I have a 69 Cougar with relatively stock 351C-4V and C6 with 2500 stall. This is how the car was equipped when I bought it and haven't tore the engine down yet, maybe next year.

Car would run hot at idle with belt fan and no shroud (no surprise) therefore put on a flex-a-lite dual fan package. Seems to be working good however after a about 15-20 minutes of city driving where revs normally are 1500-2000 the car seems to conitnually build heat and fans run constantly. I've checked the rad temperature with infra-red gun and read up to 230 degrees. Car doesn't boil over but I would like to get it cooler as the cooling system seems maxed out. Have a 26" rad with a new 3 row core. Stock water pump (don't know condition of it), new hoses and 185 thermostat.

I am thinking my problem is the high stall convertor generating a lot of heat in stop and go driving. Thus thinking of external oil cooler in front of the rad and disconnecting the tranny completely from the rad. Thinking of a cooler about 17" x 10" x 1.5" (roughly 18,000 to 22,000 GVW).

Does anybody have thoughts on this? Is it possible the convertor is not a big issue and thus need to look at water pump or better rad? If the external tranny cooler is a good idea, any thoughts on size (bigger must be better in this case but how big is overkill), and is it a bad idea to disconnect completely from existing rad or do I connect in series? I am thinking of disconnecting completely to take some cooling load off the rad.

This problem has been bothering me for a while and just came up with the tranny cooler idea recently. Hoping for some feed back before I go barking up the wrong tree!

Ed: So you are one of those guys hanging out at Albert and Avonhurst eh? I drive by there quite often when heading out to see friends as I usually take Avonhurst. This summer I will take some more pictures, lost them when my hard drive crapped out. Car is white with black stripes with scoop and rear spoiler, similar to a 70 Eliminator. I drive it quite a bit in summer so you probably seen it, used to have an aqua colored one in Regina which I drove from 87-93 - took it apart and never got it back together (time is hard to come by). Went out and bought the white one since they are getting scarce around here.

I am an electrical engineering tech by trade, help at the farm at Southey and tinker on my toys. Red 76 Power Wagon short box with a 440 that is tweaked more than the Cougar is my other toy - doesn't see much road time, just in and out of sloughs and snow in the winter. Tranny (auto) piled up again on it 6 weeks ago which I still need to fix- I am pretty rough on it though. Ford first, Dodge next.

Looks like my problem is going to get taken care of the expensive way - going to start working on a 5 speed.

Had the car out a few more times since doing my tweaking over the winter and found that the trans is now slipping when I lay into it and hit around 4000 rpm at WOT. I'm guessing this is because the engine is hitting peak torque. Shifts fine and no problem at lower revs.

Had a 5 speed on the floor for a lot of years now, was going to put it in my old car. Have the late model bell housing, just need to find the clutch/brake pedal and bracket. I think I'll go with a cable clutch from DB Performance or check out Windsor Fox. It's an expensive alternative but its been at the top of my modification list for 12 years now. Hopefully I can find the pedals in a few weeks so that I can then order the rest of the parts and still get a few good months of driving in up here.