Shift pattern & fuse box location for the 1950 Desoto Custom

[Guest robert1969]

Does anyone know the shift pattern for the fluid drive

[keiser31]

Does anyone know the shift pattern for the fluid drive

Should be sort of like a three on the tree. Pull down and to you for first, push up and away for second and push down and away for third. A fluid drive pattern is the same I believe (been so long since I drove one).

[Guest robert1969]

Thanks

Now does any know if the 1950 Desoto custom has a fuse box or not ? i cant find it

Edited November 9, 2010 by robert1969 (see edit history)

[Guest martylum]

If the fluid drive is the 2 speed version, you have only 2 gear positions-conventional 2nd gear position for 1st and 2nd and 3rd gear position for 3rd and 4th. Reverse is in the conventional position.

Chrysler and Desoto used 10 to 30 amp thermal circuit breakers rather than glass fuses in this period. If things don't work it's more likely to be a wiring problem than a fuse problem.

Martin Lum

[Guest De Soto Frank]

No fuse box.

My '60 Chrysler Windsor has one, my '55 De Soto does not.

There are thermal circuit breakers for the lights and horn, and in line fuses for accessories like the heater blower, clock, and radio. There is also a circuit breaker for the transmission, located in a terminal block mounted to the air-cleaner brace-strap.

A 1950 De Soto Custom almost certainly has "Tip-Toe Shift" semi-automatic ,which is the Chrysler M-6 Hydraulically-operated tranmission.

"First gear" position, as found in a conventional 3-speed column-shift, is blocked-out on the M-6 semi-auto.

"Reverse" is the same: lever towards the rim of the steering wheel, then up to about "2 o'clock".

"Low-range" is in place of conventional 2nd gear: lever towards the dash, then up to "2 o'clock".

"Hi-Range" is in place of conventional 3rd/High gear: lever towards the dash and down to "4 o'clock".

[Guest robert1969]

Thanks allot guys this is my first old car it has been passed down threw the family . My great grandmother passed it to my grandmother then it has been passed to me i have learned so much on this car and still learning .

[Rusty_OToole]

There are several great threads on the operation and maintenance of the fluid drive transmission. You can find them by searching the Dodge and Chrysler boards for "fluid drive". The ones I mean appeared about 2 years ago.

The fluid drive is one of the early efforts at automatic transmission. It is not hard to drive, in fact it is easy, but requires a special technique all its own. This is easy to learn if you look up the threads.

Shift pattern, is towards you and down for reverse, away and up for Low range, away and down for High range. Most of your driving will be in High, you start off in High most of the time and shift up with the gas pedal.

[Guest Bill-W]

There are several great threads on the operation and maintenance of the fluid drive transmission. You can find them by searching the Dodge and Chrysler boards for "fluid drive". The ones I mean appeared about 2 years ago.

The fluid drive is one of the early efforts at automatic transmission. It is not hard to drive, in fact it is easy, but requires a special technique all its own. This is easy to learn if you look up the threads.

Shift pattern, is towards you and down for reverse, away and up for Low range, away and down for High range. Most of your driving will be in High, you start off in High most of the time and shift up with the gas pedal.

Fluid Drive has no gears, but . . .

For Chrysler's Prestomatic (1949-50) semi-automatic (M-6) transmission the shift pattern is just like a 3-speed manual, minus 1st gear.

Reverse is in the same location - toward you and up.

Low range is the same as 2nd gear - away from you and up

High range is the same as 3rd gear - away from you and down

And if you have a 1st gear position, you have the basic 3-speed transmission and not the semi-automatic.

Bill

Toronto, ON