Can this 1956 Lincoln transmission be explained???

[John_Mc]

Hi guys, all 1956 Lincolns should have come with a 3-speed Turbo-Drive Transmission with the very familiar P-R-N-D-L configuration. No other trans was available in 1956. Yet I recently purchased a 1956 convertible whose quadrant reads N-3-4-L-R.

This car is all original and while possible I suppose, extremely unlikely someone would go through the trouble to replace the trans and quadrants as well. This is a very last build, 6/27/56 so might Ford had substituted another transmission to keep the lines moving????

I'm baffled on this one do any input would be greatly appreciated.

Edited October 30, 2015 by John_Mc (see edit history)

[padgett]

Back in the day having Low and Reverse next to each other was considered good for rocking a car out of mud/snow/sand. Think it wasn't until 64 when the gov mandated neutral in the middle (and did away with the typewriter).

[TexRiv_63]

I had a 57 Premiere and it had the 3 speed auto with PRNDL indicator and the 56 should have the same per the shop manual. Could it be possible that the steering column or shift indicator is from an earlier model that used a GM 4 speed Hydramatic?  How many times does the car shift when you drive it? 

[Guest]

Hi guys, all 1956 should have come with a 3-speed Turbo-Drive Transmission with the very familiar P-R-N-D-L configuration.  No other trans was available in 1956.   Yet I recently purchased a 1956 convertible whose quadrant reads N-3-4-L-R.

 

This car is all original and while possible I suppose, extremely unlikely someone would go through the trouble to replace the trans and quadrants as well.  This is a very last build, 6/27/56 so might Ford had substituted another transmission to keep the lines moving???? 

 

I'm baffled on this one do any input would be greatly appreciated.

IMG_3932.JPG

IMG_3935.JPG

The explanation is very simple; Someone put in a Dual Range 4 speed HydraMatic that was used in earlier Lincolns before 1953. The GM automatic was Lincoln's first and only automatic until the HydraMatic plant burned down in late 1953. No problem for you because it's a better automatic than Ford used to replace it. Edited October 30, 2015 by helfen (see edit history)

[Chrycoman]

Lincoln used Hydra-Matic through 1954 and introduced Turbo-Drive for 1955.  T-D was based on Ford's Warner Gear Division 3 speed automatic as used in Ford (Fordomatic) and Mercury (Mercomatic).

 

The Hydramatic plant burned down in August 1953, as the 1953 model year was ending.  So, Lincoln, Nash, Kaiser, and Willys, all users of Hydra-Matic, stopped building cars when the supplies of H-M ended. Hudson was just starting their 1954 model year so they used Detroit Gear Division's automatic - the Studebaker unit with 3 speeds, locking torque converter and hill-holder.    H-D was producing transmissions again by October, 1953, and were in full swing at the recently acquired Willow Run plant in December.

 

By the way, contrary to popular belief, there were no regulations in 1964 mandating a uniform gearshift quadrant.  The federal government did not have the power to mandate anything until the highway and auto safety acts were signed into law in 1966.   Studebaker used P-N-D-L-R right to the end in March, 1966.

 

That includes Chrysler's pushbuttons for the transmission.  Chrysler changed to lever selection for the 1965 model year.  The purpose was to entice more non-Chrysler customers to their showrooms.  Surveys showed that Chrysler owners loved the pushbuttons, but non-Chrysler owners were not so enthusiastic.  AMC dropped pushbuttons at the end of 1962, and Chrysler was last North American company to use them.  Thus, if the pushbuttons are so great, why is Chrysler the only one using them? 

 

Pushbuttons for transmissions have been used for years on trucks and buses.

[John_Mc]

The explanation is very simple; Someone put in a Dual Range 4 speed HydraMatic that was used in earlier Lincolns before 1953. The GM automatic was Lincoln's first and only automatic until the HydraMatic plant burned down in late 1953. No problem for you because it's a better automatic than Ford used to replace it.

Simple? Thanks for the reply but there is no evidence anywhere of "someone" changing the original out and even if that were the case, would they change out all the quadrant markers as well? I believe this was done at the factory. Nothing appears altered from a standard 1956 Lincoln. Being a super late build, almost July of 1956, I'm guessing a special ordered 4-speed was installed, but why and by who? Thanks again.

[John_Mc]

I had a 57 Premiere and it had the 3 speed auto with PRNDL indicator and the 56 should have the same per the shop manual. Could it be possible that the steering column or shift indicator is from an earlier model that used a GM 4 speed Hydramatic?  How many times does the car shift when you drive it?

Interesting Don, the car is not running so I don't know how many times it shifts.

[Rusty_OToole]

Look underneath and you will see the difference between a Hydramatic and Ford trans. Or, put up a couple of pictures.

[Guest]

Look underneath and you will see the difference between a Hydramatic and Ford trans. Or, put up a couple of pictures.

Yes that will tell the tale for sure, However your shift quadrant is unmistakable GM HydraMatic Dual range. Sit in the car on a incline and set the emergency brake. Now release the brake and put the transmission in R. The car should ( if it has HydraMatic ) lock just as if there was a park position like on newer cars, only HydraMatic's Park position was in reverse with the engine shut off. You should be able to hear the parking pawl lock when the engine is off and in reverse as the car moves forward or reverse depending on the incline.

Many people say HydraMatic didn't have a parking position, well it did when you put it in reverse with the engine off.

And I still say someone could have put Hydramatic and the column in from say a 54 Lincoln.

Edited October 31, 2015 by helfen (see edit history)

[padgett]

"Public Law 88-515 on August 30, 1964, "to require ... Standard gear quadrant, P-R-N-D-L, automatic transmission." see 515-11 on page 240, H.R. 1341 (88th)

 

Note: this mandated that any vehicle purchased by any element of the federal government must follow this rule. The 500 lb gorilla.

[John_Mc]

"Public Law 88-515 on August 30, 1964, "to require ... Standard gear quadrant, P-R-N-D-L, automatic transmission." see 515-11 on page 240, H.R. 1341 (88th)

 

Note: this mandated that any vehicle purchased by any element of the federal government must follow this rule. The 500 lb gorilla.

I understand but the car in question is from 1956.

[John_Mc]

Yes that will tell the tale for sure, However your shift quadrant is unmistakable GM HydraMatic Dual range. Sit in the car on a incline and set the emergency brake. Now release the brake and put the transmission in R. The car should ( if it has HydraMatic ) lock just as if there was a park position like on newer cars, only HydraMatic's Park position was in reverse with the engine shut off. You should be able to hear the parking pawl lock when the engine is off and in reverse as the car moves forward or reverse depending on the incline.

Many people say HydraMatic didn't have a parking position, well it did when you put it in reverse with the engine off.

And I still say someone could have put Hydramatic and the column in from say a 54 Lincoln.

Interesting Rusty, when I'm able to do so, I will run that test. Just for giggles, what is the outside difference between the TurboDrive and the Dual-Range Hydro-Matic?

[John_Mc]

My question has been answered.  The transmission in my car is a transplant from a '53 Lincoln.  Below is the plate from the side of the case.

Thank you to all who responded.

 

 

 

[60FlatTop]

Back around 1964 we brought a very nice 1957 Mercury Commuter 2Dr wagon into my Grandfather's car lot. It had a bad engine and we had a good running 1957 Fairlane in the back. While removing the engine the pushbutton shift cable got caught. My Grandfather just broke it off by hitting it on the edge of the frame with a hammer. "We'll fix that later."

"Later" we put the Ford steering column with quadrant in. If that car is still out there it could be causing a case of the mumbles itself. A lot can happen over 50 years. Anyone ever seen a '59 International pick up with '56 Ford car front fenders? We used a marked 2X4 to level the headlights.

 

Perpetrators:

I'm the one in the black sweat shirt, maybe 17 at the time

 

Bernie

Edited November 5, 2015 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[JWLawrence]

I too thought the Dual-Range Hydramatics used the Reverse for parking, but not with a pawl, but by clamping the band. True?

 

(o{}o)

[Guest]

My question has been answered.  The transmission in my car is a transplant from a '53 Lincoln.  Below is the plate from the side of the case.

Thank you to all who responded.

IMG_3978.JPG

Told you so

[danleblanc]

I too thought the Dual-Range Hydramatics used the Reverse for parking, but not with a pawl, but by clamping the band. True?

 

(o{}o)

From 1939-1950, the reverse anchor was used to lock the reverse unit ring gear from turning by engaging external teeth machined into that ring gear. From 1951 on, a cone clutch did the same thing when oil pressure was up, and a spring-loaded parking pawl was allowed to lock the same ring gear in the absence of oil pressure

[Chrycoman]

"Public Law 88-515 on August 30, 1964, "to require ... Standard gear quadrant, P-R-N-D-L, automatic transmission." see 515-11 on page 240, H.R. 1341 (88th)

 

Note: this mandated that any vehicle purchased by any element of the federal government must follow this rule. The 500 lb gorilla.

 

Which means if you wanted to sell the US government a car with an automatic transmission you had to have the P-R-N-D-L quadrant.  If you weren't concerned about selling said products to the government the standardization law had no effect.. 

 

However, this law did not bring into effect the quadrant standardization, but gave the Administrator of General Services the right to set standards that vehicles purchased by the federal government had to meet.  Not sure when the Administrator of General Services set up the standards, but this law was enacted on August 30, 1964.

 

Under the terms of the act, the Administrator of General Services had one year from the enactment of the bill to come up with a set of safety standards.  Once that was done, and the standards published for public knowledge, the standards were to be in effect one year and ninety from the date of publication.  Any publication of safety standards would have referred to this act and its date of enactment (August 30, 1964) which gave AGS the power to set up the standards. 

 

However, it does not mean the P-R-N-D-L standard was effective August 30, 1964.  The law gave the government the right to set standards and gave the manufacturers one year and ninety days to bring their vehicles up to the standards.  So, if the AGS had his standards ready to go September 1, 1964, and they were published on that date, auto manufacturers had one year and ninety days (deadline November 29, 1965) to meet the standards.  And that would be about the earliest any standard could be in effect under the law.

 

The complete law can be read by clicking on "Read Text" on the web page.  It is less than a page long.

 

BIll

Vancouver, BC

Edited November 6, 2015 by Chrycoman (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

Ford and 58-later Chevy excepted, most column shift AT shift patterns up to that time had some iteration of the PNDLR sequence and people were used to it. Then here come de gubmint saying it had to be PRNDL to get a government car supply contract.

 

1964 fullsize Oldsmobiles except the new-for-64 Jetstar 88 still had PNDSLR HydraMatics, same as Oldsmobiles had used since 1940. The J88 got the new Buick-designed 2-speed Jetaway/Super Turbine 300 with PRNDL shift.

 

Some 1964 J88s made their way to the factory motor pool. The execs would take a motor pool car out to lunch, crosstown to meetings etc. Being used to 25 years of PNDSLR, some of them got in the J88 pool cars and pulled the shift lever all the way down to back out of the parking space same as they always had. Story is they replaced a lot of parking lot fence that year...

 

I watched my Mama and Aunt Rene do the same thing many times in the late 60s. They were used to PNDSLR in their Osemobiles and the new TurboHydraMatics took them some getting used to. Still wasn't as bad as when my Dad drove the cars- he was used to driving his trucks with stick shift and when he drove the car, he would invariably try to push in a clutch pedal and send us all into the dash or seat back when that left foot hit the brake pedal.

[8E45E]

Is there a Marti Report available for 1956 Lincoln's?  It there is, it would be worth purchasing a copy for your car.  It will state exactly what you had for engine, transmission, and options, etc. 

 

Craig

[John_Mc]

Told you so

Yes you did, feel better?

[Guest]

Yes you did, feel better?

Certainly, because you said this; 

 

Simple? Thanks for the reply but there is no evidence anywhere of "someone" changing the original out and even if that were the case, would they change out all the quadrant markers as well? I believe this was done at the factory. Nothing appears altered from a standard 1956 Lincoln. Being a super late build, almost July of 1956, I'm guessing a special ordered 4-speed was installed, but why and by who?

[padgett]

My point was simply that in the US, there was a 1964 public law that mandated the PRNDL and that was the reason given for ending the Chrysler typewriter. Original use of the LR was to make it easy to rock a car out of snow/mud/sand but was leading to a lot of warrenty claims so the mfrs didn't mind an excuse to change. I suppose that also put an end to "granny" (GR - Grade Retard - what I remember it was a Powerglide with a super low 1st gear.)

[misterc9]

Gr stood for Grade Retard on 59-61 Chevy Turboglide transmissions. These had a modern shift quadrant Park R N Dr Gr. Grade Retard wasn't meant to drive in but just to help slow the car on a down hill coast.