Lindberg 53 Ford Victoria transmission

[slownlow]

I’m questioning the orientation of the torque converter air intake, part 91, on the direction sheet. 

Then panel showing it in place isn’t real clear 

This is a pic of how I think it’s supposed to go, attached on the red dot.

Is anyone familiar with this kit or have knowledge of the 1:1 trany?

 Thanks

[peteski]

Wile not an answer to your question, I'm wondering why a torque converter need an air intake?  Torque converter is filled with transmission fluid. 

[Mark]

The air intake is for a small transmission cooler.  The cooler wasn’t part of the radiator like it was later on.

[peteski]

1 hour ago, Mark said:

The air intake is for a small transmission cooler.  The cooler wasn’t part of the radiator like it was later on.

That makes a lot more sense. Seems that whoever created the instructions wasn't very familiar with the car's mechanical design.

[Ace-Garageguy]

OK...IIRC...there were two versions of the early Ford-O-Matic, one liquid cooled, one "air cooled". Don't ask me why.

The aircooled torque converter has cooling fins cast into it and takes a different bellhousing IIRC.

I THINK  that what's called out as a "TORQUE CONVERTER AIR INTAKE" in your instructions is actually a small air-scoop-looking thing, for the finned torque converter. 

I USED  to know a lot about early Ford automatics as they're essentially the Borg Warner 35 (again IIRC) and many of the parts fit early Jag automatics. There were times I used Ford-O-Matic parts in Jags when there were no US local Jag slushbox parts sources.

It looks to me as though you've interpreted the instructions correctly.

WARNING: I USUALLY KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. IN THIS CASE I'M NOT 100% SURE, SO THIS INFO MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

EDIT: I have a lot of older reference books and shop manuals that cover most mainstream cars of this era. I'll try to remember to look this up fer ya, but in the meantime, I'd say go with what ya got.

If you get it wrong, only one in ten million people will know...and they'll all be dead soon anyway. 

EDIT 2: Studebaker and Rambler used similar air-cooled BW autoboxes, and had the air intake for the torque-converter on the bottom front of the bellhousing, facing forward....again IIRC.

EDIT 3: I haven't been able to find a photo of the Ford-O-Matic showing the air intake online. Maybe one of my old service manuals will.

EDIT 4: Getting closer. Found this reference on HAMB:  "...air-cooled Fordomatic, small case. The air intake for cooling is just below the starter 'hump'. Had a finned-aluminum multi-piece torque convertor." 

and this:  "if ever there was a 100% perfect automatic transmission, it was the 1951-57 cast iron, air-cooled Fordomatics. With three forward speeds these indestructible workhorses would outlast the entire car. It was only when they cheapened them with water cooling lines, aluminum cases, and missing front pumps did they have a shorter (and more expensive) life expectancy.

Edited August 13, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Rodent]

IIRC, the cooler in the radiator was added to help bring down passenger compartment heat, not to "cheapen" them. That is also why Ford added the air vents in the Thunderbird front fenders for 1956.

[Ace-Garageguy]

2 hours ago, Rodent said:

IIRC, the cooler in the radiator was added to help bring down passenger compartment heat, not to "cheapen" them. That is also why Ford added the air vents in the Thunderbird front fenders for 1956.

Very possibly true, but there's no question a stamped steel, finless, machine-welded torque converter shell would be cheaper than a heavily-finned, aluminum die-cast, bolted-together-by-hand shell of the same size.

It would be very interesting to read the relevant SAE documents of the period, but I'm not going down that particular rabbit hole any time soon.  

Edited August 14, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[1972coronet]

I'd imagine that the early FX ( Ford-O-Matic ) case number (part number) would've been updated with any subsequent changes ; for example (and just a hazard guess) :
- "A9--" (1949) for the early models ;
- "B5--" (1955) for the liquid cooler models ; 
- "C3--" (1963) for final -if any- upgrades / updates .
Again, just a supposition of mine based upon how Fo Mo Co part number assignments are applied via updates / upgrades .

The Super-Turbine 300 (Pontiac 2-speed) was air cooled (in addition to the torque converter's fluid cooling properties).

[NOBLNG]

I tried googling this transmission every which way I could think of and be darned if I could find a picture of the relevant item. I did somewhere read that air cooled transmissions were used behind 6 cylinder engines and liquid cooled behind V8s. How accurate that is I don’t know.?‍♂️

[Ace-Garageguy]

49 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

I tried googling this transmission every which way I could think of and be darned if I could find a picture of the relevant item. I did somewhere read that air cooled transmissions were used behind 6 cylinder engines and liquid cooled behind V8s. How accurate that is I don’t know.?‍♂️

Air cooled transmissions were used behind just about anything under 150 HP...including flathead and OHV V8 engines.

Edited August 14, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

19 hours ago, slownlow said:

I’m questioning the orientation of the torque converter air intake, part 91, on the direction sheet. 

Then panel showing it in place isn’t real clear 

This is a pic of how I think it’s supposed to go, attached on the red dot.

Is anyone familiar with this kit or have knowledge of the 1:1 trany?

 Thanks

BINGO:

[slownlow]

16 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

BINGO:

That’s it! And it looks like I guessed right here’s a pic of it glued on. Thanks guys 

Edited August 14, 2024 by slownlow