c6 swap anyone done it?

[GoodSamaritan]

Well I finally took the plunge and bought a c6 out of a 3/4 ton 85 ford van. A buddy of mine scrapped out the van after it was involved in a wreck. I picked it up for the princely sum of 30$. It still has the torque converter and everything.

I bought it primarily because of a future project of mine. (hopefully not to future) I am turning a box wagon into my tow vehicle, with a trac loc and big tires. (minimal off roading)

At any rate, I am not concerned with efficiency, just durability so save the aod/vs C4 vs C6 lectures. Besides the tranny was cheap.

Other than shortening the drive shaft, and maybe relocating the crossmember, what if anything will be involved in making this thing fit.

#1Will the speedometer cable on a 79-89 box hook up to it?

#2What about linkage? (part of me hopes for the excuse to use a floor shift, lol)

#3 Are there issues with the dipstick tube?

#4 last but not least, how important is it to hook up the kickdown linkage? I dont mind manually shifting it, I just don't want to fry it.

#5 if anyone has put one in, and the kickdown is important, how did you hook yours up.

Thanks
Bryan

[Grand Marquis GT]

1979 and 1980 boxes got C6s, IIRC...

[DuceAnAHalf]

1979 and 1980 boxes got C6s, IIRC...

The C6 was put behind big-blocks, so the bellhousing is different, unless you get one from a 300 I6. the C4's are small block bellhousings.

[Jason91GM]

im in the middle of a C4 swap, waiting on my torque converter now. its different than the C6, especially in physical size. but i can tell you what i have to deal with. makin sure you get the right converter can be interesting, the mounting location is different(c6 uses a different mount than c4/aod), driveshaft length is the same for me but yours will change, my dipstick is fine in the car, and about the kickdown... it appears to be a PITA to hook to EFI, but carb will be easy... but it wont fry it if you dont hook it to anything. manually downshifting is fine. C4 is cheaper, lighter weight, and easier, but C6 is stronger.

[Mercracer]

1979 and 1980 boxes got C6s, IIRC...

Most 351's got C-4's.

[Mercracer]

im in the middle of a C4 swap, waiting on my torque converter now. its different than the C6, especially in physical size. but i can tell you what i have to deal with. makin sure you get the right converter can be interesting, the mounting location is different(c6 uses a different mount than c4/aod), driveshaft length is the same for me but yours will change, my dipstick is fine in the car, and about the kickdown... it appears to be a PITA to hook to EFI, but carb will be easy... but it wont fry it if you dont hook it to anything. manually downshifting is fine. C4 is cheaper, lighter weight, and easier, but C6 is stronger.

C-6 uses the same tranny mount, but it is a bit further up. New holes in your frame mount should take care of that. C-6 SB converters are all the same. C-4 used a few different input shaft spline combos. C-6 trannys came in trucks, so kickdown should not be an issue.

[Mercracer]

The C6 was put behind big-blocks, so the bellhousing is different, unless you get one from a 300 I6. the C4's are small block bellhousings.

There is both a BB and SB C-4 bellhousing. C-4's were used behind 351M's. C-6's were used behind 300 I-6's, 302's and 351W's. Small block C-6's are plentiful.

[Southern_Pride]

My sister truck came with a 302 and c6. Its an 87. The driveshaft yoke is different. You dont have to hook up the kickdown linkage if you dont want. The crossmember should bolt right up. the one on my truck did.

[Mercracer]

The driveshaft yoke is different.

The yoke is shared with an FMX tranny as it is 31 spine.