OK, I'll try. I am also going to attempt to document the install I'm doing as I go. I am set up with the Bendsten's adapter and I have a fresh AOD waiting on me to get after it. But now I have injured my back so everything is a real effort.
I am going to use my stock shifter and try to be stealthy about things but we will see... Don't want to cut anything if I can help it or jerry rig. This will be one of the bigger deals I have ever tried.
I didn't go with the AODE just beacause I had an AOD available to me and the E is more money because of the obvious whistles and bells but mainly for the Bird, It is longer and I think a little wider...so that was pushing my skills, wallet and experience with computer aided trannys. I think that choice for a full size car like a fairlane or so would be much easier and a no-brainer choice with the space, but I couldn't get a straight answer from anyone who had actually done it for a little bird. It always got sketchy when it came to answering questions about how the shifter fit? What did you cut? what kind of linkage works? Even Bendstens had actually done several cars but each was an individual case by case custom and that's even with the straight AOD not the AODE.
So I think I am going simpler AND hopefully I'll still be way ahead from the original fordomatic.
There will be plenty to do routing cooling lines, change Rads, or get a tranny cooler? Gotta cut the driveshaft and weld on a new aod yoke.
For anyone who doesn't know or worked on one the bird it has a massive x frame member to deal with. There is no wide open spaces like you Fairlane guys have.
We'll see if I can pull it off and make it to Columbus in time. to much to do.
A L A N F R A K E S ~ Tulsa, OK