Figuring out How to Install an AOD transmission in the tbird.

The main reason I tackled this project in the first place was…

• Have a 3oo+hp engine.

• Retain the stock tbird auto shifter

• Drive comfortable Hiway speeds 70-80mph with decent gas mileage, 

but still have a low start off gear for an occasional drag race

• Drive a long distance to a dragstrip or event and be comfortable racing it.

That's a LOT to ask but I figured out how to do it with a lot help from friends.

I purchased a Bendtsens 4 speed automatic overdrive Trans adapter kit.

My good neighbor, just over a simple conversation one day gave me an old AOD trans he had abandoned in his garage. WOW. And he loaned me his engine hoist for waaaaay too long while I agonized thru this project.

I had the trans rebuilt at a local shop - Hy-Tech transmission by Mike Hocutt-Great Guy. (the trans, later disentagrated into smithereens ) but Mike was good for it and replaced the whole thing.  I'll post later about that!

I highly recommend this swap. I was very slow and deliberate in this because this was my first full on custom deal, and afterall I'm not a real mechanic, just a do-it-yourselfer. You could probably do it easier. And I know now that I could too, after all my trial and error. So, if you are interested send me an email.

Things you will have to do is…

•Remove two small notches from the x member/nothing major/no structural issues

•Fab a new trans cross member

•lengthen or shorten your drive shaft to accommodate your trans choice

purchase a linkage kit from Performance Engineering to adapt your factory shifter+fabricate a small arm for the stock shift lever for underneath the car which lengthened it about 3/4".

All this allows complete shifting manually and automatically thru all four gears.

I've been told that this manually selection of the low gears could not be accomplished.

I do know guys that have C4 trans with stock shifters that cannot manually select low. What good is this if you can't descend a hill in low gear?

 I highly recommend findinding an empty engine block with front timing gear cover and front mount to do a mockup on with the trans. This will answer alot of question for you for your application.