Any Engine Any Transmission

A

Alaska Mike

Member
I am president of the local Ford Club. One of our members has a business called "Quick Time" An earlier post asked about an automatic transmission in a model A, because the owner had some health issues. The folks at "Quick Time" have all the measurements for anything 1948 and newer, bell housings, transmissions, the works. All you have to tell them is what engine you have and what transmission you would like to use, and they have the parts to make it happen.

When I asked him about this very special case, he was kind of excited, as he had never done anything older than 1948. Just the measurements is all he needs and he make it happen. I know this probably offends the "purists" in the group, and I am not trying to cause a war here. I just wanted you to know that this type of service / part is available if you need it for that very special case, where we can keep an old guy in his car for a few more years.
 
Post 1948 or 8BA family applications are easier to set up due to the completely removable bell housings. Now the Mercury cars and Ford pickups/truck applications still used the same transmission bolt up pattern as many of the earlier applications even though the early design didn't use a bell housing or half bell. There are kits made to adapt some transmissions for them.

The model A adaptation go to part is generally the model AA truck clutch housing since it offers more space for adaptation. It's still not set up for the automatic transmission planform design but can more easily be adapted to fit manual transmission designs. Vacuum modulation needs may need to be researched to see if they will work and of course there is the problem with open drive adaptation.

Anything can be done with design and fabrication but it gets a lot more complicated with the model A and likely the model B engine applications.
 
A lot of guys are getting older (except me) and having health problems. The adapters are available. Search "automatic" in the archives. I think I would go with one that is currently available. Remember the rear end will need to be converted to open drive and mounts for the clutch, brakes and wishbone added.

I think I would also consider a later 4 cylinder and the transmission that came with it. I am a fan of the Chevy II engines.

Charlie Stephens
 
The AA is commonly used with manual transmissions but the best way to attach an auto may be from an adapter such as Cling's from the A to early V8, adapters from there to automatics are easy to find. Speedway Motors has adapters to put C-4 Ford trans to the flathead is one place. Speedway also has an open drive conversion for the A rear end. The A rear end has to be securely attached to the frame.
 
Back when I had a B engine in my car I went to quite a few model A hillclimbs. There was a coupe from San Diego that usually showed up and had an automatic. He wasn't the fastest but was usually in the top 10. It seemed to work good.
Jim Brierely knows him.
 
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