Customs help!!! ive got me a Desoto

As much as I don't want to do this I'm looking for some advice on what basic automatic transmission will work best with my flywheel, trans mount and driveshaft. I need the cheapest route possible. Please dont ask about the swap it hurts to talk...........

 

What year Desoto, running what engine/drivetrain, way more information needed. If you're asking what auto trans will bolt into a '50 Desoto (the one in your avatar) then you're in for a world of disappointment.

 

1950 Desoto with the tip toe shift.......

 

I'll be watching this thread with interest. I've got an all original '49 coming my way soon.

 

Bluegrass do you have any parts for a 50 Desoto

 

Also its a straight 6 with the manual on the tree

 

Most of them were fluid drive with safety clutch. They work well.

 

I know but I just enjoy driving it. The whole setup will be for sale or trade soon

 

I'll check with my source tonight to see what he might have.

 

That's what mine has.

 

If you can find a powerflight (2speed mopar) it was used behind the flatheads between 54 to 57, I could be off a year or two as it has been a while.


I am going to use a mopar 500 in my 53 Plymouth, but this takes a adp. You can also use a GM tubro . I am trying to keep the standard but I have a problem using the clutch in city driving. Dam tropical bugs !

ED

 

Gm turbo??????? Does that need an adapter. Does it require a different flywheel and starter. Also is there any market for the fluid drive in there now???

 

Hot Heads and Wilcap have everything you need for the any GM trans. I have used both. Good luck!

 

How do you guys know all these websites? I can never find anything when I look around also is the a strictly Desoto parts website out there

 

Very little demand for a used Fluid Drive transmission. To swap to a GM automatic you'll need an adapter, a new driveshaft made, probably would use the Chevy starter, ect. You're talking about several thousand dollars invested to hook that up to your stock engine, not an easy swap by any stretch.

There is no bolt-in transmission swap for this car to a different automatic. If it works good, leave it alone. If not, I'd say your best bet would be to find a 3 speed stick setup from another 50ish DeSoto and swap it over.

 

The adp. for either a mopar tran or a GM tran runs around 360.00. One of the members on this site makes adp. for the flathead and hemi.

If you use the mopar trans adp. you can use a 904, 727, 500 or 518. the torqflite trans of the 50 is a direct bolt up and is a very simple bulletproof trans. I used to play with them in sixties, easy to rebuild and hard to kill.

If you can find one and do not want overdrive this is the way to go. All you need to have made is a drive line ? might be able to use the auto drive line if you are very lucky. A good idea to have one made anyway as the joints for the older mopars are hard to find and very costly.

I have a tip-toe trans in the garage that I would love to find a home for. The tip-toe trans are not a fluid drive, Ma Chrysler stop gap measure for a auto trans. Only used for two or three years until the torqueflite was through the development phase.

Another good point about this trans is the bell housing is a separate piece, you can use the trany from any mopar motor with the six bell housing. Even the hemi, then you can say "hemi (parts) used in the building of this car"
If you watch around these trans do still come up As most people change to a standard trans. check crigslist and on this site here under parts for sale. Also check on any other mopar sites like p15 d24 web site.

Good luck and have fun with the old girl.

ED