Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Late V8 (1954+)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-19-2021, 02:53 PM   #1
'31 Patina
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Rosemount, MN
Posts: 228
Default 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

I recently bought a 1957 Country Sedan with the original 292 y block and what I believe was called the cruiseomatic or fordmotaic automatic transmission. My question is do I need to start out in the low gear and then shift it to D? If I start out in D am I hurting anything? Is the car actually starting out in 2nd and then shifts to 3rd? I see some people say this transmission is a 2 speed but others say it's a 3 speed. Which is it?

Also, the car is pretty much stock except the previous owner put 2.79 gears in the rear and 15" wheels on it with front disc brakes.

Thanks.
'31 Patina is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2021, 03:11 PM   #2
Dobie Gillis
Senior Member
 
Dobie Gillis's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Middle TN
Posts: 1,060
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

If it's the original transmission it's a Fordomatic which does start in 2nd if you have the gear selector in the D position. No need to start out in low unless you just want to, although with 2.79 gears there may be an advantage to doing so. Fordo's are 3 speed trannies but normally start out in second as noted above.
__________________
Often wrong but never in doubt.
Dobie Gillis is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 10-19-2021, 03:47 PM   #3
1930artdeco
Senior Member
 
1930artdeco's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Lynden, Wa
Posts: 3,548
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

What Dobie said, I have the exact same car and just sent my tranny out for a rebuild. You are lucky to have the 15" wheels and disk brakes as I still have the drums-for now. Lets see some pics and have you checked out the 57Fordsforever.com site?

Mike
__________________
1930 TownSedan (Briggs)
1957 Country Sedan
1930artdeco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-19-2021, 06:32 PM   #4
Gene F
Senior Member
 
Gene F's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,915
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

I have the big drums all the way around on my 57, and my car has good brakes.

1930 Artdeco, will a set of Cragars work on my car with the drum brakes? I mean the back of the wheel the face of the drum? I don't want to do anything that will make the wheels move wider.
Gene F is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2021, 01:37 AM   #5
1930artdeco
Senior Member
 
1930artdeco's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Lynden, Wa
Posts: 3,548
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

To tell you the truth I am not sure. I have not played with back spacing much. I know there is a section dedicated to wheels on the 57fofdsforever forum. But I just watched a video of a 500 with cragars on it.

Mike
__________________
1930 TownSedan (Briggs)
1957 Country Sedan
1930artdeco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2021, 01:07 PM   #6
rotorwrench
Senior Member
 
rotorwrench's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 16,367
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
The dual range Cruise-O-Matic came out in 1958 but the single range types were still used in a lot of applications.
rotorwrench is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2021, 02:49 PM   #7
miker98038
Senior Member
 
miker98038's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Kent, WA. Tucson, AZ
Posts: 1,373
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

I had a set of Cragar’s, garden variety in stock, they were 15x6 with 3 or 3 1/2 backspace. They fit the bird, drums no problem. I didn’t care for them on that car. But I think most modern wheels ( modern 14-15”, not the 22” hoops) fit drums without a problem. Check the backspace both ends, and fender skirts if necessary. Ford changed the center hole size along the way, so the later wheels are going to index (?) on the lugs, not the center opening.

It’s almost certainly on the 57 ford site above.
miker98038 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2021, 05:27 PM   #8
Gene F
Senior Member
 
Gene F's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,915
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

I will look, thanks. I don't want to change anything, just new tires and a set of Cragars, with he same width, backspace, etc. I have turbine wheel covers, and don't want to go to the wire wheels.
Gene F is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2021, 06:35 PM   #9
dmsfrr
Senior Member
 
dmsfrr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Abq, NM
Posts: 3,598
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gene F View Post
... 1930 Artdeco, will a set of Cragars work on my car with the drum brakes? I mean the back of the wheel the face of the drum? I don't want to do anything that will make the wheels move wider.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gene F View Post
I will look, thanks. I don't want to change anything, just new tires and a set of Cragars, with he same width, backspace, etc. I have turbine wheel covers, and don't want to go to the wire wheels.
Gene F,
Many aftermarket wheels have less backspace/positive offset than stock size '57 FoMoCo steel wheels, so they sit a little farther out from the wheel hubs and the wheels are generally wider as well.

If you try to order aftermarket wheels with the width and backspace you want, you may find they're back-ordered forever or 'Unavailable'. I waited just over 10 months for a pre-paid set of these standard offset 15 x 6 Torq Thrust wheels.
.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Back Spacing offset.jpg (27.5 KB, 9 views)
File Type: jpg 20210424_142111 torq thrust c.jpg (48.2 KB, 10 views)

Last edited by dmsfrr; 10-21-2021 at 01:13 AM. Reason: add photo
dmsfrr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2021, 10:29 PM   #10
40 Deluxe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: now Kuna, Idaho
Posts: 3,774
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dobie Gillis View Post
If it's the original transmission it's a Fordomatic which does start in 2nd if you have the gear selector in the D position. No need to start out in low unless you just want to, although with 2.79 gears there may be an advantage to doing so. Fordo's are 3 speed trannies but normally start out in second as noted above.
If it's the original style trans, if you go full throttle right away, it will start in 1st gear and shift to 2nd as soon as you let up.
40 Deluxe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2021, 11:54 AM   #11
Gene F
Senior Member
 
Gene F's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,915
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

DMSFRR, are you happy you bought them? On your T-bird? Did they change the look of your car a lot more than you expected?
Gene F is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2021, 12:16 PM   #12
Gene F
Senior Member
 
Gene F's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,915
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

photo i think the chrome would dress it up a lot.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 57 retract small pixels.JPG (44.7 KB, 14 views)
Gene F is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2021, 10:10 PM   #13
dmsfrr
Senior Member
 
dmsfrr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Abq, NM
Posts: 3,598
Default Re: 1957 Ford Country Sedan Transmission Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gene F View Post
DMSFRR, are you happy you bought them? On your T-bird? Did they change the look of your car a lot more than you expected?
Gene F,
They're still in their boxes.
I originally bought them for the red '55 and it was parked for most of the last year due to virus restrictions and it needing some misc. work.
Finally got it out of the garage for the first time about 2 weeks ago, but haven't bought any tires to put on the wheels yet.

photo 1, I'm going for this look even though mine has a white top.
Maybe the white will work well visually with the machined lip of the wheels.

I might use them occasionally on the yellow '57 too, once it gets painted and put back together.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 55 - torque thrust wheels.jpg (116.5 KB, 9 views)
File Type: jpg torque thrust wheels.jpg (17.2 KB, 11 views)

Last edited by dmsfrr; 10-23-2021 at 11:53 PM.
dmsfrr is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:11 AM.