A slight correction--"straight" fluid drives (which
were used on older Dodges 1941-1948) did not have the
semi-automatic function (M-6). Although Chrysler
specifications indicated Fluid Drive was standard, I
have never know of any after 1941 that did not have
the semi-automatic function, either M-3 (vacuum) or
M-5 (hydraulic w/o torque converter) or M-6 (with
torque converter.)
Bob
--- Muir Me <sirspaniard@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hiya - dead right, all those extended bellhousings
> were used up to '53 until
> the advent of the powerflyte. Interestingly enough,
> they appear to
> correspond with the small valve 331's too.
> The early Chrysler Industrials (Yep they even had
> "INDUSTRIAL" on the tappet
> covers) had this extended bellhousing as well -
> although they were hooked up
> to Skilifts and combine harvesters and suchlike
> Biggest let down with the old fluid drive is that
> they are very slow
> shifting - the engine revs have to die down to
> provide the synchro between
> gears and in a hemi with a heavy crank etc this can
> be annoyingly slow
> As far as I can make out the fluid drive for most of
> the flathead era had
> just a fluid coupling, whilst those for the hemis
> had an actual torque
> converter which should make quite a difference...
> As far as perfomance goes, I read something pretty
> cool, and that was a
> letter (In a '51 Car & Driver) to the editor by a
> guy who had a Jaguar
> XK120, and he was asking why his friend who had a
> '51 Saratoga with a 331"
> hemi thrashed him to 60 mph
>
>
> >From: Anthony Foster <monkeypuzzle1@xxxxxxx>
> >Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: IML: 331 Hemis With Extended Bell housing
> >Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2002 22:26:43 -0800
> >
> >Hello Gang;
> > It is my understanding that the extended bell
> housings were used from the
> >1951 model year until late in the1953 production
> year. It seems to me that
> >this would correspond with the demise of the M6
> semi-automatic and the
> >introduction of the Powerflyte transmissions. Every
> source that I have run
> >across would indicate that this is the case.
> > It would seem to me that if it were otherwise
> then you would run across
> >Powerflytes without a bell housing. The M6
> transmissions were also used on
> >flathead six's which did not have that extention on
> the back of the block
> >so
> >obviously they were built with a bell housing as
> well as without, but I
> >think that it was detachable. I do know that the
> late production 1953
> >Imperials did come with the Powerflyte so a change
> in engine blocks would
> >only make sense around the same time.
> > If I had a car with the Fluid Torque Drive or M6
> transmission I would
> >probably keep it. From what I understand from
> people that have owned them,
> >they were a very reliable device. Another reason
> that I would keep one is
> >that the M6 is fairly unique in that it is an
> automatic with a clutch pedal
> >and, as such, has many of the advantages of a
> standard as well.
> >Best Regards
> >Arran Foster
> >1954 Imperial Newport
> >Needing A Left Side Taillight Bezel and other trim
> parts.
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: <mopar48291@xxxxxxx>
> >To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >Sent: Friday, February 22, 2002 8:10 PM
> >Subject: IML: 53 Fluid-Torque switch to Powerflite
> >
> >
> > > I believe that '53 has a one year only bell
> housing for
> > > the Powerflite that allows it to be mated to the
> same
> > > engine as the Fluid-Torque trans. '54 has the
> newer
> > > style bell housing that is PF only. I've driven
> '53s
> > > with both trans, and I think the Fluid-Torque is
> quicker
> > > than the Powerflite, even left in high range.
> > >
> > > My '54 is slow off the line, but her rear end is
> a 2.93
> > > instead of the original 3.54, so she's built for
> > > cruising, not street racing.
> > >
> > > Cheers,
> > > Roger
> > >
> > >
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> >
> >
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