The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Rod or restore? Rare 54 & opinions needed

Greetings all. I have an unmolested 54 that was optioned with the HydraMatic. I understand there were very few produced and it was the first year the option available. Truck is very clean and solid. I'm torn between doing a driver/resto-rod and restoration. I really want a daily driver but it seems a sin to mod what I'm told is a pretty rare truck.

I thought I'd put it out to you all and get some opinions. I also have a couple of questions.

Does anyone know how many were produced with this option?

Can anyone recommend someone to rebuild the HydraMatic?

Does anyone have a 54 or 55 with this option?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

I suggest that if you don't want to do a restore, trade it or sell it to someone who would keep it original, and get yourself a more common model of equal condition to rod.

This will get you what you want while preserving a rare original.

Kurt

I love the 54 and 55 1st series, they are much better looking than the ealier models. My unmolested 54 means that there is over 50 years of rust, leaving it needing one of everything.
I don't know of anyone that rebuilds the powerglides, but www.charlietranny.com and cobratransmission.com have rebuid kits for the early 'glides. Reid Racing and Transmissioncenter.net have Hi Performance parts for the later model glide, they may be able to point you in the right direction. I've purchached parts from Transission Center for a 700R4 and they were good quality. The technicians were very helpful too.
I believe most guys on this site are going to tell you that the early powerglide is a good boat anchor, especially behind the 235. I don't have any experience with it so I won't tell you either way.
Good luck!

I agree with Kurt.
Personally, I prefer the originality of these machines versus chopping it up for rodding.
Ultimately, it's up to you though.
Jerry

I have ran/run into the same delema with my 52 3100. I saw it for sale beside the road and it was in very good "original" cond. and I just happened to be between projects and had a little money. Money that wasn't tied up on anything. So I bought it. After researching a little, it became very obvious what I was going to do. U see I lean more to the hot rod and custom scene so the 52 in an original/restored state was never going to satisfy me. The biggest point I found out though was that I could buy a started project hot rod, 48-53, with all the "hard" work (V8, trans, rear, frontend swap) done, much much cheaper than I could buy outright myself. Not to mention all the work!! So I decided to fix this one up and sell it this spring and then go and buy my Hot Rod. In the meantime it just so happens I ran into a long lost childhood friend- I actually named my son after him long ago!- and he has just what I am looking for!!! He'll sell me a '57 P/U that already has the V8, modern drivetrain and front clip already done. While my 52 won't be a complete frame off resto that would bring 15-20 Grand it is very close to that and will bring enough to buy the 57 and still have some to start finishing the 57. So that's my plan. Here's the thing. A lot of people, including me, will buy things, not only cars/trucks but a lot of things, before they really do the research. The correct truck to buy, to keep, is the one that is already the closest to what u want in the end. Financially speaking anyway. You state that u want a daily driver. That truck can certainly be your daily driver in the "old" configuration. Also that it is pretty desirerable because it is a rare model. Value is calculated by not only $ but many other things. Will u be happy with that or do u prefer the hot rod version? That my friend is the question, then the answer is easy.

I also agree with Kurt. It's only original once.

I agree w/ Kurt. B & M in L A does Hydros.

Welcome to the shop. I think you're asking the right questions and hopefully getting good help on your final decision.

I would think you could have the best of both worlds. I would hesitate to modify a clean, original and somewhat rare truck. With the '54 you already have the full-pressure 235 and I have to believe there are those in your area who could rebuild your hydro. I'd check with an older established shop and talk to the guy with the grayest beard there. Your truck should be able to cruise comfortably in the fast lane and unless you're going for a concourse restoration, I see no reason you couldn't drive it on a daily basis. I see lots of original trucks running around here and they are always welcome at the local cruises and car shows.

Good luck and keep us posted.

The 1954 Chevrolet (and GMC) truck automatic transmission is a 4-speed Hydra-Matic, not at all like a 2-speed Powerglide (except that they are both automatic transmissions). You know this (as your name indicates) but others have offered Powerglide comments/advice.

By the way, it is Hydra-Matic (as in your name), not a Hydro-Matic (as posted by others, above).

If you want the transmission rebuilt by a professional who knows what he is doing, Gener Berck at Restoration Hydra-Matics is as good as they get. His price is the same for Chevrolet and Cadillac and Bentley/Rolls-Royce Hydra-Matics. He guarantees his work.

Here is a Hydra-Matic repair shop on FL: http://www.calvinstransmissions.com/transmission-repair/

One modification that does not affect appearance but makes driving at highway speeds a little nicer is to change out the ring & pinion gears from 3.90 to 3.55 (Patrick's Antique Cars & Trucks ). If you go that route, buy and use his installation parts kit.

Several members of Stovebolt.com have this transmission on a 54 1/2 Chevrolet truck.

No one knows how many trucks were sold with this option.

The terms "Hydros" and "Glides" are slang terms for the old automatics. Maybe it was/is a geographic thing but those terms are common around here. Since he mentioned HydraMatic (sometimes the hyphen aint there) I assumed he knew what he had.
But, thanks for the clarification, as usual.

This being a technical website, we prefer to talk in technical terms. The original poster said he has a "HydraMatic". I don't see how anyone could mistake that as a slang term for 'Powerglide'.

I agree it seems a sin to modify an unmolested truck, most especially a first year Hydra-Matic. There was a guy on here a few years ago that bought a running '54 Hydra-Matic that I was familiar with, tore it all to pieces with big plans for a hot rod then ended up parting it out. It made me sick .

I think if you want a hot rod you should find a hull somewhere that is not running and save it from the scrapper. Leave the unmolested originals unmolested.

Thanks to everyone for all the comments and info. I'd pretty much decided to go the restoration route and you all just confirmed it for me. Thanks again.

Well, I guess that will give me something to do once the 54 is done. One can never have too many projects I'll get some pics up once I dig it out of the back of the barn.

Dealership where I worked had a pickup like this and from stoplight to stoplight it was a terror. I beat the chrysler dealers dodge pu which had a v8.Dont destroy it they are rare.

A 1954 Chevy pick up with a Hydra-Matic is actually one of the best "daily driver" AD trucks. There are many places that still work on the Hydra-Matics and the cost isn't bad when compared to quality work on a modern automatic transmission. 1954 was the first year an automatic transmission was offered in the Chevy pick up truck. Another reason to leave a 1954 truck with a Hydra-Matic transmission in its original condition is the Hydra-Matic is very different to drive and a whole bunch of fun. The Hydra-Matic will shift through the gears really fast unless you have the gas pedal pushed way down for acceleration. The Chevy manual recommends leaving the shift selector in third gear so it will not shift into fourth gear, while driving around town. The shift selector doesn't have detents (clicks) when shifting between gears so it is real smooth to shift up and down as you drive. It is like driving a stick shift and an automatic all in one and the fast shifting adds to the fun. I know some will say you can shift any automatic trans up and down with the gear selector but the Hydra-Matic was designed to have more driver participation, especially around town. You still have the choice to let the shifting be fully automatic. I put Patrick's 3.55 rear end gears in my 1954 1/2 ton Chevy with Hydra-Matic and it will run 70 mph without straining. You do have to use a pre 54 carrier to put a Patricks ring and pinion in a 54. The Hydra-Matic gear selector on the steering column is also quite different in the way the gears are numbered and without any "P" or parking gear. Reverse gear "R" is the parking gear. A unique transmission in the history of automatics and Stovebolts and well worth preserving.

I could not agree more.

There are detents between gears. That mechanism is under the hood on the bracket that holds the neutral start switch. The problem is that the swivel on the shift indicator handle gets stuck to where the handle does not have the "pull forward" to change gears. It gets stuck in the forward position bypassing the detents. When all is freed up, you do have to pull the lever forward to shift and can feel it detent into each position.

Thanks for the information about the detents. Always learning something new here on the Bolt. The detent mechanism probably prevents accidently shifting gears. Not having the detents is nice so don't think I will repair it. No one else drives the truck anyway. I will study the mechanisms to fully understand the intended operation.