Dynaflow-equipped '53 Cad.

[Pete Phillips]

Here's a rare one! 1953 Cadillac with Dynaflow transmission, apparently built during the famous 1953 Hydra-Matic transmission plant fire. A few '53 Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles were equipped with Buick Dynaflow transmissions until the plant could be rebuilt.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1953-Cadillac-DeVille/153015051507?hash=item23a06864f3:g:iIYAAOSw7kVa8hhM&vxp=mtr

 

Not mine.

[Buickborn]

     It is interesting to conjecture about how the Dynaflow Cadillacs stack up in market value compared with the Hydra-Matic jobs.  From what I've seen on eBay, the Dynaflow effect appears to be negative -- understandable since non-Buick folks tend to be very critical of the "Dyna-slush," especially the early versions.  In my own case, I'd love to have a Dynaflow Cadillac, if only as a curiosity and conversation piece.

      A lesser known result of the Hydra-Matic fire appeared in the form of Power-Glide-equipped Pontiacs and junior-series Oldses, none of which I recall ever seeing on the collectors' market.

      Commendably, by all accounts GM's first priority after the fire was to meet its obligations as a Hydramatic supplier to its competitors -- Hudson,  Nash, Lincoln, etc. -- none of which experienced disruptions.  No doubt that was due to fear of lawsuits.  Considerably more puzzling, however, is the question of why GM would be selling its hugely popular automatic to the competition in the first place.

      Sorta reminds me of an expression often used by my New York-born grandmother in defense of her recipe secrecy:  "Does Macy's tell Gimbel's?"

[lrlforfun]

OK Buick People:  I seemed to have read that as the result of the Hydra-Matic plant fire countless number of safety items were incorporated in future plant design through out all industries.   And a question.....as a substitute did Dynaflow equipped cars have torque tubes?  Mitch

[Buickborn]

        Torque tubes in Dynaflow Cadillacs?  Great question!   But surely the required additional re-engineering would not have been justified, as would have been the case going in the opposite direction -- that is, in adapting the Hydra-Matic into a Buick.  The tendency of a torque tube to degrade the smoothness of Hydra-Matic shifting was a problem that plagued senior Nashes, but surely there's no reason to think that a conventional Hotchkiss drive would present problems for a Dynaflow.  Further, the Cadillac Hydra-Matic axle ratio (3.36:1) was very close to the 3:40 ratio used by Buick, so no changes would have been needed on that account.

[Dynaflash8]

`I had a 53 Oldsmobile with Hydramatic.  I found it to be herky-jerky, unlike a Dynaflow.  Derision by Cadillac-Oldsmobile lovers of Dynaflow has more to do with personal stuff.  Buick people love Buicks and Oldsmobile people love Oldsmobiles.

[Pete Phillips]

No, the Cadillacs with Dynaflow did not have torque tubes. The end of the Dynaflow transmission was re-designed in a couple of weeks and new parts fabricated to accept an open drive shaft. I did an article on this a few years ago in the Buick Bugle.

[Glassesguy]

I remember and enjoyed that article,Pete. Amazing how quickly the reengineering was done on the Dynaflow to fit the Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles.

[Beemon]

Rear gears are getting harder to come by. I wonder how hard it would be to do the open driveline Dynaflow conversion to accept a more modern rear axle for those who wish to keep their shiftless drive?

[Buickborn]

With rear gearsets in short supply, instead of trying to convert the Dynaflow to open drive and gin up a modern rear axle installation, it might be easier and cheaper to do a gear reproduction project and stay otherwise original.  For example, a few years ago, I and three other Buick knuckleheads had four sets of '34-'35 series 40 differential gears fabricated for about $1100.00 per set.  Not too bad -- and we were able to choose the ratio, to boot (in this instance, 3.55:1).

[NC-car-guy]

13 hours ago, Beemon said:

Rear gears are getting harder to come by. I wonder how hard it would be to do the open driveline Dynaflow conversion to accept a more modern rear axle for those who wish to keep their shiftless drive?

Probably cost just as much to have the parts machined for this as having new rear gears machined.

[Beemon]

I don't know, a hypoid ring and pinion gear usually run about $3000 or more if its a one run set.