My first C6, what to look for

I'm set up to buy a c6 trans tomorrow, its the first time dealing with one and I'm not sure what, if anything, I should be looking for. I'm putting it in my 72 gran torino behind a mildly built 460 that I plan on spraying eventually with just 100 shot. I'm getting the trans for 100 bucks, so I guess it would be hard to go wrong. My plan, right now, is to buy it at least for the core, then build it to handle the power I need it to handle. Any suggestions on what to look for before I pay for it? And suggestions on a rebuild kit and instructions would be greatly appreciated. I'm a newbie to transmissions, take it easy on me, i'm a bleeder, lol. thanks in advance.

Check for ribs on the top back of the bell housing first off. 351m/400 sometimes are smooth and are lighter duty cases and usually so are the internals if stock. Check for an aluminum servo piston aka CJ/SCJ, Broader, not likely but, you never know. Check the dept of the pan cars are usually a little over an inch deep and trucks are about 2 inch's deep. If you can open it up check the clutch count of the drums and the case. Look for holes in the High reverse drum where the band rides and count the number of spring's in it's piston. The old HD drums had 18 I believe springs, with oil holes for the band or every hole available filled. with a spring. On the forward drum see if it is a 3, 4 or 5 clutch count although 5 would be rare. Look for 4-5 clutchs in the case, if it only has 3 which is unlikely you will have to cut a new snapring grove if I remember correctly. You want to try and get a Police, Taxi or 1ton truck/van transmission for the best starting point on a Hot Rod Core Rebuild in my opinion.

thanks man, I know its out of a truck, and as far as I know its the input and tail shafts that are different and the guy is giving me other ones to go with it. I'm probably not going to be able to open it up, but I will look for everything else you mentioned.

PS: This is a rare deal if you find it. Some of the old HP drums are 30 spline on the input shaft and take a 30/30 sline count input shaft that can go in the transmission either way. People started putting them in backwards and one end the spine where shorter and it caused problems. Ford went to a 30/31 spline count later to solve the problem. I have one of the HP drums and shaft I got from the core yard with 18 spring 5 clutch's and the oil holes for the band. It's no big deal now days as Broader sell new repops but, back in the day the Ford guy's had to hunt the old drums for High Performance rebuilds.

ok...lol, half of what you just said is like a foreign language to me, I know exactly zero about transmissions

If the input shaft will go in the transmission in either direction it has a 60's model high reverse drum and may be a HD drum also.

to build a good c6 you need 2 cores ,one pre '76 and one after '76 , my build is over on the 460ford site .
frank

well, I went and looked at it, but didn't buy it. It didn't have the ribbing that was mentioned for me to look for, also, he didn't have the other input and output shafts like he said he did. I got some numbers off the ID tag, and took some pics and I'm less sure about it now than I was before, lol. I have a built c4, maybe I'll stick with that although my engine builder said not to, and that it wouldn't handle the abuse the 460 will give it.

tag numbers were: PJA BY8 E21 / D9TP YB070435

The fluid looked clean, and didn't smell, which is a plus. I'll try and post some pics, or links to pics in a few minutes.

https://s1283.photobucket.com/user/johnbrown22/library/transmission

some pictures, hope they help, wasn't sure what to concentrate on.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/pts/5500581959.html

maybe this is closer to what I should be looking for???

Lazarustorino wrote:https://s1283.photobucket.com/user/johnbrown22/library/transmission

some pictures, hope they help, wasn't sure what to concentrate on.

We can't click and look at links here it is to strenuous on our delicate fingers and time consuming. Seriously I did try your link to Photbucket and it did not want to load and I waited a minute even and hit refresh. If my pictures post I will give you the link/tip 68FormalG/T passed along to me. On the C6 even a smooth case one might be good to rob parts from and you have no idea whats in it or how many times it been rebuilt. I have built them up for smallblock's or 351/M400's and used non ribbed cases so you never know. I would skip the C4 and nitrous myself.

Lazarustorino wrote:http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/pts/5500581959.html

maybe this is closer to what I should be looking for???

Yes and I would offer a bill and a half and see what he says. Do not get a first year 1966 one though, the shift pattern is different.

you don't need a ribbed case as the ribs will get in the way on tight tunnels and there's no difference in strength
frank

Lazarustorino wrote:well, I went and looked at it, but didn't buy it.  It didn't have the ribbing that was mentioned for me to look for, also, he didn't have the other input and output shafts like he said he did.  I got some numbers off the ID tag, and took some pics and I'm less sure about it now than I was before, lol.  I have a built c4, maybe I'll stick with that although my engine builder said not to, and that it wouldn't handle the abuse the 460 will give it.  

tag numbers were: PJA BY8 E21 /  D9TP YB070435

The fluid looked clean, and didn't smell, which is a plus.  I'll try and post some pics, or links to pics in a few minutes.  

You should make the guy with the D9 an offer and see if he comes down a little. Try to get the ribbed one also. The more parts you have the better and the old style valve bodies are nicer.

I found a different deal last night on Facebook. kid has one, with the ribbing (although I guess it doesn't matter) and I'm getting it for 125, and he's gonna throw in the power steering pump and bracket as well.

Lazarustorino wrote:I found a different deal last night on Facebook.  kid has one, with the ribbing (although I guess it doesn't matter) and I'm getting it for 125, and he's gonna throw in the power steering pump and bracket as well.  

Cool Post some pic's if you can when you tear it apart. I should have said forward drum about the like splined input shaft going with, not high reverse drum. Either way I agree the older transmissions where better to build up also. Grab the one for 125 and see whats in it.

got the trans home, looks ok from the outside, but who knows, haven't had time to get into it yet. The tag number is PJD G11 J14, which from what I can tell it was a 1977 used in a truck. Dude said he though it came out of a wrecker. I also got the power steering pump off the motor while i was there. there was a huge bracket on the drivers side front of the motor, looked like it either had two alternators or maybe a pump for a PTO??? I'll try to get it cracked open this week and peek inside, I still have a lot of work to do on other parts of the car though so it may have to wait a minute. Can anyone post a link to Frank Merkls' build post on that other page? I looked all over that page for it and can't seem to find it.

http://www.460ford.com/forum/42-general-tech/

I know this is the whole forum page but all the info is in those first few sticky's . If you need any info just sing out. I've done a few frank builds now , happy to help if you need

thanks man... I have to say, rebuilding a transmission is a bit intimidating to me. never done it, but then again... I never rebuilt motors before a couple years ago either, lol.

Lazarustorino wrote:thanks man... I have to say, rebuilding a transmission is a bit intimidating to me.  never done it, but then again... I never rebuilt motors before a couple years ago either, lol.  

C6 is one of the easiest automatic transmissions to build. It is what I cut my teeth getting started on, TH700's and I imagine some/all of the newer stuff can be a real bear and you better be on your game with them. Be patient and do it right the first time and you will likely be good to go.

I read through the build thread on the other page... and quite frankly I don't know most of what is being talked about. I'm sure its all great info, but for someone with some kind of basic knowledge of a transmission to begin with. Is there another source, book maybe, or something with pictures that is around I could use? I would prefer to do it myself if at all possible, but I'm not above paying someone to do it to make sure its right either.

Lazarustorino wrote:I read through the build thread on the other page... and quite frankly I don't know most of what is being talked about.  I'm sure its all great info, but for someone with some kind of basic knowledge of a transmission to begin with.  Is there another source, book maybe, or something with pictures that is around I could use?  I would prefer to do it myself if at all possible, but I'm not above paying someone to do it to make sure its right either.  

Buy yourself an ATSG manual for 10 bucks and watch all the video's you can find on the web. I have seen a few good ones on YouTube and there is another one out there somewhere that you will have to hunt down. Get a Broader 5 clutch High Reverse drum for starter's or find a Ford HD drum and convert it. Buy or make yourself a spring compressor for the drums. There are many ways to home fab them easily and cheaply. Get some lip seal installation tools and plenty of Vasoline. The shift kit I have had the best luck with was the B&M kit, not the trick kit but, the more expensive one. In the stage2 option you retain automatic shifts and they where not overkill shift but pretty nice and firm. Do one section at a time and keep your parts in order, take a few pictures when you tear it down and as you go along, you should do OK.