Technical 1955 DeSoto Powerflite Help

I need to rebuild my Powerflite transmission mounted behind my 291, but am also thinking about swapping it out. The key items that I want to maintain are the dash shift lever (unique and sweet) and transmission mounted emergency brake. Anyone out there done a swap?

 

If you look for a mid 60's to late 70's motor homes with a 318/440 the trans - they will have the drum brake on the rear. The shift linage on the motor homes has a dash shifter with a cable to the trans. If you can find a Winnebago in a wrecking yard - you could check it out. There are parts available to adapt the later trans to your engine as well.

 

@1955Desoto

Considering your goals (retaining dash shifter and parking brake) IMO your simplest and likely least expensive option is to overhaul your Powerflite.

Ray

 

Powerflites are pretty easy to go through. Likely all the hard parts are fine, it was a tough piece.

 

As said, swapping to something else will not be cheap or easy. Rebuild the PF.

.

 

I have a rebuilt power flite that I'm not using if interested.

 

Nice cars, I had one. Watch out, all the custom guys are eyeing up your grill!

 

I had a '54 DeSoto with Powerflite that needed "rebuilding." It wouldn't shift out of low below 45 and was spitting fluid out the dipstick tube. Transmission shop sent me to a retired transmission man who had worked on many of them over the years. He told me, based upon the symptoms I described, that it was the governor. Swapped one out of another Powerflite and back on the road. Not saying that is your problem but that's what mine turned out to be.