Dynaflow in other 53s

[Guest 53 Roady]

My Dynaflow is being rebuilt . My transmission man believes he did a Dynaflow for a Pontiac.It was a "carry in" so this is not certain. But perhaps some 53 Pontiacs got Dynaflows. I write this in response to Pete Phillips request in "The Bugle". ???

53 Roady

[Bleach]

They were also used in 53 Cadillacs becausee of a fire in the Hydramatic plant.

[Guest Rob McDonald]

I had a buddy who'd been a mechanic at a Chevrolet-Cadillac dealer back in the day. He remembered that they lost a number of long-time Cadillac customers, when it came time to trade in their '53s. They liked the smoothness of the Dynaflow so much that they switched to Buicks in '55 and '56. That might explain why Buick aimed so high with the '58 Limited - they were trying to keep these new customers happy.

Warning: I was minus-one year-old in '53, so this marketing story might be an Urban Myth. It is true though that Dynaflows found their way into '53 Cads and Oldsmobiles and no doubt Pontiacs, too. In the 1980s, that same old mechanic friend had a '53 Ninety-Eight Holiday Coupe that was originally so equipped, although he switched it "back" to a Hydramatic.

Livonia MI, Hydramatic Plant Fire, August 12, 1953

Edited December 15, 2013 by Rob McDonald
cool fire photo (see edit history)

[1953mack]

.....It is true though that Dynaflows found their way into '53 Cads and Oldsmobiles and no doubt Pontiacs, too.....

No doubt about the following, and to set the record straight, late 1953 Pontiacs rolled off the assembly lines with POWERGLIDE transmissions.

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

Edited December 15, 2013 by 1953mack (see edit history)

[Guest 53 Roady]

By the way, what color should my 53 Dynaflow be?

[NTX5467]

Interesting thoughts about Buick's '58 Limited orientation! I also believe it was possible for some of the "senior" '55-'56 Buicks to cost more than some of the similar-year Cadillacs?

To me, the main questions would be how the rear fo the DynaFlows were modified for "open driveshaft" vehicles? Plus how the vehicles performed? Those earlier HydraMatics were not necessarily the smoooothest-shifting transmissions, though they were modified for many higher-performance drag race vehicles, back then.

Just some thoughts . . .

NTX5467

[old-tank]

Literature out there: http://www.faxonautoliterature.com/1953-Cadillac-Twin-Turbine-Dynaflow-Transmission-Repair-Shop-Manual-Original-P15102.aspx

Google: 53 Cadillac dynflow for more AACA discussions and others.

While some Cadillac and Olds owners liked the smoothness of the dynaflow, others found them more sluggish than the Hydramatic. Part of the sluggishness may be due to not being matched to the horsepower and torque curve of the engines. While the Olds and Cadillac engines had similar horsepower and torque, those values were achieved at higher rpm. Even todays high revving engines need 6 gears to perform like high torque /low rpm engines of the past that used no more than 3 gears.

[Bleach]

Very true. The Hydramatic in my 51 Cadillac took some getting used to. The shifts through the first two gears happened very early under light throttle and were anything but very smooth. It seemed it was barely wound up when the next shift hit. If you floored it, then it behaved quite differently and the shifts were further apart and more to my liking.

[Roadmaster75]

Interesting thoughts about Buick's '58 Limited orientation! I also believe it was possible for some of the "senior" '55-'56 Buicks to cost more than some of the similar-year Cadillacs?

To me, the main questions would be how the rear fo the DynaFlows were modified for "open driveshaft" vehicles? Plus how the vehicles performed? Those earlier HydraMatics were not necessarily the smoooothest-shifting transmissions, though they were modified for many higher-performance drag race vehicles, back then.

Just some thoughts . . .

NTX5467

Great observation on this topic….

I, too, have often wondered if anyone has seen how they adapted the DynaFlows

to go into open drive trains… or , did they also use Buick rear ends?

If they adapted the tails shafts…. I'd love to have one!

Had to be a quick, collaborative, GM engineering job back then

mike

[1953mack]

….I, too, have often wondered if anyone has seen how they adapted the DynaFlows to go into open drive trains (Yes. Not all parts in your typical Buick Dynaflow rear bearing retainer housing were used.)…..or, did they also use Buick rear ends? (No).....

That's all I'm saying for now.....not to steal the thunder from Pete's upcoming article in the BUICK BUGLE. Part numbers, differences, pics, and who supplied what parts is documented in a 1953 BPSB, AE.

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

Edited December 15, 2013 by 1953mack (see edit history)

[Guest Rob McDonald]

By the way, what color should my 53 Dynaflow be?

There's a long discussion of transmission colours over on ShadeTree's thread - http://forums.aaca.org/f163/1952-special-deluxe-project-315000.html. He figured out that, in '51 anyway, most of a Dynaflow was silver but there's a flange between the two main housings that's painted black. Look for it somewhere before post number 708, which shows the finished work.

[1953mack]

By the way, what color should my 53 Dynaflow be?

Just like they rolled off the assembly line.....no paint.

OEM natural cast iron gray (not aluminum, green, nor black paint), with the exception of OEM aluminum parts (torque converter reaction flange exterior, etc.) to remain natural aluminum, and stamped steel parts (brake band adjustment cover, breather, oil pan, etc.) to remain new stamped steel color.

Clear coat your parts to be OEM correct looking and prevent rusting, or paint them three different shades to simulate the different metals. There are paints out there to achieve the correct look. Why paint cast iron parts (bell and transmission housings) to simulate aluminum parts? Just my 2¢ worth again.

Post a picture after your tranny guys are finished with the rebuild. We ♥ pictures. Thanks.

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

Edit/Credit: I took this picture at the 2008 BCA Nationals in Flint, Michigan. Credit the workmanship to the students and others that took on this restoration project of a 1953 Buick Skylark at the Buick Gallery/Sloan Museum.

Edited December 17, 2013 by 1953mack (see edit history)

[Guest 53 Roady]

Thank you Rob and Al. I went off reading the thread you suggested Rob and after three days I am up to several hundred posts. Very interesti9ng Shadetree. The guys at the shop thought natural .. I have used cast iron grey paint before . I'll try to get some pics loaded. Ron discussed the end play settings with me when I picked up the tranny today. I think they set it more by feel than with tool J 5339. I am going to respect their experience and give it a try.

Pat

[Joseph P. Indusi]

In 1953 Buick made two versions of Dynaflow, one for the Special with the last of the 263 straight eight engine and one for the Super and Roadmaster V-8's. The only difference was the torque converter, the one for the straight eight had fewer blades (12) on the stator while the torque converter for the V-8's had more blades (20) to match the V-8 torque characteristics. I believe this was main difference.

Joe, BCA 33493

Edited December 23, 2013 by JPIndusi
Corrected earlier post (see edit history)

[Guest 53 Roady]

[Guest 53 Roady]

Here are some pics; the best that we could do.

My shop is as jumbled as these pictures.

Buick everywhere!

[Pete Phillips]

...and a nice '57 Olds. With the J-2 engine, no less...!