83 3.8 AOD Swap from C5

[Atengnr]

Hello all. I would like to do this swap. I have a column shift. How difficult is it to adapt the shift linkage from the c5 to the aod (or can it be adapted)? Do I need to replace the flexplate?What the easiest way to get the correct driveshaft? Could I have mine shortened and swap yokes?Thanks alot.

[KevinVarnes]

I haven't done the swap, but I was collecting parts to make it happen. My donor car was an '83/'84 Cougar 3.8. I cannot confirm the differences, but I grabbed everything I could that attached to the transmission. That included the shift linkage from the steering column down to the trans and any frame mounted brackets. The throttle body or carb on a C5 trans car will not have the proper TV rod or cable connection. The car I was sourcing parts from used a TV rod so I grabbed all of those parts as well. Unfortunately the donor car was carb and my car is CFI and I didn't feel like converting to carb so I left it.

The trans mount on the AOD is further back than the C5 so you will either have to modify your crossmember or get an aftermarket unit. I think the length between the AOD and C5 is pretty close, so you might get away with reusing your driveshaft. I do not know if the C5 and AOD have the same spline count on the output shaft.