Don't get me wrong the cruisomatics are a nice swap. The salvage yards around here are rapidly drying up. If the price of metal doesn't get them crushed the EPA is knocking on the door telling them to get it cleaned up. Used to be farmyard cars all over and now the assessor is using satellites, you can only have X amount of cars on the property. Getting hard to find stuff.

darrell · 06-05-2015, 01:10 PM

right now the bottom has fallen out of scrap.for how long nobody knows.a lot of stuff got cleaned up in the last few years.

wbedwards · 06-05-2015, 02:22 PM

ok, thanks guys. I dont need a rebuild yet but I'm thinking I might need the core if any problems crop up and its only 100$

Alaska Jim · 06-05-2015, 02:44 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

If you plan on keeping the car, and have room to keep it, I say buy it. had a 64 Ranchero a few years back that had a 2 speed automatic in it. supposedly had been rebuilt. well the rebuilder left something loose I forget what ,but what happened is it came swinging around and hit the governor an broke the governor housing on the main shaft. had a very hard time finding one up here in Alaska because of all the metal being sold for scrap. I think I finally found the last one in a 200 mile radius. I am currently looking for a C-4 just to have for spare parts. this stuff is not just laying around everywhere anymore .---Jim

wbedwards · 06-06-2015, 08:19 AM

Thanks guys. Funds are always tight but I guess I should go buy it. =]

Motorhead6 · 06-07-2015, 04:53 PM

If it is the aluminum case true 2 speed transmission, by all means grab it up. That is not a very desirable transmission for most folks and they toss them. That makes the hard parts nearly impossible to buy. The normal gaskets and rubbers as well as the clutch parts are available new. What ever you do, hang on to the filter. You will probably have to clean and re-use it. If you decide to opt for the cast iron 3 speed(many call this one a 2 speed because it normally launched in intermediate gear) hang on to the aluminum case ford-o-matic for the reason cited above.

As Alaska Jim alludes, this transmission was used in big Fords starting in '59 and were also used in Falcons and Comets through '64. Used tranny dealers don't typically hold on to them because of a lack of call for the hard parts.

wbedwards · 06-07-2015, 07:45 PM

I bought it today. It is the aluminum true 2 speed. It looks as though it has been rebuilt as the seals are new. I got it home and dropped the pan and its cleaner than mine in the car and the fluid smelled good. The guy had a C4 too I would have bought but the bolt pattern was different. i couldn't stand it and bought some other goodies while I was there. He had a '59 Ranger, 58 Ranger, and a 58 Corsair but they were all picked over pretty good.

thanks guys

Motorhead6 · 06-08-2015, 06:27 AM

$100.00 for a rebuilt one is a great buy.

wbedwards · 06-08-2015, 07:40 AM

So.... would you go through and rebuild it or just put it in and try it out since it looks so good inside?

Motorhead6 · 06-08-2015, 07:11 PM

If you can do it and have a few tranny specific tools you can do it for less than $100.00. If not, shop around for a reasonable rebuilder. I would use it as is, if it is as you say, and can't do either of the above. It would be a lot easier to do it now than to install and then have to pull it and do it later.

unclevinny · 06-24-2015, 09:25 PM

i have a '58 electric shift the front servo is not in it but i think i have the right one to make it complete had the shift motor completely rebuilt and have the electric modulator as well. i never used it but it looks clean and might be worth a risk but what the freight would cost is a big consideration too as is i would want 300 bucks for everything if that will be something you could use..

06-05-2015, 09:39 AM	#1
wbedwards Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Birmingham, Al. Posts: 339	Mile-O-matic Tranny While mine is currently working, shifting, leaking, is there any logic in buying a 2 speed core out of the junk yard if I can get it pretty cheap? Just in case I need to rebuild mine. thanks wbedwards

06-05-2015, 10:37 AM	#2
361FEdsel Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: NW Bama Posts: 1	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny Dad was plagued with leaking on his Fordamatic in his 59 Villager. It was hooked to a FE332. All the cases he found had the same problem. Most were cracked at the shift bosses and leaked there. He had some success by cleaning with acetone, and using JBweld. He ended up putting a Cruise-o-matic in out of a 65 390 Galaxie. You couldn't tell it unless you crawled under it, and of course listened to it start. That was an added benefit, later model starter that would kick off every time without the bendix whizzin. He also had to modify the driveshaft length. The shift linkage worked fine. If you just put it in "D" it would start off in 2nd and shift once, but if you pulled it on down into L it would start off in 1st. I just put a cable actuated kickdown on it because the cruise linkage was reverse of the Ford a Matic, and a lot of the time they kickdown when I don't want them to. I know he was better pleased with the Cruise-o-Matic, and was much better on the road.

06-05-2015, 11:23 AM	#3
5851a Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: NE Iowa Posts: 1,664	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny If you could find the same as yours I would get it. Most of the cars now are mostly original. Don't get me wrong the cruisomatics are a nice swap. The salvage yards around here are rapidly drying up. If the price of metal doesn't get them crushed the EPA is knocking on the door telling them to get it cleaned up. Used to be farmyard cars all over and now the assessor is using satellites, you can only have X amount of cars on the property. Getting hard to find stuff.

06-05-2015, 01:10 PM	#4
darrell Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: p.e.i. Posts: 1,060	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny right now the bottom has fallen out of scrap.for how long nobody knows.a lot of stuff got cleaned up in the last few years.

06-05-2015, 02:22 PM	#5
wbedwards Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Birmingham, Al. Posts: 339	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny ok, thanks guys. I dont need a rebuild yet but I'm thinking I might need the core if any problems crop up and its only 100$

06-05-2015, 02:44 PM	#6
Alaska Jim Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Palmer, Alaska Posts: 1,575	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) If you plan on keeping the car, and have room to keep it, I say buy it. had a 64 Ranchero a few years back that had a 2 speed automatic in it. supposedly had been rebuilt. well the rebuilder left something loose I forget what ,but what happened is it came swinging around and hit the governor an broke the governor housing on the main shaft. had a very hard time finding one up here in Alaska because of all the metal being sold for scrap. I think I finally found the last one in a 200 mile radius. I am currently looking for a C-4 just to have for spare parts. this stuff is not just laying around everywhere anymore .---Jim

06-06-2015, 08:19 AM	#7
wbedwards Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Birmingham, Al. Posts: 339	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny Thanks guys. Funds are always tight but I guess I should go buy it. =]

06-07-2015, 04:53 PM	#8
Motorhead6 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Orange Park, Fl Posts: 406	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny If it is the aluminum case true 2 speed transmission, by all means grab it up. That is not a very desirable transmission for most folks and they toss them. That makes the hard parts nearly impossible to buy. The normal gaskets and rubbers as well as the clutch parts are available new. What ever you do, hang on to the filter. You will probably have to clean and re-use it. If you decide to opt for the cast iron 3 speed(many call this one a 2 speed because it normally launched in intermediate gear) hang on to the aluminum case ford-o-matic for the reason cited above. As Alaska Jim alludes, this transmission was used in big Fords starting in '59 and were also used in Falcons and Comets through '64. Used tranny dealers don't typically hold on to them because of a lack of call for the hard parts.

06-07-2015, 07:45 PM	#9
wbedwards Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Birmingham, Al. Posts: 339	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny I bought it today. It is the aluminum true 2 speed. It looks as though it has been rebuilt as the seals are new. I got it home and dropped the pan and its cleaner than mine in the car and the fluid smelled good. The guy had a C4 too I would have bought but the bolt pattern was different. i couldn't stand it and bought some other goodies while I was there. He had a '59 Ranger, 58 Ranger, and a 58 Corsair but they were all picked over pretty good. thanks guys

06-08-2015, 06:27 AM	#10
Motorhead6 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Orange Park, Fl Posts: 406	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny $100.00 for a rebuilt one is a great buy.

06-08-2015, 07:40 AM	#11
wbedwards Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Birmingham, Al. Posts: 339	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny So.... would you go through and rebuild it or just put it in and try it out since it looks so good inside?

06-08-2015, 07:11 PM	#12
Motorhead6 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Orange Park, Fl Posts: 406	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny If you can do it and have a few tranny specific tools you can do it for less than $100.00. If not, shop around for a reasonable rebuilder. I would use it as is, if it is as you say, and can't do either of the above. It would be a lot easier to do it now than to install and then have to pull it and do it later.

06-24-2015, 09:25 PM	#13
unclevinny Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Montana Posts: 65	Re: Mile-O-matic Tranny i have a '58 electric shift the front servo is not in it but i think i have the right one to make it complete had the shift motor completely rebuilt and have the electric modulator as well. i never used it but it looks clean and might be worth a risk but what the freight would cost is a big consideration too as is i would want 300 bucks for everything if that will be something you could use..