Cruise-O-Matic
Encyclopedia
Ford-O-Matic was the first automatic transmission
used by Ford Motor Company
, designed by Borg Warner Corporation
. Introduced in 1950, the three-speed Ford-O-Matic evolved into the Cruise-O-Matic in 1958 (and a 2-speed Ford-O-Matic in 1959) and the FMX in 1968. This line continued in production until 1980, when the AOD
was introduced. Like Ford, variations of this same Borg Warner design were used by other automobile manufacturers as well, such as AMC, International Harvester, Studebaker, Volvo and Jaguar, each of them having the necessary unique adaptations required for the individual applications.
and planetary gearset, providing three forward speeds plus reverse. In some applications, Ford offered a dual-range option allowing the driver to start in either first gear or second gear.
Ford dropped the "Cruise-O-Matic" tradename during the 1970s; in the 1950s and early 1960s promoting the automatic transmission as a feature was a standard practice among automakers as they were relatively new. By the late 1970s, most American cars had automatics as standard equipment and there was no reason to especially call attention to them. The transmissions were marketed as the Merc-O-Matic when installed in Mercury
vehicles, and Mile-O-Matic in Edsel
vehicles.
and the FX was built in the Fairfax Transmission Plant near Cincinnati, Ohio
.
Although the FMX was phased out in the United States in 1980 in favor of Ford's then-revolutionary Automatic OverDrive (AOD) transmission
which was based on it, it was produced for another year for use in V8 Ford Falcon
s built in Australia
. When Ford Australia
decided to phase out the very thirsty V8 engine owing to rising gasoline prices, the FMX ceased production.
Howard Simpson
. The dual range gearset with full manual shifting capability was standard on the C4, and for a period it was marketed as the "SelectShift Cruise-O-Matic".
Gear ratio
s:
at the Bordeaux Transmission Plant. The C3 was a light duty version of the C4 design.
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
used by Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, designed by Borg Warner Corporation
BorgWarner
BorgWarner Inc. is a United States-based worldwide automotive industry components and parts supplier. It is primarily known for its powertrain products, which include manual and automatic transmissions and transmission components, , turbochargers, engine valve timing system...
. Introduced in 1950, the three-speed Ford-O-Matic evolved into the Cruise-O-Matic in 1958 (and a 2-speed Ford-O-Matic in 1959) and the FMX in 1968. This line continued in production until 1980, when the AOD
Ford AOD transmission
The AOD is a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. Introduced in 1980, it was Ford's first four-speed automatic overdrive transmission. The design is based on the same gearset as the 1960s and 1970s...
was introduced. Like Ford, variations of this same Borg Warner design were used by other automobile manufacturers as well, such as AMC, International Harvester, Studebaker, Volvo and Jaguar, each of them having the necessary unique adaptations required for the individual applications.
Cruise-O-Matic
The original Cruise-O-Matics use a torque converterTorque converter
In modern usage, a torque converter is generally a type of hydrodynamic fluid coupling that is used to transfer rotating power from a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor, to a rotating driven load...
and planetary gearset, providing three forward speeds plus reverse. In some applications, Ford offered a dual-range option allowing the driver to start in either first gear or second gear.
Ford dropped the "Cruise-O-Matic" tradename during the 1970s; in the 1950s and early 1960s promoting the automatic transmission as a feature was a standard practice among automakers as they were relatively new. By the late 1970s, most American cars had automatics as standard equipment and there was no reason to especially call attention to them. The transmissions were marketed as the Merc-O-Matic when installed in Mercury
Mercury (automobile)
Mercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...
vehicles, and Mile-O-Matic in Edsel
Edsel
The Edsel was an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company during the 1958, 1959, and 1960 model years. The Edsel never gained popularity with contemporary American car buyers and sold poorly. Consequently, the Ford Motor Company lost millions of dollars on the Edsel's development,...
vehicles.
MX/FX
The original versions, known internally as MX (larger) and FX (smaller); the MX was built in the Livonia Transmission Plant in Livonia, MichiganLivonia, Michigan
Livonia is a city in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Livonia is a very large suburb with an array of traditional neighborhoods connected to the metropolitan area by freeways. The population was 96,942 at the 2010 census, making it Michigan's 9th largest...
and the FX was built in the Fairfax Transmission Plant near Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
FMX
An improved version called FMX, which used stronger MX-type rotating parts in the smaller FX case; introduced in 1968 and built until 1982 at the Fairfax plant, which closed when the FMX was balanced out. The FMX used a Ravigneaux planetary gearsetRavigneaux planetary gearset
The Ravigneaux gearset is a double planetary gear set commonly used in automatic transmissions. This planetary gear set is constructed from two gear pairs, ring-planet and planet-planet. The Ravigneaux set has two sun gear wheels, a large sun and a small sun, and a single carrier gear with two...
.
Although the FMX was phased out in the United States in 1980 in favor of Ford's then-revolutionary Automatic OverDrive (AOD) transmission
Ford AOD transmission
The AOD is a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. Introduced in 1980, it was Ford's first four-speed automatic overdrive transmission. The design is based on the same gearset as the 1960s and 1970s...
which was based on it, it was produced for another year for use in V8 Ford Falcon
Ford Falcon (Australia)
The Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
s built in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. When Ford Australia
Ford Australia
Ford Australia is the Australian subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Geelong, Victoria, in 1925 as an outpost of Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. At that time, Ford Canada was a separate company from Ford USA...
decided to phase out the very thirsty V8 engine owing to rising gasoline prices, the FMX ceased production.
- Gear ratios
- First: 2.40:1
- Second: 1.47:1
- Third: 1.00:1
- Reverse: 2.00:1
C4
The C-4 medium-duty model, introduced in 1964 at the Sharonville Transmission Plant, built specifically for this model. The C4 took its name from Ford part number naming convention: the prefix for parts first designed in any year used a letter for the decade (C for the 1960s) and a number for the year, thus all the parts in this new transmission had the first two characters "C4". The C4 remained in production until the early 1980s and was replaced by the C5, which was a C4 with a lock-up clutch in the torque converter. The C5 was phased out in the late 1980s. The C4 (and the later C3 and C6) used a Simpson planetary gearset, named for Ford engineerEngineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
Howard Simpson
Howard Simpson
Howard Woodworth Simpson was an automotive engineer whose designs were extensively used in automatic transmissions.-Biography:...
. The dual range gearset with full manual shifting capability was standard on the C4, and for a period it was marketed as the "SelectShift Cruise-O-Matic".
Gear ratio
Gear ratio
The gear ratio of a gear train is the ratio of the angular velocity of the input gear to the angular velocity of the output gear, also known as the speed ratio of the gear train. The gear ratio can be computed directly from the numbers of teeth of the various gears that engage to form the gear...
s:
- First: 2.46:1
- Second: 1.46:1
- Third: 1.00:1
- Reverse: 2.20:1
C6
The heavy-duty C-6, built at the Livonia plant beginning in 1966. Later versions of the C6 were built at the Sharonville Plant until the model was discontinued in 1996. The C6 design was a larger and improved version of the C4. Also, there were many specialty versions of the C6 built for heavy duty factory tugs, airport transporters and even a model for ice rink Zambonis.C3
The light duty C3, introduced in the 1970s and built in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at the Bordeaux Transmission Plant. The C3 was a light duty version of the C4 design.