1966 Mustang Coupe, 289 with a 3-speed.

This is my son's car. The transmission has a loud 'whine' to it and the shifter needs to be rebuilt. Here is what I am looking for:

I want a simple, modest, non-aggressive ride for my to be 16 year old son. I think for him at least, a 3 speed is just too much work. I'd rather him focus his driving with two hands on the wheel. So with that being said, and the fact that the shifter needs to be rebuilt and the tranny whines...I think it's prime for a conversion to an 'auto'....at least until the kid learns how to handle the car for a few years.

Question - After searching on this forum, it appears that a C4 is the most logical choice. Agree? I want something simple that I can do myself (God willing) and that is a total swap that bolts right up. Am I dreaming? Can I just drop that 3 speed and bolt in a C4?

Your wisdom and help is so greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Steve

 

Yes a c4 swap would be the easiest everything will bolt in but you you can swap someone the clutch and brake pedal for the auto one and make a few bucks.

 

Thanks! I didn't realize I'd have to change the brake pedal. Will any C4 work or should it be from a 65-66 Stang only?

On a scale from 1-10, with 10 being never touched a transmission, how hard will this be?

 

Actually pretty much.... You will need the transmission, a bell housing, a flexplate, torque converter, and a shifter. A few nuts and bolts aside, and possibly the rear trans mount, (I am not sure about the mount) and this list should do it. The good news is that generally the bell housing and torque converter are considered part of a c-4 transmission, but even more importantly, everything will bolt right up.

From what I understand practically any C-4 made to go behind a V-8 will work. There is a different shift pattern for some early C-4s, the "green dot" pattern, but other than this, it is my understanding that variations were few and of little significance.

If you make sure you get all of the right parts you need up front, and you have moderate mechanical skills you should have no problem with the swap. It definitely ain't rocket science.... Mustangs are easy!!

The 1 to 10 scale,,,, hmm... I would say this swap is a 4 or 5 when compared with other classic Mustang tasks,,,,, when compared to work on another newercar it would be like a one or a two, not much harder than changing the spark plugs on an F-body Firebird or T/A...

In other words, even if you are new to cars, it is not a difficult project...

 

If you are in Texas I'll swap you all of my C-4 hardware for your 3 speed hardware. My C4 needs to be rebuild, and you would need tranny cooler lines.

I'm looking to put in a 5 speed and having all 3 speed parts would make this conversion easier.

 

Oh,,, and make sure that whine is not coming from the rear end,,, the rear ends are more prone to whine than the trannys.

 

PReal - Sounds like a great idea. Just sent you a PM.

 

JMD - I appreciated your comments and advice!

 

Hello folks. For the swap on my '66 289 3 speed to a C4, I am going to procure the parts below for the swap. Can anyone think of anything else I need other than a tranny cooler? I want to make sure I do this right the first time around.

- Transmission
- Bell Housing
- Torque Converter
- Flexplate
- Block Plate
- Cooler Lines
- Any mounts
- Brake pedal assembly
- Kick down lever (is this included in the tranny?)
- Shifter
- Shifter Linkage


One more question - If I purchase one the of the C4 Master Rebuild Kits for $159.00 or so, is this generally all that is needed in a rebuild? If so, any good links for a step-by-step guide in doing the rebuild? Anything else I should 'clean up'?

Thanks!