Switch Pitch

[Gwyn Reedy]

There were comments about the similarity between the DynaFlow and
Powerglide. I'm wondering if there weren't more similarities between DF and
TurboGlide? The latter was a no-shift transmission.

Thinking back about all these earlier transmissions: Was Detroit slow to see
the need for better performance or was the market all attuned to smoothness
(or so thought Detroit)?

Smoothness oriented:
Chrysler fluid drive
Dynaflow
PowerGlide (starting off in 1:1)
Ford-o-matic starting off in 2nd, kickdown to 1st
Hydramatic converting to an internal fluid coupling in 1956 to smooth out
the shifts.

Not smooth, but not good performance:
3 speed manual transmissions
When 4 speeds came, very high first gear ratios. Nice close ratios, but a
tall gear to start with. (Was that so the trans cold hold the torque?)

At least there were manual shift overdrives... (I put one from a Chevy
behind the B-W automatic in my hot-rod Rambler station wagon once - worked
fine.) (Don't give me any s**t about that project or I'll have to tell all
about it...)

These days the engines are much improved, but lots of the flexibility,
performance, and economy we get is due to transmission improvements, IMHO.

Gwyn Reedy
Brandon, Florida
mailto:mgr at mgrcorp.com