The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 57 GMC factory "hydramatic" how many were made???

Hello ... just picked up a 1957 GMC step side
swb factory automatic... big hydramatic badge on the fender and a bone stock single brake pedal..
truck is straight and complete but needing resto...
HOW MANY OF THESE TRUCKS WERE MADE with AUTOMATICS???
Please list the name of the book you got the info from if possible.... thanks... Kyle

hey Kyle! welcome to the 'bolt, a great place to find out about yer new truck! unfortunately, how many of any particular option were produced isn't one of the things you'll find just depended on how many folks ordered that option, and GM didn't keep that type of record until the late 60's - the hydromatic is uncommon tho' - one of the best sources for production info is the Standard Catalog of American Light Trucks, but even there the breakdowns for the 50's is just total light/ medium/ heavy trucks

another spot you might check that's aimed at GMCs in particular is Robs old gmc truck site , tho' they're more heavily into the earlier years

Bill

ok...this is 1st 50's vintage truck/auto I have seen other than Cameo... been a car guy 20 + years ...never seen the "hydromatic" badge on any chevy or gmc truck ever...period... it's a pretty bold badge- size wise.. guess it may have been considered an upscale option worthy of advertisement..I've been contacted by a local stovebolter who said the auto's came about in 54 and that he'd seen a few... he runs a resto shop
this truck is pretty well stock... still has stock seat ..stock spare tire carrier under the bed...the engine looks stock..full set of stock GMC hubcaps...GMC valve covers sitting atop the straight 6.... has a little "100" I believe in the grill area...its look is weather-worn..but really pretty solid.. I felt it was a pretty good buy anyway... nice old truck that needs some tlc..

sounds great Kyle - get some pics and send'em together w/ the story to the editor here for the gallery - we all like pictures!

I've seen 2 TF era trucks w/ the hydramatic - wonder if they were more common on GMC than Chev - I have part of the shift stuff from a column of one I parted out, but the trans was long gone

Bill

GMC first offered Hydramatics in '53. Chevy followed suit in '54. And although they are not common, they aren't "rare".

Hey Guys, I'm currently working on a 57 Dayton Brown van w/ a four speed Hydro. This one is water cooled/heated via a heat exchanger located in the fluid pan. wow... I'd like to find the specs on this tranny w/ fluid type and amount as well as any filters etc that may be involved in changing the fluid. The owner tells me that the tranny wants to go into 3rd to early and I'm thinking that the fluid is bad in that it does not slip just shifts early. Do these trannys use vacumn anywhere? I don't see any vac lines. Also do the clutches work like motorcyle clutches in that there is no torque converter. Lots of questions about these guys. Thanks Doug

dejmeister, your question needs to be asked in the Engine and Driveline forum.

Thanks.

Generally on the hydramatics, premature shifting is a linkage adjustment issue, and not a fluid issue. Ask again in the engine and driveline shop and I am sure you will get better answers.

GMC first offered the Hyrda-Matic in PM series trucks in '52. I actually have a copy of the letter making the announcement to dealers. It was in the back of a GMC Master Parts Book I got a few years ago. I think those trucks would qualify for rare.

I have a '54 GMC with a Hydra-Matic and a buddy has a '54 Chevy with a Hydra-Matic and some of the parts on mine came from a '54 another guy was parting out.

While pickups with the automatic are not common they are out there.

I have a '54 GMC pickup that came with a Hydramatic transmission which I have since replaced with a standard 3 speed column shift. I understand there were over 50,000 Chevrolet and GMC pickups produced in 1954 so they are not rare or even hard to find. After dealing with early shift and slipping problems I changed to a standard shift and I am very satisfied with the resulting driveability.

Steve, why don't you concider sending a good clear scan of that announcement to Keith Hardy at TOCMP to add to the GMC archives. That's the kind of stuff that we would all like to have access to when researching a project or subject.
Denny Graham
Sanwich, IL

Denny that's a good thought. I'll find it and scan it.

AHHHH those old four speed hydramatics were quite a tranny.A wicked first gear,and they would sure take a beating.I had them in 52 and 53 Oldsmobiles and they were a great performing setup.If my memory serves me correctly I think Olds and Cadilac were the first to use them,starting in 1941.In the mid 50s GM started installing them in pickup trucks,but very few buyers wanted an automatic in a pickup.Very few people thought the automatics would stand up to hard work.But over the years things changed and now most pickups sold new have automatics cause they have proven themselves.My first experience with automatic tranny trucks was in Uncle Sams Army. The GMC 2 1/2 ton trucks were equipped with automatics.

Olds had a first effort automatic starting in the later 30's and it was in one of those cars my mother learned to drive probably about 1950.

I believe the first use of the Hydra-Matic was the 1939 introduction of 1940 model Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles.

Gentlemen...I have an internal GM document (3 original mimeos, exactly) that state within the 1954 production year, 6% of the vehicles (not cars and stuff, but trucks) were hydra-matics. This includes pickups, burbs, etc. (I'm lucky enough to have a 54 Chevy pickup and 54 Chevy Suburban---both with hydramatics.) On the list is broken down 3-speeds, 3-speed Heavy-Duty, 4-speed floor shift. I recall this is for Chevy only, since it's not in front of me, but I'm not sure. Hope that helps for the 54s, anyway! A bit off strictly hydramatic thread, but has anyone heard of the someone reproducing the 2-tone checkerboard cloth seat material, as found in some hydramatics? Or this same material in Hydramatic Burbs? Thanks, and cheers!

Jim Carter sells two of the four 2-tone upholstery/trim material for 1954 trucks.

The the "Deluxe Cab Equipment for 3000 Cab" included a two-tone interior option for 3000 series trucks: regular cab (RPO 438) and Panel (RPO 439). A two-tone interior option is not listed for Suburbans.

The standard "two-tone" upholstery for 1954 Suburbans was maroon cushion tops and gray cushion sides (this was also the deluxe interior seat cover combination for regular cabs).

The two-tone options (438 & 439) were separate from the Hydra-Matic option (RPO 314).

What would it take to see a scan of that document? I have always been curious about production numbers. It was my understanding that there were no published breakdown records. I would certainly be interested in seeing evidence otherwise.