History Great old Automatic Transmission Names and other trivia

Although they should have named it burglar-proofomatic. If a burglar somehow manages to figure it out, at least it's so slow that I could run and catch it

 

I've heart that one on the radio too, but I suspect you are older then me.

But there are so many overlooked car songs that comes to mind when talking about cars.

Like Drive Again, from steelyard blues, Walther Guthrie's car song.
Or Hot Rod Lincoln.
I know I'm like a broken clock, twice in a day I'm right, and that's the best thing people say about me.

 

CitroMatic. Not really an automatic, though a bit more than manual. It is FRENCH!!!
From the company that brought you "3 on the Wall" (Traction Avant), and "Four in the Air" (2CV).

Cosmo

 

In high school my best friend had a '64 GTO with a Powerglide on the floor, to which he added L60-14s and Lakewood ladder bars. He would rev that thing up, slam it in drive and leave two black marks for a 100 feet out the high school driveway. The surprising thing was it held up to this abuse for about a year before it died.

 

Toyoglides in ... you guessed it, early Toyotas

 

I bought a 49 Buick from out of state and took it to the California DMV for VIN verification etc.
The "expert" from the DMV got to the part on the form for make of car. She looked at the emblem on the trunk and wrote in "Dynaflow". Your tax dollars at work...

 

What was the trans called in the 58 Edsel that had the buttons in the steering wheel?

 

I believe it was called TELE-TOUCH.

 

And for the hydramatic fans out there, Oldsmobile called the first gen hydramatics WHIRLAWAY.

 

55-57 Lincoln used a beefed up Furdomatic, dubbed "Turbo Drive". In 58, Furd Motor Co. provided a dual range feature and was called Cruise-o-matic for Furd, Mult-Drive for Mercs, and TWIN TURBO DRIVE for Lincolns.

 

The names the same category award goes to both Oldsmobile and Furd: Olds had Jet-away from 56-60, then from 64-69. Two entirely different transmissions.
Furd had two different Furd-o-matics. The cast iron version is a 3 speed automatic, with 2nd gear start in DR. The aluminum version is a true 2 speed. The aluminum version was also known as Mile-o-matic for Edsel.

 

The GR position was simply a downhill braking gear that simply locked the first turbine of the torque converter to the output shaft and used the turbulence of the torque converter developed by the first turbine and the converter pump (connected to engine) to provide engine braking of sorts. It was also used to push start the car.

Buick's Flight Pitch is very similar in operation (but not in common parts) and has a G position that does the same as above.

A lot of people tried to use the GR position as an acceleration gear, thus torque converter distruction. I had a Turboglide in a 59 Chevy wagon with 283, and in 59-61 these transmissions were pretty sturdy, the early ones had their issues. I now have a Flight Pitch in a 58 Roadmaster and it works quite well, but now know better not to expect high performance from this type of transmission.

 

dual path was never going to be a performance transmission, however had a lot of good design ideas. The main idea was the direct drive being a true mechanical means of connecting engine to driveshaft. Isn't that what most new automatics do?
Another good idea was the usage of the converter planetary for LO and REV ranges. The transmission weighs less than some manual gear boxes, and is small in size.

 

Let's not forget TORQUE-DRIVE, that was in VEGA's. (Similar to C4-S) They were none auto shift torque converter (aluminum Powerglide) transmissions.

Oh, and Chrysler/Dodge had a truck Torqueflite called LOAD FLITE.

 

PowerSlide, TurdboGlide, Slip-O-Matic and the HydoManic were all proper names for early ones, most are now respectfully named.

 

The Torque-Drive was also optional in the Nova series as well.

Ray

 

What was the idea behind that?

 

^^^^^^^^^Having no "brains", it was cheaper to build, and sold for a bit less, than the fully automatic version. So far as I know, they were not particularly popular, but offered an advertising advantage for 'automatic' equipped pricing. Pretty much the same operation of the first Powerglides in 1950/'51. In '52 and thereafter they self shifted from low to high.

Ray

 

Thanks!

 

The PG would shift into top gear depending of course on rear axle ratios and the engine’s rev range. The highest tested shift point was 76mph, on a ’63 409 (340 hp) Impala coupe, with a standard 3.31 axle ratio.
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/powerglide-gms-greatest-hit-or-deadly-sin/

 

Blowby, I read the article you linked above. While it is generally fair and correct, it is in error on a couple of points, mainly about when the early PG self shifted from Low to High. The article says that was in '53 models, but that is incorrect. It was '52 models that received that change. The author also says the cast iron 'glide was built into '63. I think that too, is in error. The aluminum case PG was intro'd in 1962 Novas and full size cars with 327 or larger V8 engines. The six cylinder and 283 V8 models used cast iron PG through 1962 model year. In 1963 models, all engine versions got aluminum case PG trans.

What I am not so sure about is the Corvettes of the period. Given that in 1962 Corvette was still using a shortened 1953 Chevy sedan chassis and suspension, although they were open driveline, I'm not sure if Corvettes got the new aluminum 'glide in '62 or for '63 models when the new Stingrays were introduced.

Personally, my experience with the old iron case 'glide is that they were durable, if a bit sluggish when behind a six cylinder. I had a '51 Bel Air in High School (1961 era) and tore up the engine before I could damage the PG. I had another in a '58 Bel Air Hardtop with a 283 which performed well enough for the day. I actually like the later aluminum case unit quite a lot, as they are compact, light weight and quit efficient with low power absorbtion. They aren't the best choice for all applications, of course, but they have their place.

One of the comments in the link article referred to a taxi as late as '71 having a six and PG and making fun of that. But given the operating parameters of the typical city cab, it was an excellent choice for around town use.

Ray

 

I'd totally forgotten about the Torque-Drive". It was only available for two years, 69 and 70, and only in Camaro's or Nova's with six cylinder engines. It was a full manual shifting "Powerglide", had no modulator circuit, and no kickdown/throttle pressure linkage. GM/Chevrolet actually built a "racing automatic" in the Torque Drive transmission; it's actually what we do when we build an aluminum Powerglide for drag racing. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I recall some of the nerds at Santa Clara High in '55, '56...A whole clique of 'em, they all drove '52'54 Chevys, and they were ALL Powerglides.
We had hot rods, so there was always a big laugh when the Chevy guys started their engines in front of the auto shop. The infamous 'Powerglide whine'..."Wheeeee..." It would raise in pitch when the 216 revved up...
My pal Sneaky asked one of 'em, "Hey, is that a supercharger I hear???" Much laughter.

Don't ever hear that sound any more. Guess the iron glides are mostly all gone...

 

Mike............that was the higher power of 235's you guys were being awed by.....not a lowly 216

(235 and Powerglide was the ZZZZZZZZZZ RPO 6 Performance Package in those days)

Ray

 

Yes I agree. I can't get over the 76mph shift point for the '63 Impala. You could get a speeding ticket on the Interstate in low gear!