1950 Dodge questions

[aturman]

I'm parting out a particularaly rusty 1950 Coronet, and noticed that the block and head are red, and appear to have always been this color. Were there cases or times when these engines were red instead of the more customary silver?

Also, this car is equiped with a windshield washer. Was that a factory or aftermarket option (it would determine whether I'd bother trying to remove it or not)!

And, about my own car: I've got a 1950 Coronet Diplomat. However it has a color matched (instead of woodgrain) dash and fluid drive instead of gyromatic. I recently sold an unrestored Diplomat, which had both of these features. Were these extra dollar options throughout the line? I always thought that was something that separated the lower cost Meadowbrooks from the Coronets.

[Rusty_OToole]

At that time I believe the windshield washer was an add on. Either dealer installed or bought from the local garage or auto parts store.

If it is a "genuine part" it should have the CPDD emblem on it someplace.

Even an aftermarket unit will have some value.

The engine was probably repainted after a rebuild. Or it might be a truck engine, they were red. Check the serial # for a positive ID.

To my knowlege the 50 Dodge came with Fluid Drive, the Gyromatic was used in later models.

Unless Gyromatic was Dodge's name for the torque converter? Chryslers came with a fluid drive tranny as standard but you could substitute a torque converter for the fluid coupling as an extra cost option. This was labelled Fluid Torque Drive in Chryslers.

[aturman]

Thanks.

As for the gyromatic, I know it was available in the Coronet in 1950, as I've owned two cars so equiped. The sedan's emblem even states "gyromatic" under Coronet. Since neither car was running, I've not gotten to drive a gyro equiped car, but, essentially they work as a double overdrive, where you lift your foot off the gas and when you reapply it, it "clunks" into gear, then you manually switch to high and repeat the process. Chryslers called it a "Simplamatic" transmission. Here's the wikipedia entry. Apparently it's an "underdrive" rather than an "overdrive" set up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_Drive

I have a hunch this car has a truck engine that was swapped in. Did they have a higher compression ration/more horsepower than the car versions?

[Reg Evans]

The engine number should start with a T if it's a truck,D if it's Dodge car and P if it a Plymouth car. A truck engine for 1950 in a 1/2 and 3/4 ton would have been a 218 and would have been painted silver just like the cars. The Dodge car engine for that year would have been a more powerful 230. Post your engine number here and I might be able to tell you what it is.

[Rusty_OToole]

I thought truck engines were red???? Or maybe someone painted the one in mine???

What you describe as Gyromatic sounds the same as the Chrysler fluid drive M6 tranny.

Did Dodge also use a manual trans + fluid coupling? Could that account for their being 2 different trannies?

[fred]

Dodge did use the 3spd and Fluid Drive, it also had them in 1/2 ton trucks.Infact you might have been able to get a Dodge carwith the 3spd and fluid drive as early as what 1946 or 1947, they had them in the D 24s.........Fred

[Guest CutNChop]

Gyromatic IS the M6. Gyromatic is just a marketing name.

[Guest elmo39]

Dodge used the three speed box with fluid drive in the D22 in 1942

[bober]

"Gyromatic" name was only for Dodge. Fluid-Matic was 1951 and up for Chrysler/ as was Fluid Torque Drive. Chrysler called it "PrestoMatic for 1949-50. DeSoto called it "SimpliMatic".There`s more confusing descriptions for the 1946-8 transmissions. They were described as "Hydraulically operated" for Chrysler, "Tip-Toe-Shift" for DeSoto. and Dodge not sure,now I`m confused!!! These were the M-5 transmissions from late 1942 to 1948. 1949 on up were the M-6 "Improved" style transmissions. Low end model Dodges used a 3 speed W/ the fluid coupling.Coronets usually came W/ the GyroMatic, which was the M6 W/ the fluid coupling. I had a 52 Coronet With the GyroMatic.Loved it!

Bob

[bober]

"Fluid-Torque drive,Chrysler and HyDrive,Plymouth were descriptions of the cars that really did have a multiplication torque converter. Before 1950 all Chrysler Corp`s car only used a fluid coupling W/ no torque multiplication= slow initial take off. 1951 Chrylers W/ the 331 hemi and Fluid Torque Drive, it was easy the break the tires loose! That was a great improvement- especially for the 6 Cyl. cars. It was an option.

Bob

[Rusty_OToole]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bober</div><div class="ubbcode-body">"Gyromatic" name was only for Dodge. Fluid-Matic was 1951 and up for Chrysler/ as was Fluid Torque Drive. Chrysler called it "PrestoMatic for 1949-50. DeSoto called it "SimpliMatic".There`s more confusing descriptions for the 1946-8 transmissions. They were described as "Hydraulically operated" for Chrysler, "Tip-Toe-Shift" for DeSoto. and Dodge not sure,now I`m confused!!! These were the M-5 transmissions from late 1942 to 1948. 1949 on up were the M-6 "Improved" style transmissions. Low end model Dodges used a 3 speed W/ the fluid coupling.Coronets usually came W/ the GyroMatic, which was the M6 W/ the fluid coupling. I had a 52 Coronet With the GyroMatic.Loved it!

Bob </div></div>

I suspected the Dodge used a 3 speed with fluid coupling. In 1987 I did a body job on a 1947 Dodge long wheelbase 8 passenger sedan (what a monster!) also new brakes and some other work, basically reviving a car that had been sittin in a dirt floor garage for 30 years.

My recollection is that it had a 3 speed standard trans + fluid coupling but was not sure my memory was accurate, as at that time I knew nothing of the Chrysler Co's various automatics and may have been mistaken.

Good to know I figured it out all those years ago, in a couple of brief test drives.

[Guest 50_Coronet]

Can any of you help me know how to either rebuild/restore the rusty heater and blower fan switches on my 1950 Coronet? Have tested both motors and they run like tornados. The top gasket for the vent was rotted and must have allowed rain/fluids down onto both switches (and the radio,too) How does an amateur clean or even replace these switches? If there were new switches I'd also get those.

Thanks to you pros and lovers of Dodge Brothers for your help!

Rob

Edited January 25, 2011 by 50_Coronet
Motors are just fine-just the switches are rusted (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

You could try spraying them with electronic contact cleaner and working them back and forth. If that does not free them up they may need replacing.

[Guest Bill-W]

Dodge did not offer the semi-automatic transmission before 1949.

The Fluid Torque Drive was first offered in 1951 on the new Chrysler V8 models. The FTD torque converter had its own fluid pump at the rear of the unit where the sump was as well. FTD was first offered on the DeSoto FireDome V8 for 1952.

In 1953 FTD was offered on all DeSoto and Chrysler models and for the first time, Dodge. This year, though, FTD used oil from the engine and lost both the sump and the pump.

At mid-year the Dodge 6 with FTD was mated to a 3-speed manual transmission and Plymouth's Hy-Drive was born.

Bill

Toronto, ON

[Guest CaptainGTX]

Was glad to see someone got the answer about torque drives right - thanks Bill-W. I have a 53 Dodge convertible with Gyro-Torque. Having recently ridden in a 53 convertible with Gyro-Matic (fluid drive), I can attest to the difference the torque converter makes. My car easily starts out in 3rd, whereas the Gyro-Matic must start in 1st to avoid lugging. The torque converters were a significant improvement, although they lasted only until 1954 when they were replaced by PowerFlites (at least on Dodges, according to my references).