<VV> Gearing

airvair at earthlink.net airvair at earthlink.net
Sun Jan 4 16:13:03 EST 2009


It all depended on model. The Corvette, for example only had the powerglide
for its automatic thru '67, even for the big blocks. Then in '68 the 'glide
was replaced with the turbohydro three-speed automatic. Not sure what their
problem was in the mid '60's, but generally speaking only top of the line
Chevys with the big engines ever got anything other than the 'glide. And I
don't think that the four-speed auto was ever in any Chevy, just a
three-speed auto at best.

The problem with the Corvair automatic was that it was designed in the
'50's, when Chevy engineers couldn't get it out of their heads that a Chevy
compact was a cheap car. Consequently, it got a cheap trans. You have to
remember that they were trying to undercut the Falcon, which STILL undercut
the Corvair even after they had dropped the idea of a front sway bar. And
that's one thing Ralphie hung them for.

-Mark

> [Original Message]
> Subject: Re: <VV> Gearing
>
> Chevy got the three speed Turbohydramatic about 1965. Both the Turbo 350 
> and Turbo 400 were three speeds. Who else had a four speed automatic at 
> that time? Yes, they still sold Powerglides, but Turbohydramatics were 
> optional equipment.
>
> Ford also had the Fordomatic two speed automatic for use in the Falcon, 
> Fairlane, Ford full size, Meteor and Mercury.
>
> So, the Falcon had a two speed just like the Corvair at the beginning of 
> production (1960). Yes, later models (Falcoln was sold thru 1970) could 
> be had with the three speed Cruise O Matic.
>
> Frank DuVal
>
> FrankCB wrote:
>
> >     For many years GM was ONE gear behind the US competition regarding
number of gears in it's automatic transmissions.  In 1961 I bought a 58
Plymouth with 3 speed Torqueflite instead of the 2 speed PG Chevrolet. 
When GM cars finally got 3 speed automatics the competition was selling 4
speed automatics.  Our 89 Chevy Beretta automatic still had only 3 speeds
(but that was my wife's choice).  Now some of the competition is up to 6
and even 7 gears which might be a bit of overkill.
> >     The big advantage of extra gears in automatics is the possibility
of very tall overall gearing enabling you to drive (and even accelerate) at
highway speeds below 2000 rpm which the sophisticated sequential EFI
systems can handle.  So you can get much better mileage with larger engines
and heavier cars than our Corvairs can generally do.
> >     Frank "likes tall gearing" Burkhard 
> 



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