The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline hydramatic mechanic

anyone have any information on a good transmission shop to repair/rebuild hydramatic transmissions? Looking for recommendations on a good mechanic with references if possible... ive discussed with a few local shops and they don't know much about these transmission. im looking in either the Kansas City, KS or Bozeman, MT areas

Give these guys a call. They sell vintage trans parts worldwide, and they should be able to recommend someone in your area who is good with Hydramatics. I've bought parts for obsolete transmissions from them several times and they know what they're talking about.


https://www.fatsco.net/


Jerry

Dirtball,

You might also check with B & M. In the 1960s they built those transmissions called the B & M Hydrostick in versions varying from performance street driving to drag racing behind supercharged Chevy, Olds and Chrysler engines. They were widely used for a long time and there might still be a B & M old timer around who can help you.


Here's a story about the Stone, Woods & Cook Gasser, a '41 Willys that ran a B & M Hydrostick first behind a blown Olds and later behind a blown Chrysler:
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hrdp-0503-1941-stone-woods-cook-willys/


It put on an unforgettable show competing against other greats like "Ohio" George Montgomery and "Big" John Mazmanian in the "Gasser Wars"..


I know that some of those old timers are still alive and kicking. For example dragster chassis builder Kent Fuller lives in a retirement community near me. I know that because I saw a beautiful set of headers on a roadster recently and when I asked who built them the answer I got was Kent Fuller. No wonder those headers were such works of art.

I have the honor and joy of doing some HVAC work at Kallita Motorsports( Connie Kallita ). We maintain and replace heating and cooling for the building and OTR trucks that they haul the toys in. I drool over the rows of aluminum engine blocks, rods, heads, cranks, etc. The trucks are Kenworths, all kept spotless and ready to roll. Some jobs have perks that you can't measure in $, I'm lucky to have one.

78buckshot,

That is extremely cool that you know Connie Kallita. I still vividly remember watching him compete in Top Fuel at the Winternationals against the likes of Jerry Ruth, the "Snake", the "Mongoose", Garlits, Malone, Warren/Coburn/Miller (aka "The Treetop Trio" because they were so tall), etc. Fifty years ago those guys were turning in 1/4 mile performances of about 200 MPH and 8 seconds in Top Fuel. Today that's accomplished with full bodied '57 Chevies.

Kallita's Top Fuel program has survived the shift in drag racing from home built creations including a lot of sportsman classes (gassers, altereds, street roadsters, etc) to corporate sponsored Top Fuel, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. To me that corporate drag racing is plain old BORING. Home built race vehicles are still alive and well on the desert dry lakes of Southern California and on the Bonneville salt flats.

I'm pretty sure Connie is no longer with us and I think one of his sons also but the legend lives on with his company. In their shop they have mud bog trucks, sprint cars, bikes, and of course the 'rails'. Of course being a truck nut I also admire the big trucks.