IML: '59 Trans issue

["Steve B." <imperial59@xxxxxxxxx>]

Ever since my '59 "came back to life" about 5 years ago the trans has
had an issue with staying locked in drive no matter which button is
pushed.  D works fine.  N and the car accelerates forward but only has
first gear and R locks the trans in forward and reverse at the same
time ending up with a car that doesnt move either direction.  I have
always been able to turn the car off and restart and then would have
about five seconds where reverse worked and it only happened on really
hot days after driving the car for a long time.

Now that winter is finally here and I can drive my car again I got in
her and started up for the first time in three months.  Much to the
garage walls suprise the Imperial immediatley ate the sheetrock and
refused to back up at all while the motor was running.  Once I pushed
it out of the garage and drove for a while reverse was functional
again.

I assume this is a failed seal in the trans?  Probably looking at a
total rebuild?

Has anyone here ever tried unbolting the four bolts that hold the
trans to the bell housing and swapping it that way?  Seems like that
would be a heck of a lot easier than chewing up your hands trying to
unbolt the bell housing from the engine and unbolting the torque
converter.  I have an extra trans I pulled from my parts car but I am
debating on whether it would be worth all the effort to swap in an
unknown transmission.   I might be better off to ask Santa for a
transmission kit  :-)

                      Steve B.


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