Fluid Drive three speed

[Kevinb71]

I have a 49 Chrysler Windsor Club coupe that came factory with the Fluid drive semi auto. I have purchased a 55 Plymouth three speed with OD that i would like to install. I have two 55 Plymouth three speeds, one standard clutch input shaft and one for the fluid drive. I was wondering if anyone has done this conversion and what has to happen to the shift linkage. Haven't had any quality garage time to get under there and see if i can lay them "side by side" to see what different. I know there are alot of folks on here with more experience with these than myself. What do you think?

[dpollo]

First off,  determine if your car is a three speed   or a semi automatic.   Both use fluid drive.

No Fluid drives were offered in 55 so your spare 55 transmission with the FD input is not what you think

If your car is presently  a three speed (with FD ) then by exchanging input shafts you can install the overdrive with little difficulty.

[Kevinb71]

My Transmission currently in the car is definetly a semi auto. Positive. The OD trans was taken from a 55 plymouth, but i have not checked numbers. The other 3 speed trans has a much longer input shaft. Guy i bought it from said it was FD. I can check for numbers if someone can tell what it is. Ultimately i would like to eliminate the FD and just go clutch with OD. Just trying to figure out what is possible. i didn't know how difficult clutch and shifter linkage would be to make/find for a 3 speed Chrysler w/o FD. Probably not too common, but i have read that they did make them that way. Feel free to correct that statement if need be.

[dpollo]

Fluid drive is not a transmission.   This seems to be a point of confusion. 

  Some cars with Fluid drive used a three speed standard shift.  These had a long input shaft.

Other Fluid drive cars used the semi automatic  This has two speeds in low range and two more in high range.  It also has a long input shaft but it  is a bigger diameter .

There is a delete fluid drive option which allows replacement of the fluid coupling with a standard flywheel and has a long throw out bearing collar so all original linkages fit.  This can only be used with a three speed standard or 3 speed with overdrive which must be fitted with a long input shaft.   ( these can be changed one for the other without opening the transmission by first pulling the front bearing.)

The same parts were used in 53 and 54 Dodge cars with standard shift because the placement of the engine required an extra long bell housing.  What you want to do is certainly possible without a major tear-up.

[55 Fargo]

Yes you can convert this to regular dry clutch.

Heres how its done.

You need a regular clutch bell housing, clutch and pressure plate assembly. Get this from a Plymouth or Canadian Dodge without fluid drive.

The rear clutch housing cross member needs to be moved forward the applicable distance for the donor clutch housing.

The clutch linkage is fine except the release bearing rod has to be either shortened or get the donor rod which is shorter from.a Plymouth.

The shifter linkage should work fine as it did in my situation without any modifications.

The parking brake cable will.be longer  and need some attention to work in this situation.

If this is a US Chrysler the drive shaft and ujoints will.need some conversion.

Canadian ujoint for Plymouth or Chryslers were the same common cross and roller types no ball and trunnions.

Not sure if this helps or not.

[Kevinb71]

Thanks to both to both dpollo and 55 fargo. Both answers give me more insight into how to proceed. Hopefully with it getting colder i can get some more inside garage time. When i do i will post some pics of progress.

[Bryan]

On 10/31/2017 at 11:11 AM, dpollo said:

First off,  determine if your car is a three speed   or a semi automatic.   Both use fluid drive.

No Fluid drives were offered in 55 so your spare 55 transmission with the FD input is not what you think

If your car is presently  a three speed (with FD ) then by exchanging input shafts you can install the overdrive with little difficulty.

Quick question(s) - are the overdrive units that would fit on my 48 Dodge 230 (3 speed with Fluid Drive) an R10 unit? Or some other number?  Of the R10 units I see on ebay there are different R10s (E & F for example) that are for Mercury, Ford, etc. Are they all the same unit that would fit my Dodge?

[Kevinb71]

The Ford and Merc. unit would not fit your Dodge. Some parts from the OD would work for repairing a Mopar OD unit. It is to some extent the same as Gear Vendors OD's are today. You have to "adapt" the R10 to the specific trans. To my knowledge there would be no simple way to take an R10 OD and install it on a Dodge trans. Someone else chime in if i am wrong.

[dpollo]

It is the internal mechanism which is designated R10.   To install an R 10  to be used in a Plymouth or Dodge the  outer cases must be intended for use with such an installation  .  The (od) main gearbox has a lubrication port, the adapter flange is specific to this front case and the main overdrive case has provision for the parking brake.  The transmission mainshaft and the overdrive output shaft are specific to this application.   Planetary gears, freewheeling roller clutch, balk ring  assembly, external solenoid and governor are generally interchangeable however, govenor drive gears vary.

You can always identify a Mopar overdrive unit by the park brake assembly.    An extra long input shaft suggests it may be for a fluid drive but could also be for some  53-5 Dodge V 8s  which used a long bell housing to gain floor and firewall clearance.  These input shafts are easily changed.

Edited November 3, 2017 by dpollo
clarity

[55 Fargo]

Again talk with Tim Kingsbury or dpollo.

Or call George Asche he rebuilds these transmissions.