"Powerglide" opinions

[special-K]

Yu prolly burned up the bands from lack of adjustment.THs have discs and P/Gs have bands.Park is just a cog.

[zacut]

One minor advantage that a powerglide does have is minimal power consumption. You will loose about 8 hp through a powerglide compared with about 25 through a more modern transmission. That is one other reason besides the indestructability that racers like them.

[tracterman2]

My truck is a 70 model has a powerglide and cooler lines to the radiator...none of which is an option on the truck...it was all standard according to my paperwork. It think I will keep it...if its a 1:1 high gear I won't get anything with a 350 or 400....aren't they 1:1 in 3rd?? I'm not making a street machine....more of an old conversation piece to go to work and wal-mart in well maybe that doesn't deserve the metal guy...but I think he looks cool

[mnunn454]

Originally Posted by special-K

Until you go to a higher level of performance where hp over rules.The Powerglide vs Hydramatic will show the P/G launches off the line and gets down track while the T/H is catching up.Not only will the P/G get better traction,it will gain speed faster,and one less shift.Drag racers love them.
O/T...in drag bikes they start in 2nd gear for this reason.Mine`s a potent street machine and when we blueprinted my trans we installed a higher 1st gear.If I`m up against a stock-geared bike with the same power,the other rider can`t figure out how I always win.

special-K, I respectfully disagree completely. PG has a 1.8:1 ratio in low. The TH350 or 400 has roughly a 2.5:1 in low. Unless the rear end of the car is super light like a Chevy II with big engine and in dire need of traction, there's no way a taller, harder to turn low gear is going to run with the 3 speed trannys. I had one in a 68 Camaro with a 5:13 rear gear and lost many a race to my roughly equivalent counterparts due only to the steeper 1st gear I had to pull.

When it comes to getting heavier vehicles with ample traction rolling, the more gears the better. The ONLY time you'd stray from that equation is if the 3 speed only "boiled" the tires in low (as is the case with the stock motorcycle example you cite above). Taking your logic to an obsurd extreme, then a 1-speed transmission should out perform a 2 or 3 speed. Hardly ever in my experience.

Sounds like what you've achieved with your bike's higher 1st gear is the perfect balance between tire spin and engine-through-driveline torque. I compliment you on that. However, that's hardly a fair example to use to justify using a PG for a guy who's trying to restore a stock C-10.

The ONLY way you'll get a PG to perform comparably to a TH350/400 is with a HUGELY torqy engine in an ultra-light vehicle, or else use it with a much higher stall torque converter.

Bottom line: You can't defeat physics (in this life anyway). Torque is what's needed to get our heavier than stone C-10 "pets" moving with the least amount of converter slippage (slippage equals heat, and heat equals loss of MPG). A TH350/400 has more take-off torque to offer than the PG with a stock converter, period.

None of this is to underrate the PG's toughness or reliability factors. Those ribbons are well earned over millions [if not billions] of on/off road miles. If that's what matters most, then a PG would be my 1st choice. Just don't expect much in the way of take-off performance out of it.

[ghackett1]

I never heard of an air cooled powerglide. All I've seen have been fluid cooled and those lines are a pain to get to when the tranny is installed!

[special-K]

mnunn454,you missed my point.I said a "higher" level of power.Like,where you have all the torque you could ever want and you need to convert it into speed asap.I`m not a physicist are you?Do you have 1,500 hp?I used motorcycles as an example because it`s about power to weight ratios.Bikes are way light and with just 100hp they are quick,but light.Traction becomes the weak point.In a heavier vehicle with the same or higher power ratio it`s the same.

[manimal]

What about a PG with a GearVendor?

[glock35ipsc]

Aren't top fuel and top alcohol cars running basically a direct drive, single speed transmission, with only varying degrees of clutching? I do remember one thing from my drag racing days with a glide in my car..... not all cars of equal power and weight that ran a three speed auto could beat my 60' times. If anything, 60' times were equal +/- a few thousands of a second.

[mnunn454]

Originally Posted by special-K

mnunn454,you missed my point.I said a "higher" level of power.Like,where you have all the torque you could ever want and you need to convert it into speed asap.I`m not a physicist are you?Do you have 1,500 hp?I used motorcycles as an example because it`s about power to weight ratios.Bikes are way light and with just 100hp they are quick,but light.Traction becomes the weak point.In a heavier vehicle with the same or higher power ratio it`s the same.

Sorry, Special-K but I think it's you who missed the point. What does extreme power to weight ratios have to do with the poster's original question?

As a reminder to get us all back on track:
Okay, I'm wanting to keep my truck as original as possible...it has the powerglide in it and I'm assuming it is okay........This is going to be a daily driver...conversation piece...nothing special.

You can argue the Powerglide's ruggedness and reliability. I'll agree wholeheartedly. You can argue it's suitability on the dragstrip under special, extremely high power to weight ratio applications, and I'll agree with you again.

However, it isn't the best choice for a C-10 that lugs around 15 pounds for every HP it produces. These applications require lots of gears and torque at the axle (the more the merrier!) and a Powerglide just can't deliver that. Never has. Never will.

The only exception to this is when the owner is making a concious choice/tradeoff and is willing to be content with very low performance to keep originality. My reason for writing in the 1st place is to try to help the poster see that's not usually a good idea given today's higher performance options.

If you agree with this point (and I suspect you do), then we're in strong agreement and both on the same side of the fence. Further, I appologize if I've ruffled any feathers.

If you don't agree with my last point, then so that I and the rest of us can be better informed, please articulate the fundamental principles (other than originality as I said) that would make a Powerglide the higher performance tranny of choice in an underpowered 2 ton vehicle. Maybe Detroit missed something when they dropped the PG and went with TH350/400's, and later to 4-speed O/D trannys with an even lower (numerically higher) 1st gear, as standard equipment.

Thanks in advance.

[special-K]

I was not responding to the original post.I was responding to "your" post."You" took it off-track with your comment about putting performance before originality.Maybe "you" should re-read that blue type.He`s putting originality first and it`s a daily driver,not a performance machine.You remind me of my wife.This is going nowhere.I`m walking.



Spin doctors...who needs them?

[tracterman2]

well I wasn't trying to start an argument...yes I'm going for originality...and cheap...so keeping the powerglide is what I'll probably do...i have access to a TH350 that is recently rebuilt...but I don't want to have to shorten the driveshaft and would rather not lose originality...I was more wondering on reliability and driveability issues...not so much high performance...I would like it to not be so bad I couldn't pull a boat or something....but I really don't think it would be...they did put them in there for a while...I do agree though going to the 3 spds and 4 spds was a great idea...just for the simple fact that your not lugging the engine nearly as hard...which in turn helps with realibilty and longevity of the engine...lets just all get along and have fun with our toys....or money pits...however you want to put it

[special-K]

I`m with you,my Huckleberry .You know,the motor really never lugs with a PowerGlide.The`Glide seems to take it all.This is why,especially with heavier use,you want to stay on top of the band adjustment.I had one in a`63 Riviera w/455 2 4s,a very torquey motor.That thing shifted so smooth it felt like it never shifted.I`m building a`67 GMC cruiser out of parts.The only thinng that is`67 is the front clip.I can go any way I want with drivetrain.I have the complete set-up to go TH350 or`Glide.I really want a 4 or 5spd manual.But the theme is "budget" and I don`t ave any manual trannies.
So,I`m about where you`re at and it could go either way.I kinda like the idea of the`Glide for a more`67-ish feel.I have a 327 in my wrecker that may find it`s way in front of it for the same reason.
If I was you,I`d leave it.You can always do the TH350 later if you find the need.

[davidh]

I just picked up an all original 66 pu for parts, has powersteering, 250, and a PG. I was told it was good but dont know if I'll use it.

[boraxman]

My turbo 350 is like a Powerglide with OD!

[gregsplace]

Originally Posted by ghackett1

I never heard of an air cooled powerglide. All I've seen have been fluid cooled and those lines are a pain to get to when the tranny is installed!

I've had a few air cooled glides around. The air cooled ones had holes about the size of tennis balls around the front case. I wish I hada pic to show you, but I dont. Someone one here will post one eventually!!