The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop power glide transmission

I am installing a power glide trans. in my 1951 Chevrolet truck. That will work best with the 235 engine. The power glide I have has the following gear pattern. park, neutral, drive, drive 1, reverse. My question, is there anything I can do to make the gear pattern like the standard automatic?
Thanks everyone for all of help.

Dendo,

Is PRNDL the shift sequence you want? I don't think you can get it with the Power glide. The most you could hope for would be the exact reverse of the pattern you have now, but no other arrangement.

Stuart

Reverse was at the bottom of the quadrant on a PG but I don't think there is a D1 position. Never saw a D-1 on a PG, P-N-D-L-R. Is L (low) what you are calling D1?

Yes, I am calling L the drive 1, do you have any way I can get the PRNDL secquence? Are there any bad things I need to know about a PG tranny?

Dennis,

There is no way to change your transmission gear sequence. The cast iron power glide is a good strong tranny.

Stuart

Dendo - I am wondering if the reason you want the PRNDL sequence is because that is the quadrant your steering colume has on it. If thois is the case then you can replace that with a proper PG indicator from a later year car colume. The PowerGlide is a good solid transmission and the early one are often used behind some very high HP drag cars. Biggest problem is finding an older local tranny guy that can work on them.

..and no comments on the "local tranny guy" remark, OK? :>)

Dave, I hate to be a pest but, that is what my wife says I am best at....Anyway. Do you know what model of cars I need to be checking or do you have a car with it in it..
Thanks again
Dennis

The cast iron case transmissions were made in 3 or 4 versions from 1951 to 1961. The aluminum-case models (which is what the drag racers use) was made from 62 to about 65 or so. I don't know if there is an aluminum case trans with a bellhousing pattern that will bolt onto the 216/235 block.

Advantages- - - -light weight, fairly durable, simple to rebuild.

Disadvantages- - - -2 speeds- - -too low and too high. The cast iron models are unbelievably heavy!
Jerry

Back in the early 60s, my buddies and I made 2 all out attempts to destroy a powerglide and failed both times. They were converting to 4 speeds, and wanted to see how much a PG would take.
Bob

My testiment to the PowerGlides is what did to attemp destroying my Dads 59 Impala w/ 348/PG. I threw it into reverse at 50 MPH and it did a nose dive that nearly scuffed the front bumper. Kill the engine but the tranny worked just fine. I was sweating bullets on that one. Old man never did find out.

Dendo: I don't have one currently but don't understand your question. What is it that you want? A quadrant? If so most of the old chevy outfits have them.

I though most automatics had a reverse lockout to prevent them from going into reverse when moving forward. Maybe not!


Stuart

Apparently, Chevy didn't think a reverse lockout was necessary. The first PG trans to arrive in Nashville, Tennessee came to Jim Reed Chevrolet in 1951, in the new 2-door hardtop, with a 235 engine. All three of these options were brand new for 1951. The night before the official roll-out, which had been highly publicized in the local newspapers, a bunch of salesmen from the dealership were "road testing" the new car. In those days, a salesman's road test consisted of getting tanked up on beer or whiskey, and running wide open down the nearest highway. About 10 miles south of town, at wide-open throttle, somebody asked, "What will it do if we put it in reverse?" "Well, it won't hurt a Studebaker!" "A Chevy is better than any damned old Studebaker!" At 90 MPH, into reverse it goes! The transmission case split wide open, the car had to be towed back to the dealership, all the salesmen on that ride got fired, and the car went on display in the showroom the next morning with a pile of newspapers stacked up under the transmission to catch the fluid dripping out of it! It was two weeks before a replacement transmission arrived from the factory!
Jerry

:-) That was one of the things my buddy did on purpose, but from 30mph. What a ride!
Bob

I have a '56 powerglide I'd like to get rid of...

If I remember correctly, the 1958 and later cast iron PG has the PRNDL gear positions. I think that change was made to eliminate the possibility of accidently shifting into reverse when down-shifting to manual Low. The iron Powerglide with a V8 in front of it can be broken-- bring the engine up to 1500-1800 RPM in neutral, pull the shifter to Drive, press on the accelerator and the planetary gear set will shed its teeth. But I understand the '59 and later Turboglides would stand up to that- at least according to Chevrolet at the time.

Harvester