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Got a Chevy Ques

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Henry J

12-19-2002 09:18:27




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I was taking to a bunch of chevy "experts" and they all said I was mistaken that chevy did not have a one speed automatic around the 1958 era. Most of them I saw were behind the 348. This thing had a Gr selection in it that stood for grade retard. I was bambuseled (had a brain f---) and couldnt remember the name of it. I thought it was the turboglide, but they said that was the name of the chevy 3 speed auto. Help me overcome this case of CRS please!

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d2

09-03-2003 16:08:51




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  
Let's get Turboglide clear. It simply was a three speed (two reductions and one direct drive through the trans) that indeed start at 2.67 to 1 and slowly (through converter turbine #2) went to 1.67 to 1, then (through converter turbine #3) went to direct drive. All "shifting" was accomplished through the "three" turbines in the converter. There was no mechanical (bands, clutches)shifting like Powerglide, hydramatic, and such in this trans, that's why there is no governor or bands. We had one in a '59 and the converter did go out a 16K. Had it replaced and it was pretty reliable. With the 283 in a wagon it could take a Powerglide (with same engine) out of the hole with no problem. BTW: Buick made a very similar triple turbine trans in 58 and 59. In 58 it was called "Flight pitch Dynaflow", in 59 it was simply triple turbine dynaflow. It was offered, along with regular twin turbine variable pitch dynaflow.

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Bob Collins

12-20-2002 06:15:28




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  
Henry, If I remember right, the Turboglide had three planetary gearsets and as the speed increased they would, in turn, just start "overrunning" as the next "gear" took over. There was no feeling of a shift so it was in effect a one speed trans. The talk of the Henry J brings back memories of when my uncle sold them (as well as about every other make at one time or another) I was little and about five of us kids and my mom were crowded in a Henry J with my aunt driving, it was a cold day and the defroster couldn't begin to keep the windows clean, finally my aunt said"You're all going to have to stop breathing!"

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Bob-Wyo-It was a Turboglide in 1957

12-19-2002 19:43:22




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  
Sorry guys but I put 128,000 miles on a 1957 2 door sport coupe and the trans worked great. The Grade Retarder was neat in the mountains as what ever speed you were at under 50 MPH, just pullshift lever into GR and it would hold that speed all the way down the hill.
One bad thing, out of the clear the reverse band would stick and thats all you had. Had to back mine for 2 miles one night to get it home.
Have another setting in the garage right now in a 4 door hardtop.
Hey Stan, Now who's telling there age, yes I used to ride to work with a guy that had both a Kaiser and a Frasier, and how many on here owned Model T Fords? lol
Keep up the great work here guys.
Bob_Wyo

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Bus Driver

12-20-2002 07:13:58




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 Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Bob-Wyo-It was a Turboglide in 1957, 12-19-2002 19:43:22  
Our local Chevy dealer was convinced that the Turboglide was much less reliable than the Powerglide and would sell it only if ordered by a customer. We called it "Terribleglide Awfulmatic". The experience of Bob-Wyo apparently is much better than average. But I suspect that some of the automatics of today borrow some of the concepts from the Turboglide.



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gwh

12-19-2002 20:31:04




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 Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Bob-Wyo-It was a Turboglide in 1957, 12-19-2002 19:43:22  
Bob, The main differance between the '57 turboglide and the '58-61 was the addition of a vacuum modulator, and i also have a 1921 Model TT, in very rough shape , doesn't run have had for 36 years. gwh



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gwh

12-19-2002 19:12:49




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  
Henry J, I have been wrong on a few things, but i believe i am on target here. Check out this link, or just look up the word turboglide in a search(i used YAHOO). My '59 was kind of a dog off the line, one night running(racing)light to light i took a midyear vette at the light short lived he hit second gear, he also didn't wait for me at the next light. Dads '62-327 powered Impala was pretty good 0-60 (the '62-327 was the first to get the aluminum powerglide), my old '59 would realy take hold above that. gwh

Link

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JDJIM

12-19-2002 18:15:27




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  
Had one in a '59 Impala 283 , talk about gutless , I had a hard time breaking the wheels loose in gravel . Buddy had one in a '61 with a 348 wasn't much better . Most of the Turboglides I've seen were with 348 engines . It was similar to Buick's Dynaflow but If I remember right my dad's Buicks from that time had D and L but not the Gr that Chevy had . You all are right on the years , 58-61 . Chevy didn't build a trans till the TH400 came out , I had one of the first ones in a 396 Impala SS what a car , boys today don't know what power is .

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Doc

12-19-2002 15:38:41




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  
The Powerglide was the two speed automatic, the Turboglide was the single speed (strange bird), the TurboHydromatic came in the 350 and 400 versions, both fairly stout.

Doc



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Idaho Curt

12-19-2002 14:02:42




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  
Henry, years ago I had a 1955 Buick that had a "Dynaflow" transmission in it. Basically it was a variable pitch torque converter (never shifted).

Curt



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Stan - Florida

12-19-2002 12:27:57




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  
If you really want to confuse your young buddies, tell them that your handle (Henry J) was taken from the little car that was built for a few years in the early '50s (unless your last name is Kaiser, then the Henry J would be totally appropriate).

Gosh, I hope I'm not the only one that remembers that little gem!

Stan



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Bus Driver

12-20-2002 07:07:40




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 Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Stan - Florida, 12-19-2002 12:27:57  
Sears also sold that car as the "Allstate".



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Frank M.

12-20-2002 18:23:06




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 Re: Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Bus Driver, 12-20-2002 07:07:40  
I used to have a little scooter called a Sears Allstate. It looked similar to a Cushman. It was made by Puch in Austria. I rescued it from a trash pile, got it running and after awhile, lost interest in it and sold it.



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Stan - Florida

12-20-2002 07:26:39




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 Re: Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Bus Driver, 12-20-2002 07:07:40  
Bus Driver,

Absolutely right!! I had forgotten about that one.

Stan



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Steve - IN

12-20-2002 10:04:57




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Stan - Florida, 12-20-2002 07:26:39  
Stan,

Hemmings says Sears sold around 1200 of those cars in two years. It's only been 50 years ago. How could you forget? I'm sure Sears wanted to forget - and quickly.

I've had some great times selling private label stuff to Sears. A few of them involve "little brown ones" imbibed at the Palmer House. More brown ones - bigger order. Sounds like something similar may have gotten Sears into the car business.

Steve

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CJDave

12-19-2002 20:22:15




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 Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Stan - Florida, 12-19-2002 12:27:57  
Stan....I always referred to the Kaiser and Fraizer and the Henry J as "Industrial" cars, since they were made with a lot of buy-out components. The Kaisers had Continental engines in them at first.



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Stan - Florida

12-20-2002 04:21:04




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 Re: Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to CJDave , 12-19-2002 20:22:15  
CJDave,

Thanks for the reply. Kaiser did do a lot of good work during WW II, didn't they? I wonder how many of those parts you mentioned were bought with taxpayer money?

Oh, well, enough reminiscing about the "good old days".

Stan



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Steve - IN

12-19-2002 14:19:36




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 Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Stan - Florida, 12-19-2002 12:27:57  
Stan,

If you're good enough to build more ships in less time than anybody in the world, set up steel mills in California and literally invent HMO's - why couldn't you build a car (even if it was a tad ugly)?

Steve



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Greg S

12-19-2002 11:38:34




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  

Yeah, what everyone else said. Had a buddy in high school who had a 58 Impala, 348 w/ 3 dueces and turbo glide. didn't have anything off the line but we never had the guts to find top end. The one time he tried GR for racing wrapped it up, dropped it into GR and the whole differential went to pieces inside the punkin. It was really a neat car-two tone blue, 2dr HT, _kit on the rear bumper and enough chrome for a years production run of current model cars.

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CJDAve

12-19-2002 11:16:50




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  
Henry, my cousin bought a '58 Impala brand new with the 348 engine and it had the new turboglide in it. It is my recollection that the fifty-seven shev-lays came with the power glide and fifty-eight was the first year for Chevrolet's troublesome Turboglide, Pontiac's worthless Jet-A-Way, and a slew of other GM mistakes that were a plague on the dealers....YUK! GICK! UGH...! I had a '55 Pontiac with a '57 347 engine and a four-speed hydromatic and it would blow the doors off the '57 Chevys with the Powerglide, and most other GM "Power-slip" creations. Boy, those were really bad transmissions.....really bad.

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CLW

12-19-2002 10:35:34




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  
Henry, your little friends are wrong. There is (was) a turboglide. I had one in a 58 Impala with a 348. It was strange to go 0-120 and never feel a gear change. And when you got on it at any speed, short of top speed, it was like you did have a TURBO. The powerglide was faster 0 to about 60 then the turboglide would blow it away. They had more go above 60 than anything around in those days. They didn't hold up real well tho. Mine went out at 58,000 miles and I had the Chevy dealer put a 3-speed on the column in it. CLW

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gwh

12-19-2002 09:39:29




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 Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Henry J, 12-19-2002 09:18:27  
Henry, Must be all your friends are still in diapers yet, the first Chevrolet with an aluminum cased transmission was the Turboglide is came out for the 1957 model year, the last year it was used was 1961. My 1959 348 powered Impala had the Turboglide trans. gwh



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Wayne in Tn.

12-19-2002 12:21:13




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 Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to gwh, 12-19-2002 09:39:29  
Henry J. I think the tranny you are trying to think of is the POWERGLIDE, think that was Chevys fist automatic trans. It was a one speed, all the way from 0--120. Later this trans. was favored by dragracers after they beefed it up for the strip.



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CLW

12-19-2002 12:41:24




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 Re: Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to Wayne in Tn., 12-19-2002 12:21:13  
Wayne the powerglide was a 2-speed. It would change at about 65-70 under full power. The one speed was the turboglide.
CLW



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Wayne in Tn.

12-19-2002 17:09:53




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to CLW, 12-19-2002 12:41:24  
Yep, alzheimers? I forgot the Powerglide was a 2-speed. But Turboglide didn't sound right for a 1-speed. Even the later model 3-speeds were Turbo 350 and 400"s



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Hayman

12-19-2002 13:16:25




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Got a Chevy Ques in reply to CLW, 12-19-2002 12:41:24  
Up here around the racing oval the old 2 speed powerglides are in great demand and as a result,quite rare.They race them without a torque converter and lock them in low.Me,I still like the 4 speed standard.



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