Fluid drive

[Bobacuda]

I have the misfortune of a failing throwout bearing in my ‘53 Dodge truck that I have scheduled for an upcoming 150 mile round trip.

As I began taking it all apart, so it’s ready for knuckle busting when the parts come in, I wondered how many of you have seen a Fluid Drive So, here it is.

The fluid coupling bolts to the back of the crank, the small flywheel and clutch bolt to that. The trans input shaft is about twice as long as a conventional trans would have to reach through it all.

 

[67Dart273]

"When I was a kid" my Mom's Dad for some reason liked those, actually it was for Gramma who had trouble negotiating a clutch. On theirs, early 50 Dodge/ Plymouth, she, mostly would forget to set the parking brake, and it would roll off somewhere, or she'd forget to release it and burn it up. I recall a big chunk of wood being carried for "wheel chock."

Once it rolled down a steep hill when parked and wrecked one pretty good, and then one rolled down the neighbor's driveway --off a little bridge-- and into the 'crick.' This resulted in a "combination car" the mostly undamaged dark green rear on one car and the mostly undamaged tan colored front clip off the other

 

[72bluNblu]

Seen them, sold them, recycled them too! Not the most popular things.

My ‘53 Dodge truck had one as well. Neat history, but a totally goofy set up.

 

[72bluNblu]

Actually, I still HAVE one too, the one that was in my '53. Some of the stuff I had came with the early hemi stuff I bought. That one's been sitting outside for awhile though. If there's anything you need off of it I may be able to pull it. Not sure on the working order since the truck never moved under it's own power with that driveline. Shipping on big stuff wouldn't be worth it, but if there's any small spares you might need shoot me a PM. I know that it's not worth much, but the parts are pretty much unobtanium too so if there's something I could toss in a flat rate box I'm happy to check and see if I've got it. My '53 is set up with a '66 Fury front clip so I won't be using any of it, and I'd rather see someone use it than just scrap it. Which is likely what will happen at some point.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Cool historic stuff!

 

[Bobacuda]

Actually, I still HAVE one too, the one that was in my '53. Some of the stuff I had came with the early hemi stuff I bought. That one's been sitting outside for awhile though. If there's anything you need off of it I may be able to pull it. Not sure on the working order since the truck never moved under it's own power with that driveline. Shipping on big stuff wouldn't be worth it, but if there's any small spares you might need shoot me a PM. I know that it's not worth much, but the parts are pretty much unobtanium too so if there's something I could toss in a flat rate box I'm happy to check and see if I've got it. My '53 is set up with a '66 Fury front clip so I won't be using any of it, and I'd rather see someone use it than just scrap it. Which is likely what will happen at some point.

Thanks for the offer. Unless I drop the transmission and break something, I should be ok (as far as I know).

 

[65 Cuda 340]

A 55 Dodge passenger car uses that long fluid drive bellhousing with a regular manual trans. The trans has an extra long input shaft, and the throwout bearing has a really long body. What they were thinking, I don't know - maybe just trying to save money not tooling up an all new bellhousing (but why not use the Plymouth bellhousing??). Here's a comparison of the 49 and 55 Dodge manual trans (my 49 Wayfarer had fluid drive with a conventional three speed transmission; more expensive Dodges and DeSotos and Chryslers had what effectively was a four speed trans, albeit not one that could be shifted quickly). 49 up top, 55 below. The trans main case and the gears are the same. The input shaft of the 55 is longer, as is the tailshaft. I used the input shaft from the 55 in my 49 trans, with the 55-style long throwout bearing and a regular clutch and pressure plate. It all fit perfectly in my original 49 fluid drive bellhousing. So now I have a conventional three speed manual w/o the fluid coupling.

 

[67Dart273]

What an interchange nightmare, LOL

 

[Outsder]

I like old cars also. I still have a '50 Dodge Wayfarer roadster in storage. I thought the Fluid Drive system was kind of fun to drive, not for someone in a hurry though. I used to drive it to WPC events about 30 years ago, but haven't driven it in years, I sometimes think it's one of those things I should let go to someone to use more actively.