The Ford Barn

rotorwrench · 08-12-2022, 06:53 PM

The 2-speed was an all new transmission in 1959 and it has an aluminum case. The early FOM was always a 3-speed forward transmission but it evolved into two more types in 1955 for the Thunderbird & Mercury with Medium case and the Lincoln with the large case or Turbo drive set up. In 1958 the big change was for a new Cruise-O-Matic twin range automatic but it was still throttle valve operated. When the Comet was developed it was to be an Edsel compact but the death of the Edsel in 1960 changed that. The Falcon, Comet, and small Fairlane/Meteor cars needed a new light weight light duty transmission as well as the need for a replacement light duty in the remaining Y-block and 223/262 6-cylinder applications. Some parts interchange between the small and medium case FOM transmissions but everything is different in the 2-speed FOM.

The vacuum modulation finally came along in 1961. The 2-speed popularity was dropping off and larger displacement small blocks were on the drawing board so the C4 was developed for 1964. Ford always changed things on the fly so there are sub models of these transmissions that came out to keep up with the changes.

Gene F · 08-20-2022, 07:32 PM

My car has the factory optional rear gear. I would love to upgrade tot eh AOD, but talk about a major project! My car got 12 MPG (2 brl)on the freeway at 70MPH. So when I went to a tri-power it was no big deal.

Gene F · 08-20-2022, 07:35 PM

I had a THM-350 in my streetrod. The guy that had it before me took it to the gags station to have the fluids changed after storage. Guess what...they used the air tools on the trans pan, and the threads were never really right on that case after that. I ended up changing the thing.

08-12-2022, 06:53 PM	#21
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: 57 Fairlane 500, automatic transmission The 2-speed was an all new transmission in 1959 and it has an aluminum case. The early FOM was always a 3-speed forward transmission but it evolved into two more types in 1955 for the Thunderbird & Mercury with Medium case and the Lincoln with the large case or Turbo drive set up. In 1958 the big change was for a new Cruise-O-Matic twin range automatic but it was still throttle valve operated. When the Comet was developed it was to be an Edsel compact but the death of the Edsel in 1960 changed that. The Falcon, Comet, and small Fairlane/Meteor cars needed a new light weight light duty transmission as well as the need for a replacement light duty in the remaining Y-block and 223/262 6-cylinder applications. Some parts interchange between the small and medium case FOM transmissions but everything is different in the 2-speed FOM. The vacuum modulation finally came along in 1961. The 2-speed popularity was dropping off and larger displacement small blocks were on the drawing board so the C4 was developed for 1964. Ford always changed things on the fly so there are sub models of these transmissions that came out to keep up with the changes.

08-20-2022, 07:32 PM	#22
Gene F Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,973	Re: 57 Fairlane 500, automatic transmission My car has the factory optional rear gear. I would love to upgrade tot eh AOD, but talk about a major project! My car got 12 MPG (2 brl)on the freeway at 70MPH. So when I went to a tri-power it was no big deal.

08-20-2022, 07:35 PM	#23
Gene F Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,973	Re: 57 Fairlane 500, automatic transmission I had a THM-350 in my streetrod. The guy that had it before me took it to the gags station to have the fluids changed after storage. Guess what...they used the air tools on the trans pan, and the threads were never really right on that case after that. I ended up changing the thing.