Art Carr C4 tranny

I do...
...

 

Running an I6 right now, but want everything acceptable for a V8 upgrade in the far future. It will never be a drag car or EFI. my car weighs the same as a stock 71 maverick. Carb - will be 2bbl in the near future.
gears are up in the air. Originally had thought you shouldn't go above 3.5 there abouts with a C4. Now I don't know. That's what prompted the OD tranny thinking and trying to switch to a 9" rear (overkill too maybe). Wouldn't mind going as high as 4.11 gears and being zippy. Art Carr thing was a slap in the face that maybe my C4 would be fine or could be modded.

 

oh. I got this notion about the C4 and OD trans/gearing stuff from reading the threads on here, stangnet and fordsix. Oh.. Is there a power loss between using an auto transmission and a manual?
I hope the author doesn't mind but I'm going to link his thread:
http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=29643
(sweet thread on hotrodding a C4)
I'd be lying if I said I understood this thread, but maybe someone else will find it useful.

 

did you do the overdrive yourself from a stock C4 or did you buy the transmission built that way?

 

he used this....

http://www.gearvendors.com/hrford3s.html

we all want his C4GVO

 

hmm.. it looks likes there's even some differences between I6 C4's and V8 C4's, servo's and such. I'm gonna research this topic some more. I'll try and remember to post links.

 

The thread you linked to was the one I wrote here.
The differences between the C4s for sixes and V-8s is the number of clutches in the clutch packs and the size of the servo used for 2nd gear.
If the C4 is for a 240, 250 or 300 six or for any V-8 it has the same number of clutches. If it is for a 4 cylinder, 170, or 200 inch six it has fewer clutches and the drums would have to be replaced or machined for more clutches to fit.
Factory C4s come with a maximum of four clutches in the direct clutch and five in the forward drum. I macine them for five and six for C4s that handle less than 600 HP. The C4s for the smaller sixes also use smaller bellhousings than the big sixes and V-8s and different flex plates (flywheels).
The AOD will not fit the small sixes. They also have too little power to make it a worthwhile swap. Putting an AOD behind a stock (or even slightly modified) 289 or 302 is almost a waste of time. They are good swaps for those who drag race their cars using very low gears (higher numbers) to get the RPM up where they get power but still want to drive the cars on the street without running the engine at 4-5000 RPM at freeway speeds. When deciding if you should do this swap (to an AOD) you need to keep the RPMs at or above 2500 RPM in overdrive to make it an effective swap. Normally this requires an RPM of 3750 or higher with a C4 at the same speed and gearing.
The Gear Vendors overdrive is a better alternative as far as gearing is concerned because it has less overdrive gearing than the AOD and is manually controlled. It is about the same expense of a built AOD and will take the same power. About the only thing you have to change to put a Gear Vendors overdrive on is a shortened driveline.
If I can help just ask.
My phone is 206.725.0881 and i get a few calls - I don't mind giving a helping hand. I do NOT ship anything anywhere but I still build transmissions for local guys that want to meet and become friends.