Communicating with transmission shop for AOD rebuild

[CabinCruiser]

I'm am in the process of a frame up build of a '73 U15.
I have sourced an AOD from an '89 Bronco to replace my stock C4. I'm going to drop it off at a transmission shop but I'm very new to this and I don't know what instructions they will need. I will give them the AOD adapter tail housing and I plan to use an Ididit tilt column so I will provide them with the appropriate linkage. Anything esle I should provide them?
What else will I need to tell them? What questions should I be ready to answer?
Should I use the stock torque converter? anything else specific?

some details about my plan:
302 stroked to 347
d20 transfer case
9 inch rear and d44 front with 4.11(open to suggestions?) gears - will be exclusively street driven.
either 31 or 33 inch tires
2.5" suspension lift
1" body lift

Thanks very much for the guidance.

 

[76YETI]

I've been thinking of a C4 swap myself. A lot of articles/opinions on here. It appears all the cool kids are doing the 4R70W swap and some have begun the 6R80 swap. I recently talked to a transmission shop and he told me the same thing....don't do a AOD. I believe the technology and parts are much better for the 4R70W. I'm sure someone will chime in for you that knows a lot more than I.

 

[Ol'Blue]

When I was considering an AOD swap, I was told the TV cable adjustment can be tricky and if not done properly can cause transmission damage. I haven't done the swap yet, so others who have may have better feedback.

 

[tirewater]

Decide whether you want a shift kit or not. The rebuilder put one in my C4, and I've regretted it. One, two shifts are harsher than I'd like them to be. Two, three is fine.

I have a stock 302, so a stroked 347 might be a different story - although I wouldn't want to chirp the tires every time the transmission shifted into second.

 

[Ol'Blue]

Decide whether you want a shift kit or not. The rebuilder put one in my C4, and I've regretted it. One, two shifts are harsher than I'd like them to be. Two, three is fine.

I have a stock 302, so a stroked 347 might be a different story - although I wouldn't want to chirp the tires every time the transmission shifted into second.

Agreed, I have a shift kit in my C4 as well and don't like it. Next tranny wont have it.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I am another in the find a different transmission camp. There were some bad engineering choices done in the 70's when it was developed. Launched for 1980 and was never that good when a bunch of engineers who knew what they were doing were working on it. The TV linkage adjustment, if really done right, can be a massive amount of engineering to get the part throttle curve right. Idle and full throttle shifts are easy, it is that middle stuff that isn't. Especially if you have a 4-barrel. And the horrible convertor lockup idea. Well the idea was great, the actual function wasn't. The 3-4 shift goes straight into a convertor locked state. 1st isn't that low. Overdrive was really high, never that high again until automatics started having multiple overdrive ratios. An actual gear ratio between direct and the 2/3s the AOD is. The 4R70W is so much better that an AOD. Most of the AOD upgrade parts are taken directly from the 4R70W, but you can never get the really good stuff like a selectable lockup convertor used in any other overdrive transmission, because that is how it should be done.