Trying to determine what Fordomatic I have

D

Detroit Flathead

Junior Member
Hello All,
I have two transmissions, one is a Fordomatic, and the other I believe is a Fordomatic. On one, it's an oval red tag, says FOMOCO automatic transmission, with 1P-70003-J. The serial number starts with a 10-xxxxxx. That should be a 1954 Fordomatic.

My question is about the other transmission. It has an oval black tag, says FOMOCO automatic transmission, with 1P-7000-RC. The serial number starts with RC6-xxxxx.

I haven't found any info that tells me what this is. It appears to be a small case, but I haven't measured it. I thought perhaps the RC meant rebuilt, and they went to the effort of replacing the oval tag.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

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search words: Ford-O-Matic Merc-O-Matic mercomatic merc o matic
 
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These transmissions were built at both Ford and Borg Warner locations so the tags vary. A person is lucky if they can still read the tags at all. They tend to deteriorate in harsh conditions, The 1P- types were all first generation (1951 thru 54). The 1P-R was a later version (1953) and adding the RC could be a rebuilt or a Canadian market product. I can't tell you fore sure.
 
rotorwrench said:
The 1P- types were all first generation (1951 thru 54). The 1P-R was a later version (1953) and adding the RC could be a rebuilt or a Canadian market product. I can't tell you fore sure.
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I've tried to find info on transmissions built in Canada (if any), and possibly tag differences. No luck yet.
 
I looked at my early Merc-O-Matic manual that covers through 1953 models and it has some information. The prefix number before the serial indicates where it was made. The one with 10-XXX... was manufactured at the Ford Cincinnati plant. The one with the RC6-XXX... may also indicate the "6" as Cincinnati plant manufacture but there is nothing about the "RC" in the manual. If the date codes are legible in the middle of the tag then that would give a date of manufacture.

I would likely have to have a later manual on the RC since it doesn't show up, The part number may be the key to that more than the serial number.

All of the 1P-7000 series transmissons are small case and all were very similar. The big exception would be the bell housing fit since Y-blocks used this transmission in 1954. There may also be different output shafts and tail housings depending on the mounts. Small differences were the dipstick configuration which started out with a short dipstick accessed through the floor on early models up into 1952. Later ones had the long tube that fit up into the engine compartment. It didn't take much of a change to get a new part number. Ford and Mercury cars both used about the same transmission and most of the parts are interchangeable. If a person is looking for some hard parts to repair their original 1P- unit then any of the other 1P- units could have most of the parts they would need.

Major changes came in 1955 when they started changing over to external oil coolers and the new medium case units came out in 1956 but there are still some parts that will interchange on the small case units and some on medium case units. Some of the later units kept the air cooled torque converter well after 1955 but only in light duty applications.

One thing that I hadn't considered before was that the R suffix on the part number by itself simply indicated that it was to fit a 1953 Ford 239 application. Add a C to that and it could be one of the early F100 pickup transmissions since C was always referring to the 1/2 ton commercial pickup. A fellow I worked for many years ago had a 1953 F100 with a factory Ford-O-Matic. That was the first year is was ever put into a pickup by FoMoCo.
 
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Thank Rotorwrench. I have always wondered about fordos and pickups. Having never seen one but knowing it was possible many a bench racing conversation has sprung up. Knowledge is king. Tim
 
rotorwrench said:
One thing that I hadn't considered before was that the R suffix on the part number by itself simply indicated that it was to fit a 1953 Ford 239 application. Add a C to that and it could be one of the early F100 pickup transmissions since C was always referring to the 1/2 ton commercial pickup. A fellow I worked for many years ago had a 1953 F100 with a factory Ford-O-Matic. That was the first year is was ever put into a pickup by FoMoCo.
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This makes sense. If the 8RT was the truck Flathead, perhaps this RC is the truck Fordomatic behind that Flathead. This has not occurred to me. I'll investigate this further.
 
Ford had a tendency to supersede part numbers as soon as a replacement came along. The PAD would have superseded any earlier number. My 1955 truck chassis parts book doesn't list the transmission assembly numbers. The information on Charlie ******'s site is likely from much later publications so if there were different numbers in 1953, they are likely not listed in later publications. Those ID publications are still very helpful. I use them now and then. They do give a lot of good application information. A person needs year specific books to answer some questions. I have all the early mid century Mercury books because I still have two of them but my other books have multiple year coverage. I.have the 1949 through 1953 Ford parts books but a lot of 1949 numbers were superseded so they aren't in the book. My 1948 through 1959 catalog is missing a lot of superseded part numbers.

Borg Warner also supplied transmissions to Ford. I don't remember which plant built them though. Borg Warner also made transmissions for other manufacturers but they had to get permission from Ford to copy the ones they had the contracts for. Ford bought exclusive rights on the designs they purchased from them. This was due to a fire that destroyed the GM hydramatic plant. Ford and Borg Warner had to come up with the large case transmissions to replace those for the Lincoln cars. They didn't want to go through a bind like that again. Ironically, GM purchased the Willow Run bomber plant to manufacture hydramatics after the fire.
 
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rotorwrench said:
Ford had a tendency to supersede part numbers as soon as a replacement came along. The PAD would have superseded any earlier number. My 1955 truck chassis parts book doesn't list the transmission assembly numbers. The information on Charlie ******'s site is likely from much later publications so if there were different numbers in 1953, they are likely not listed in later publications. Those ID publications are still very helpful. I use them now and then. They do give a lot of good application information. A person needs year specific books to answer some questions. I have all the early mid century Mercury books because I still have two of them but my other books have multiple year coverage. I.have the 1949 through 1953 Ford parts books but a lot of 1949 numbers were superseded so they aren't in the book. My 1948 through 1959 catalog is missing a lot of superseded part numbers.
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Your post motivated me to go look in my 1949-1952 Mercury Chassis Parts Catalog. Thank you for your help. I may have found the answer. According to the catalog, RC looks like it indicated a "reconditioned" trans & converter assembly. See photo from the book. This should also apply to the Ford-O-matic, even though my book is for Merc-O-Matic. Since the tag is replaced on the transmission, I would guess that this was done as a Ford/Mercury dealer or somehow Ford was involved with the reconditioning.
 

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I just read that ford had 58 combinations of Fordomatics. Early, late, 2 & 3 speed, water and air cooled, different tailshaft housings, different output shaft splines, small, med & large case, whether it goes in a ford , edsel or merc. the list goes on!
 
I figured the part number would be the key. I never even checked my 1952 Mercury Chassis Parts Catalog. I only looked at the Ford car and Ford truck catalogs since they were 1953 or later. Good catch.
 
Detroit Flathead said:
What I'm gathering from this article about the history of Ford-O-Matics, is that they were built at a new plant to manufacture their new automatic transmission. It was the Fairfax Transmission Plant, in Fairfax, Ohio, outside Cincinnati. I've found no info about them being built in Canada.

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2...e-c-family-of-automatic-transmissions-part-i/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise-O-Matic uno online
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I am also very interested in the history of Ford-O-Matics, can I read more about it there?
 
I have found this to be a thorough manual for the Merc-O-Matic. It is 108 pages in length.

The second manual is also 108 pages and covers 51'-55', Mercury and Lincoln.
 

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Since I was primarily interested in vehicles made after 1953, I stuck to perusing Ford automobile and Ford truck brochures. You nailed it.
 
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