C4 Used in 1979 Thunderbird?
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Category: Powertrain Specific Forum
Forum Name: Transmissions
Forum Description: For discussion relating to all Ford Transmissions
URL: https://forum.grantorinosport.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=16373
Printed Date: 19-April-2024 at 10:32PM
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Topic: C4 Used in 1979 Thunderbird?
Posted By: MXBrougham
Subject: C4 Used in 1979 Thunderbird?
Date Posted: 08-July-2017 at 10:06AM
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I just recently found out (after getting a Marti Report on a 79 Thunderbird) that he can tell if your car was a 351M or 351W, even though the VIN code is the same for both. It got me wondering though. From my 2 Marti's I know that out of 284,141 built, 149,410 were 302/FMX combo's, and 104,052 were 351M/FMX combo's. By definition, that means 30,679 were 351W. However, I wondered if any were built with the C4 transmission. Or were they all FMX's? Has anybody ever seen a 79 Thunderbird with a C4? I have always assumed because of the size of the car, the C4 wouldn't have been considered strong enough by Ford to use. But who knows.
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Replies:
Posted By: Power Surge
Date Posted: 08-July-2017 at 10:27AM
Definitely doesn't have to do with the size of the car. C4s were used through the 70s in plenty of Torinos, Cougars, etc. My 75 Cougar was a 351W/C4 car.
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Sal Mennella
73 GTS 351 CJ
75 Cougar XR7
73 Ranchero - 5.0 Coyote swap - in progress
Past Torinos - 72 Gran Torino, 75 Gran Torino, 75 Elite
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Posted By: Big Bird
Date Posted: 08-July-2017 at 10:53AM
C4 was not typically used with Thunderbird, as it was an "Upscale" car and got C6 or FMX. Depending on the level of reporting in the build data Marti is reviewing, I would think engine mounts, cooling system, Catalyst, or some other detail shows up and lets him make that determination.
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"What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind."
Randy
1979 T-Bird
2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD
How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds?
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Posted By: GranTorinoSport
Date Posted: 11-July-2017 at 7:23AM
While the C4 is not as robust of a transmission, it is lighter in weight. For applications where you are going to be building some serious power I'd explore a C6 however. If it is a 351M I'd bet money it was a C6, and if 351W I'd also bet it's a C4. My 75 with a 351W had a C4. Never modified the engine, and the transmission served very well for 235,000 miles (although like the engine it did leak).
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Scott Eklund
Webmaster
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Posted By: MrSmog
Date Posted: 11-July-2017 at 8:26AM
c6's are the old school route, tough but suck an additional 30 hp over a c-4 and heavier. A lot of Ford guys, even 460+ big block guys are goin to built c4's (351m bell) over the c6's, c4's will hold up to big power, they make then now to hold over 1100 hp. I ran a otherwise stock c4 with a shift kit behind a Healthy 351w with a 150 shot of nitrous, did I mention the car the c-4 came out of had 150k miles on it? yea, it was still goin strong after I sold the car and It must have had over 100 passes on the bottle at the track and on the street.
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