Hey guys. I have made a few posts this last week re the adventures with the 1952 Pontiac. The Hydramatic only had low and reverse. That was it. So today I figured better pull the pan and at least clean the screen. Lo and behold, two bolts lying there in the pan. One bent! So as I looked around, I see that the governor flange/rear pump is hanging barely by one loose bolt. It is normally held in place by two grade 8 bolts. The one had fallen out as a small piece of the cast case, cracked and fell into the pan. The other was on its' last legs and was about to spell disaster. I was unable to get a bite on the one. So, I cut a bolt to size, just enough so the head of it cleared the spinning governor. With drips of ATF in the face, (love trans work), I was able to place it up where the boss had broken and threaded it down. Lots of red loc***e and a nut secured it. Was able to get a decent 16lbs on the other. The rear drum had lost one of its' bolts. Six total I think. I spent an hour trying to snake in a replacement. No go. But five will work for now. Next, 11 quarts of ATF. Fired it up, and took five minutes for the Torus to fill. I do have the special Hydramatic tools for setting front and rear bands, and did so. Cracked a beer, couple of swigs, put 'er in gear, OK let's go. Perfect.! I now have all my gear shifts. I could not have had a better Saturday!
Probably one of the most recognizable transamatic automissions of all time, thanks to B & M (and a few others), and 60's era drag racing. Good luck in keeping it going; they were pretty tough in the day. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
The Jalopy Journal
