I havent owned a classic in a 13 years. last one was 59 ford pick up. first one was 66 GTO ragtop. I worked part time at Sams hot rod and custom car shop in oklahoma city. I was a transmission builder from 71 until 95. learned from the old timers about old tranys. I have built almost all the old ones. ive never built any buick dual paths. I followed a thread online to this forum. And thought i might be able to help someone out with what ive learned so far about older cars and the transmissions. I dont know mutch about the new ones after 95 cause I went to work at a ranch only cattle tractors and dosers out there. I lost my legs to an accident in 2000 and havent worked sence. I hope you all will have me and ill share what i can. all my old hobies revolved around dirt track cars outlaw sprints, super mods and late models. A bllast while it lasted. I better stop or ill babble.

 

Babble on! Anyone who understands pre-65 transmissions is an asset to any old car board and is welcome.

We have an American Standard Vari-Speed fluid coupling at my job. It drives a feedwater pump off the main steam turbine shaft. When I started this job in 1979 the shift supervisor was trying to explain to me how it worked. He finally says, "You like old cars. This thing works like a Buick Dynaflow transmission. If you understand how a Dynaflow works you'll understand how the Vari-Speed works." I replied "I don't know how a Dynaflow works and nobody I know understands how a Dynaflow works."

Even though I have seen the thing torn down half a dozen times I still don't completely understand how either the Vari-Speed or a Dynaflow Drive does its thing. It just does.

 

Welcome, you should be an asset to this site.

 

i havent got the hang of this yet. you know how the verable pitch in a th300 and 400 works. well a Dyanflow has a low gear and high gear or direct. well its eather in low manualy or in D for direct, in direct it takes off in high the input shaft ond output shaft turning at the same rpm then at what 15 to 20 mph the mechanical torque convertor stator changes pitch so the torque going to the input shaft is iincresed thus car goes a little faster. thats why you can hear it and not feel it.

 

John Welcome to the site. There are not many people who know the old automatic transmissions you will be a great asset to this site thank you for joining.