History Great old Automatic Transmission Names and other trivia

I also like the names they gave engines too. Packard THUNDERBOLT, etc. Probably could be a different thread but it made me think of that.

 

Thanks Ray, I had a '58 Impala parts car (ouch, 'parts cars' back then were something like a worn out engine) with a 348 and Turboglide but never ran it. They were not a good trans I take it?

 

GM's Hydramatic was used, then Liquimatic, A Fomoco design that had some problems. Then, in 1955 or so...

 

Borg-Warner Drive, Flight-Pitch, Triple Turbine, Flash-o-matic, Multi-Drive, Turbo-Drive, Mile-O-Matic, Powerflite, Ultramatic and Twin Ultramatic, are all other names I found in my 59 edition Motors Manual that have, or may have, been mentioned already. The Turboglide used a FIVE element torque converter, that was primarily responsible for the "shifting" of forward gears; sort of like the "shiftless" transmissions of today. But, I think the name I use for automatic transmissions, "TRANSAMATIC AUTOMISSIONS", exceeds those of all others. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
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Not official names, but Slush-O-Matic and Button-O-Matic for push button Chrysler's with push button shifting.

 

My Famous Uncle warned me years ago- automatic transmissions are for shiftless people.

 

And the clutch fluid used in Hudsons cork wet clutch was called Hudsonite fluid.

 

Some may think of this as lame but I always liked C4 and C6. Simple and to the point.

 

Boz Scaggs did a whole song about an automatic transmission. He had to modify the name for copyright reasons. Weird.

 

Usally only for a short time.

 

No, they were not. High failure rate even when driven normally, but even shorter life when abused.
The 'Gr' (Grade Retard) was like a low gear, and often used as such, and hastened the trans' demise.
I had a friend in those days with a '58 Impala, 348 Turboglide, a 'spirited driver', and he soon proceeded
to demonstrate it's short life potential.

Ray

 

Early Holdens in Australia had a Hydra-matic, it was fun to drive because you had to wait for the gears to catch up with you (you kept your fingers crossed praying it would go into gear)

 

Someone beat me to the slim jim, how about the switch pitch 400 in late nailheaded buicks (SP400). The Ford-o-matic too.

 

"Chinese Six with a Typewriter" (slant 6 with a push-button Torqueflite)

 

"Typewriter Torqueflight" is what my brother used to call 'em.......

Ray

 

Someone mentioned Fluid Drive?

Check out the bumper on this beauty:

 

What is the green dot for?

 

Green dot and small white dot, to it's left in photo, were both 'Drive' positions. One of which only used 2nd and 3rd gear....the other engaged 1st, 2nd & 3rd. To the best of my recollection, the green dot was for all three gears.

Ray

 

'Slim Jim' was the nickname for the Roto-HydraMatic.
Alongside the RHM @ Pontiac was the Super HydraMatic

 

On the Cruise-o-Matic, we used to say white dot for snow (or slow), green dot for go. First year c6's came with a valve body set up the same way, and I think c4's thru '66 did also.

 

Slim Jim

 

Never said it was good, but I love music, and some memories just trigers an emotion and Leeds to a song, or maybe to sing. Thank god im alone when I feel like singing

 

Lincoln called it "Liquimatic" in 1942.

Cosmo

 

Some I didn't see Gyromatic, fluid torque, fluid matic. super matic and flash away. Then we have the hill holder transmission.

 

Hill Holder was NOT a transmission, it was an optional feature on Studebaker's with a manual transmission (also new Subarus, also with manual transmission, tho no longer optional, is standard).

Cosmo

 

Super turbine 300 and 400

 

I hear you on the music and memories connection.
I lost my virginity while Kashmir by led zeppelin was on the radio.




It's automatic
It's systematic
It's hydromatic
Why it's a grease lightning (Grease lightning)
overhead lifters
four barrel quads
Fuel injection cutoffs
chrome plated rods
With the four speed on the floor ( to go beside the hydramatic And automatic I guess)
we'll be getting lots of tit
coasting through the heat trial
chicks'll cream
some purple hued tailpipes
some thirty inch fins
duel muffler twins
With new pistons, plugs and shocks I can get off my rocks ( sock fuckers car club maybe)
she's a real pussy wagon

Go grease lightning you're burning up the quarter mile
(Grease lightning go grease lightning)
Go grease lighting you're coasting through the heat lap trial
(Grease lightning go grease lightning)

 

You forgot the Ultimate, Packard's Ultramatic

Diarrhea = a fart with Fluid Drive

4 on the floor, 3 on the tree or 2 in the glue.

 

Whoa, a late entry! I remember those, buddy had one in a Cutlass.

Packard 'Touch Button Ultramatic'

 

Not to forget the 1941 Chrysler M4 Vacamatic semi-automatic transmissions and its later post war cousin the M6 Presto-Matic

Ford Anglia's were equipped with "Newton Drive". Essentially a clutchless manual trans.

Even the import guys got into the odd names like Porsches Tip-tronic manul-matic transmission and Volvo's related Geartronic boxes and Audi's multi-tronic CVT unit.