That would have been a Chevrolet POWERGLIDE in the Corvair.

The Powerglide had only Two speeds: Low and High (direct) and a Torque
converter. Performance suffered a bit - if you didn't wind it out in
low the engine would fall off the cam when it shifted to high - but it
was durable. It worked a lot better with a big V-8 than a little six.

While I was in college my 64 Corvair Monza sported a "Ralph Nader Racing
Team" window sign.

- John (not nearly as old as Bob) Ousterhout -


City Father wrote:
On Mon, 9 Jan 2006 21:29:40 -0500, "Morgans"
wrote:


I had the '68 110 with the 2 speed hydromatic.


Sheesh.
Seems I STILL gotta' 'teach' the teacher. g

The word is HYDRAMATIC, sweetheart.....
and it NEVER was installed in the love of your life Corvair.

I first saw a Hydr-A-matic Oldsmoblie on the street in 1948.
T'was an iron case 4 speed tranny with fluid coupling.
Surfing the net, it seems they were first available in 1946.
IIRC, much later similar designs left out 3rd gear...
making it a very sad and sick factory 3 speed performer.

More Minutia:
In the name of cost containment circa 1960?....
the rear hydraulic pump was eliminated, so one could no
longer push/pull start it with a dead battery or whatever.
This led to starting cars with dead batteries the way we do it today.
[Somewhere in time, the hand crank disappeared.]

FWIW.....
Jaguar, Rolls Royce and countless others have sported
various versions of GM hydramatic transmissions over the years....
BUT NOT CORVAIRS!!!!!


Barnyard - older than dirt - BOb