The slow demise of the Ford C6?

[AlanCasida]

Today I got a call from the company I ordered my front pump from telling me it would be delayed because they were out of rebuildable cores. When I ordered my FE C6 from Broader he said he was going to have to charge me an extra $150 for the FE case because they were getting really scarce in his part of the country plus I would have to wait . So, I stripped a spare C6 I had and sent him the case.  Makes you wonder how much longer they will able to have OEM parts for them and if there will be enough demand for the aftermarket to start supplying those kind of hard parts.

[thatdarncat]

I had heard from a couple aftermarket companies that they have a hard time getting C4 valve body cores to make transbrake valve bodies, going to billet valve bodies will probably have to be the long term solution. I know two local transmission rebuilders that cleaned out their C6 & C4 used parts, there just wasn’t enough regular business to justify hanging on to it, my friend & I got a bunch of it from one of them. Many places in the business have contacts with the larger companies, and at least send the stuff that way when they clean house, so it’s not wasted, but the supply gets smaller all the time. Small salvage yards with ‘60’s & ‘70’s stuff are disappearing all the time, sometimes the stuff gets to a rebuilder, but often at this point it’s just scrapped.

[e philpott]

I would venture to say at this time the C4 will survive and the C6 won't ,based on  I've heard rumors of a C4 case coming and don't hear anything about a C6 , not great data by no means and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn

[Drew Pojedinec]

This is why I’ve tried to snag a few extra c6 fe cases.
It’s one of the few transmissions I can build to withstand anything

[badcatt]

Not FE or C6, but my 351 powered 70 XR-7, The FMX has bad spider gears. 2 shops told me to bring in 2 extra FMX's hoping they could find enough used gears to fix it. I swapped in a T5-Z instead.
I have been holding on to a number of FMX and SB C-6's as well as an extra FE C-6 just in case I need them.

[manofmerc]

Sadly the c-6 will just be a truck transmission or something for a restored muscle car .At my local dragtrack (Reynolds Ga. ) They might be two of us with a c-6 .And whenever I freshen mine (not that often)I wish it was a c-4 because it is so heavy .Anyways everything holds up and to swap to a glide or c-4 would be to expensive for me .But I would imagine my car would be quicker without the weight inside and out .C-6 parts will get more difficult to find .I searched for a couple of months for a proper c-6 sprag .Suppliers want you to use an e4od sprag that just drop in and doesn't use retaining rings like a correct c-6 sprag .Idid find several correct c-6 sprags in NY .Somehow I imagine the e4od sprag would work .But I just couldn't do it .The best tran brake for c-6s are built by a guy in Canada Frank Merkl I don't believe he can find cores any more .Sad really His tran brake works great .So guys you better start saving those old back breakers .They are getting scarce .Doug

[Falcon67]

YES - this is an issue.  Why I have 3 C4s stashed in the shed, one built spare, and 6 1970 valve bodies in the parts pile.  Same with stock Powerglide cases and pumps for mild performance applications.  $$$ aftermarket available, but stockers not so much.  The C6 does not have the aftermarket following that the C4 and PG have.  Seems to me all the development is in newer E type overdrive trans units.  Thanks to drag racing and the big power made these days, you can buy robust PG cases to replace the weak sister OEM units.  Ford - not so much.

If I read right, the last C6 was in production in 1981.  38 years ago. 

[Drew Pojedinec]

I had a 1989 F250 diesel with a c6 from the factory, you could get an E4OD that year as well. I thought the c6 was used in uhauls until 94

[Stangman]

Those were probably behind 460s though which of course you know has a different bellhousing.

[Drew Pojedinec]

He said c6 production until 81.
Just sharing my experience with far later ones.

[Falcon67]

I read that somewhere and it could very well be incorrect.  You know the Internet is right about everything though.  A lot of the newer E type trans are based on the older C6 design I think.  So maybe not completely "dead", just morphed LOL.  Our 93 F-350 has the E4OD behind it. 

[RustyCrankshaft]

C4 & C6's for industrial applications (not FE obviously) continued until at least the late 90's. The last 4 yard push-bulls we ordered at work (in November of 99) came with them. 2 with 300's and C4's and 2 with C6's and bigger rear axles. We have a TON of C6's in equipment here and haven't had trouble getting parts really. Although I don't think we've needed to buy a case in many years so I can't speak to that. FE cases around this part of the country have been scare for a long time, but they also had a much more limited production run than SBF and BBF.

[manofmerc]

Here in middle Ga. C-6 cases for fes are common .These are truck versions no console shift or ones with a cast iron tail shaft and you can most parts .But as I mentioned earlier items like sprags are going to be for an e4od . And the trans parts supply house doesn't have any valve bodies cases or other hard parts .Most likely for several more years you can what ever you need for a c-6 it just might take some time and extra effort .This is good timing for such a post .If it will EVER cool down I have a c-6 to pull out of an f250 and it is FE powered .So let us see what comes of it .Doug

[FERoadster]

ManofMercs
That was my thought but I haven't posted it. PU C6 are easy to find here. I can get about 1 a month but a car C6 about one a year.
Is there a way to convert a PU C6 to a splined output?  Or do I need a center bearing mount and a spline driveshaft?   My FE in a Volvo P1800 will need that.
Are any parts of a  C6 PU trans desirable for a C6 car trans?

Richard >>> FERoadster

[Heo]

ManofMercs
That was my thought but I haven't posted it. PU C6 are easy to find here. I can get about 1 a month but a car C6 about one a year.
Is there a way to convert a PU C6 to a splined output?  Or do I need a center bearing mount and a spline driveshaft?   My FE in a Volvo P1800 will need that.
Are any parts of a  C6 PU trans desirable for a C6 car trans?

Richard >>> FERoadster

Does the PU C6 have a driveflange on the output like the Volvo Trans?  FE in a P1800 Interesting