Can anyone help me identify this Hydramatic as to what year it is and what it may be from. I was told it is from a late 50s Cheny with a 6 cyl. Thanks!
appears like it might be for Chev or GMC 6 cyl from the '55 thru '59 era, judging by the bellhousing/block adapter plate and starter position. I'm sure someone else with more experience with these will zero in on it. Ray
OK, this is exactly my problem. When I got it I was told that it was for a 55 to 59 Chevy. Then someone told me that was wrong because the tag says 53. So I hope maybe there is some on that can be sure of what it is, since it seems the same points have come again. I bought this for some parts in a B&M Hydro Stick I'm using for a project. *********NEED FLYWHEEL FOR V8 CHEVY TO HYDRAMATIC**********
Since hydramatics had a detatchable bell housing, it was common for one from another brand to be used with a different bell, much like standard transmissions---like finding a Muncie four speed from a GTO and bolting it to the bell housing in your Chevelle. As long as you've got all of the Chevy specific parts, where the transmission was born shouldn't be a problem. No doubt, someone who knows more about hydros that I do will chime in and decipher the whole stamping number for you.
Something fishy with the tag!!! Says engine serial, that is strange! Now looking at it there should be a tag on the p***enger side of the case, oval in shape and should say hydramatic division with a serial number stamped on it. Don't recall the code letter for 6 cylinder trucks with hydramatic, but that definitely is from a 6 cylinder chevy or gmc truck of early 50's, probably 1953 vintage (made in 53 for 54 model trucks). I was suggesting to IRONGLIDE to use one of these in his 59 Chevy in place of the Powerglide. Sounds as if he has the 235 in his. George/Maine insists that both GMC and Chevy 216/235/261 inline sixes have same bell bolt pattern. This would be great for someone wanting to run a six in their rod. My guess this hydramatic would not take much to bust the insides up as it probably has the lesser of clutch plates then say a Cadillac or Olds hydramatic of 55-56. They had 8 plate clutchpacks, where 6 cylinder hydros had 6 plate clutchpaks. Something that might make this attractive is that a cast iron Powerglide engine to transmission adapter plate (that was used for V8 and Powerglide) might just fit up to the bell housing (after you remove the six cylinder adapter plate that is attached now). You know anyone that has a cast iron Powerglide you can compare the bell pattern to? The transmission you have is definitely a 52 or 53 transmission, as it has stub dipstick, and two external band adjustments. (54 - up had only one adjustment screw)
The shifter is Chevy. GMC used a more "boxey" but more elaborate shifter. The transmission would be post 54 for a half ton as it is open driveshaft. I guess it could be from a larger truck. I agree that the tag looks like a re-stamp.
It looks like the one that I just pulled out of a 1958 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup. The bellhousing is from a six cylinder, and the shifter is Chevy pickup. Yours looks like it has the short dipstick that was accessed through the floor board, so it would be older than 58. Mine has a long dipstick that was checked from under the hood.
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