RE: [Chrysler300] FALL 2011 CLUB NEWS

["Bob Jasinski" <rpjasin@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have to jump in this conversation.  My '51 Windsor convertible, a frame
off restoration project I did in the early '90s, had a Fluid-Matic
transmission.  As Rich says, it had  2 lows, a lower low and a higher low.
So it actually it has TWO low speed gears and TWO high speed gears, ie, it
was a four speed transmission!   I remember engaging in a conversation with
a parts vendor who "knew it all" about vintage cars and he insisted I was
wrong, it was only a 3 speed trans, and the conversation got a bit heated as
he insisted the 2nd gear achievable before raising the shift lever was in
fact the 2nd of 3, not the 2nd of 4.  It is in fact it the 2nd of 4 because
once in 2nd, there was still a gear change when the lever was moved to the
"up" position, and 4th was achieved when moving it back down again.  The end
result is, you have two distinct ranges of operation, a low range of 1 & 2,
and a high range of 2 & 3.  Therefore, for normal stop & go driving, you
could leave the shift lever in the high range (down and away) lever
position, and not move the handle at all after that, and it would shift from
3 to 4 when you raised your foot off the pedal, and when stopped at a light
it would drop down to 3rd.  The owner's manual stated this manner of
operation, and I seem to remember they referred to it as "clutch less"
shifting around town, referring to it as a semi-automatic transmission.
 
The fluid coupling took care of getting the car going, but had no torque
multiplicative ability and was slow getting rolling.  The torque converter
of the Fluid- Torque drive, installed on '51 Imperials and New Yorkers with
the new for '51 hemi, gave the car much better acceleration from a stop.
The torque converter improved acceleration in the 3-4 shift "high range",
quite a bit, so those cars tended to not get hand shifted as much, and drove
around all day just raising your foot to shift from 3rd to 4th.  This was
the predecessor of the Powerflite which was used in the '55 300s.
 
Bob J
 
 
 
From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Rich Barber
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 5:25 PM
To: 'paul'; chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] FALL 2011 CLUB NEWS
 
  
Unlike my 1955 C-300, my '50 Windsor would burn rubber in low by rapping it
up and dumping the clutch. Although it never made sense, one could rap out
the Spitfire six to about 15 MPH in low, let up and it would shift to a
"higher" low. Then pull the shift lever down to high for a non-whiplash
shift to the third gear direct drive/"high". Smooth, it was-acceleration
was obviously not an issue with Chrysler at that time. The replacement
PowerFlite was no neck snapper, either. We '50's kids pretty much looked on
most automatic transmissions with disdain. However, the four speed
Hydramatics in V-8 Olds and Cadillac were good performers with a pretty low
low gear and pretty positive shifts. My '49 Olds would patch out in the
first three gears. 

C300K'ly,

Rich Barber

From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com>
[mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> ]
On
Behalf Of paul
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 3:24 PM
To: chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> 
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] FALL 2011 CLUB NEWS

On 12/12/2011 6:18 PM, Don Warnaar wrote:
> Paul and all,

> Chrysler used the same semi-automatic transmission in Dodge, DeSoto and
Chrysler.

> I believe it was called GyroMatic in Dodge, Tip Toe Hydraulic Shift in
DeSoto, and Prestomatic in Chrysler. Possibly Fluid-Matic was also used for
Chrysler. Later Fluid-Torque was used after a torque converter was added.

> Don Warnaar

well, that was my first car I got to spend any time at all driving as 
'mine' and to a teenager in the mid 60's that seemed like it took 40 
days and 40 nights to get thru the intersection after a full stop if I 
left the lever in low. That and being a 4 door with a 6 banger.
:-)

-- 
Paul Holmgren
Mine: 2 57 300-C's in Indy
Hers: 05 PT GT R/T HO Stage 1
Hoosier Corps L#6

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