Do any of us own a classic car...older than 30yrs of age?

[rickr]

Slim Jim transmitions

Great looking vintage cars guys! Thanks for the comments about the Olds and Caddy.
The transmition in the Olds is a Roto-Hydramatic, or "Slim Jim" as they were called by the transmition shops back in the day. My trans was rebuilt in the late 1970's. Some of the original "hard parts" were replaced with updated parts at that time. The transmition operates perfectly, and I serviced it with new filter kit and fluid a few years back. I hope not to have any trouble with the transmition, and doubt if I will as it is only driven a few hundred miles per year.

http://testserver.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Roto_Hydramatic

 

[frontaloadotmy]

David

Of course the '58 is one of my all time favorite Buicks,
but I love the Safari, too.

I remember my Mothers best friend and her husband
trading up from a Red 1955 Pontiac Convertible to a
1957 all Black Convertible. It must have been the
Bonneville . I don't know if it was fuel injected, but it was
beautiful. I remember how exciting it was when he adjusted the
power seat, I was only five. I can't remember , does your
Limited have ac?

 

[58limited]

Darrel,

The Limited has A/C and all other factory options.

The '57 Bonneville was only available with fuel injection. There were only about 609 made (unsure if that # is exactly correct but it is close) - one for each dealership in America.

The Bonneville became more of a regular model line in 1958.

 

[ronhic]

WOW....

Guys there are some really fantastic cars on show here....shame I can't get the Morris over to the US for a run....

...it'd be like Samson and the Goliaths...

 

[hydralique]

Cool link, Rick . . .

This explains something a friend of mine told me many years ago. He grew up here in the San Fernando Valley, and as a kid in the late '60s did some street racing. Drag racing automatics need a high-stall torque converter, which allows the engine to be brake-torqued at a high rpm - the driver basically puts one foot on the accerator and the other on the brake just before "launching" the car down the street or drag strip. This allows the engine to be in the proper rpm range to make good power. It's very rough on the torque converters, and a stock normally sized converter won't allow the engine to rev up enough anyway. Aftermarket companies make special "high-stall" torque converters which will allow this. My friend said the wealthier racers bought these, while the less wealthy went to the junkyard and found an Opel Kadett Automatic and snagged the torque converter. This must have been the Model 5 Roto-Hydramatic referenced. Because the bolt pattern was the same, the poor little Kadett torque convertor could be bolted onto a full-size GM Turbo-Hydramatic. With a 400-500 hp big block Chevy V8 up front, the Kadett converter became an instant high stall unit - it had been designed for a 60 hp Opel four after all. My friend said they lasted longer than you'd think, but when one finally died and you cut it open, "those fins were totally flat!"