powerglide conversion

[babyhydro]

I would like to know what all is involved in converting a powerglide for use in a boat? would like to put one in the hallet for Idlezones, I know about removing the converter but what about coupling it to the v-drive?

[socal_wrench]

I think most put in a full manual valve body and the output on tailshaft is just the standard slip shaft hooked up to the driveshaft with the stand car tolerances. If i'm wrong or misleading I will corrected forth with.:D

[toolshark83]

This goes back a few years but there used to be a company I believe based in riverside ca called Rossi transmission which made an aluminum powerglide conversion that I had in a flatbottom Stevens, instead of the converter there was a tri yoke bolted to the flywheel with a tube attached which mounted where the converter was. This was very noisy and low gear was only good to idle around the no wake zones, no real advantage, but it did give you reverse!
best, Jerry

[AzDon]

I had a complete article written on this subject in the "Insider" section, but it was lost in the crash.... I'm slowly trying to get the how-to stuff re-written and re-installed....
In answer to your questions:
I've had car transmissions in five of my boats.... two of the three that initially had powerglides got turbo350's instead because they needed a lower gear for takeoff purposes and first gear in a powerglide is just too low. The first gear in ANY car trans is so low that you'll swear you are in neutral! SECOND GEAR is the proper gear to get a heavy, over-geared, or under-powered boat into motion and you shift to third almost immediately. You can literally get good service from a used car transmission because a prop in water isn't as harsh as tires on pavement! I prefer using a low-stall convertor but spline-drives are what any expert will tell you that you need. You will need to install a B&M Manualpack kit or the B&M three-in-one kit and use the "towing/rv recipe. You will need a fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger and your driveshaft can be as short as two u-joint ends welded together (but they must be phased properly which becomes an engine mounting issue with a short driveshaft) Simple shift linkage should have first all the way forward and reverse all the way back (on the shifter) and the linkage and shifter should be set up so that park is out of reach.
Unless you are prepared for negative comments around here, don't say you're considering this for a flatbottom (Most folks around here don't believe that a flat should have shiftable neutral or reverse)
Oh! I mentioned three boats with powerglides... The boat pictured below had big power AND a powerglide. The power to weight ratio rendered a takeoff gear unnecessary and this one was always in second gear!

[Florida Inboards]

Why A power Glide?
I am running a 1:1 PCM on my 502. It has held up to as much abuse as I can dish out. It only weighs 40 pounds.
Their is a picture of it in my photo page.
Just thought I would point out an alternative.

[johnmiller]

Here's a pic of a powerglide I just installed in a 19' Miller v-bottom. I use them over turbos because of weight and length. I have a powerglide in my 20' Miller I built in 1984 and the transmission has never failed. I use a company in Canoga Park, CA called A1 racing trans, but he retired recently. The trans pictured here is one I bought from C.R.E. 4 months ago.

http://i512.photobucket.com/albums/t329/johnmillerboats/P1020182.jpg

[Terrible toy]

[QUOTE=johnmiller;10838]Here's a pic of a powerglide I just installed in a 19' Miller v-bottom. I use them over turbos because of weight and length. I have a powerglide in my 20' Miller I built in 1984 and the transmission has never failed. I use a company in Canoga Park, CA called A1 racing trans, but he retired recently. The trans pictured here is one I bought from C.R.E. 4 months ago.

I think there are more then one trans shops named A-1 in LA. If you are talking about Marv Ripes, who builds killer drag racing converters and transmissions, he didn't retire, he moved his shop to Washington state.

That PG looks good in there, it's flat amazing how much horsepower those things can handle now.

TT

[pwderman]

[QUOTE=johnmiller;10838]Here's a pic of a powerglide I just installed in a 19' Miller v-bottom. I use them over turbos because of weight and length. I have a powerglide in my 20' Miller I built in 1984 and the transmission has never failed. I use a company in Canoga Park, CA called A1 racing trans, but he retired recently. The trans pictured here is one I bought from C.R.E. 4 months ago.

I think there are more then one trans shops named A-1 in LA. If you are talking about Marv Ripes, who builds killer drag racing converters and transmissions, he didn't retire, he moved his shop to Washington state.

That PG looks good in there, it's flat amazing how much horsepower those things can handle now.

TT

Marv's been around a long time, when I worked at B&M in the mid sixties Bob and Don Spar (owners) used to make fun of powerglides and Marv. I guess he had the last laugh...:D :D

[Terrible toy]

[QUOTE=Terrible toy;10846]

Marv's been around a long time, when I worked at B&M in the mid sixties Bob and Don Spar (owners) used to make fun of powerglides and Marv. I guess he had the last laugh...:D :D

Jon, I may have asked this question before. Were you still working at B&M in the mid 70s? The A/SR I crashed had a B&M clutch turbo in it. Was a great trans and worked well in the car. The only problem I had with it was I lost the spider gear that connects the clutch to the front pump just before eliminations one time. Working with the guys at B&M was also great. They spent a whole day of instruction about automatics and then helped me take the trans apart and reassemble it. I don't know of many who would do that today.

I just got a new converter from Marv. He's a genius building stuff but you better have your homework done before you call him. He doesn't suffer people who don't have all the necessary info before they call very well.:o

[pwderman]

[QUOTE=pwderman;10848]

Jon, I may have asked this question before. Were you still working at B&M in the mid 70s? The A/SR I crashed had a B&M clutch turbo in it. Was a great trans and worked well in the car. The only problem I had with it was I lost the spider gear that connects the clutch to the front pump just before eliminations one time. Working with the guys at B&M was also great. They spent a whole day of instruction about automatics and then helped me take the trans apart and reassemble it. I don't know of many who would do that today.

I just got a new converter from Marv. He's a genius building stuff but you better have your homework done before you call him. He doesn't suffer people who don't have all the necessary info before they call very well.:o

I worked there in '65-'66 when I thought I wanted a career in the performance industry, I loved what I was doing, just didn't pay as good as a jryn. electrician...:( I used to do the custom installs and fabrication. Most people don't realize B&M used to do custom chassis work in the early 60's mostly gassers They were just phasing it out when I went to work there,Bob told me they were tired of training people and then have them open their own shop...:mad:
They had just finished the R&D on the clutch flite and were looking at the turbo 400 at that time.
Bob and Don Spar were good guys and if you ran their products they stood behind them and helped you out any way they could.

[gfinishline]

Jon, you were over at the Woodman Ave shop? (near Schlitz beer) Before they moved west. My buddies and I had a friend 'next door' Walt Prey that did pinstriping back then. I wanted to put a 'Stick Hydro' in my chevelle wagon, but it hit the floor/tunnel, so no go. Bob was trying to help me all he could back then. Do you remember how to work on those old "4 speeds"? I'm thinking of building a rod with one in it.

[pwderman]

Jon, you were over at the Woodman Ave shop? (near Schlitz beer) Before they moved west. My buddies and I had a friend 'next door' Walt Prey that did pinstriping back then. I wanted to put a 'Stick Hydro' in my chevelle wagon, but it hit the floor/tunnel, so no go. Bob was trying to help me all he could back then. Do you remember how to work on those old "4 speeds"? I'm thinking of building a rod with one in it.

George,When I started there they had just moved up the alley to Woodman and Milodon (Don Alderson) moved into our old shop. Was your friend in the complex across the alley? Dick Landy had his shop there and a tranny shop owned by a guy named Fred Fishback was also in that complex.

I never did any of the rebuilding just R&R and custom fabrication and when things were slow TIG welded converters back together(no robot welders there).... cept me....:eek: Larry Dixion was there at the time, he and Don Baumunk (the tin man) did the rebuilds. George your crankin up the way back machine with those old 4 speed hydro's...:cool: ;)

[gfinishline]

Same side (east side) of the street, next complex (driveway) south. Not Fred Badberg? (Frantic Fred) Yeh, Larry Sr. was the 'part time' starter at Irwindale and we would all go down to help Al Weiss (learned a lot from him) run a Jr fueler. (later top gas, Jimmy Scott drove) In the late 80's and early 90's my shop was 5 doors down from Dick and Mike's shop in Northridge Ca. Close to home, and close the the earth quakes! I remember Mr Peabody and Sherman, and the 60's, but not much else.

[FC-Pilot]

Same side (east side) of the street, next complex (driveway) south. Not Fred Badberg? (Frantic Fred) Yeh, Larry Sr. was the 'part time' starter at Irwindale and we would all go down to help Al Weiss (learned a lot from him) run a Jr fueler. (later top gas, Jimmy Scott drove) In the late 80's and early 90's my shop was 5 doors down from Dick and Mike's shop in Northridge Ca. Close to home, and close the the earth quakes! I remember Mr Peabody and Sherman, and the 60's, but not much else.

Good Gosh! Who hasn't Jimmy Scott driven for!?!?:eek: Gosh I love that guy to death. I have had the pleasure of racing against him and his son.

Paul

[pwderman]

Good Gosh! Who hasn't Jimmy Scott driven for!?!?:eek: Gosh I love that guy to death. I have had the pleasure of racing against him and his son.

Paul

Paul, A lot them old guys still hangin in there.....:D :D

[pwderman]

Same side (east side) of the street, next complex (driveway) south. Not Fred Badberg? (Frantic Fred) Yeh, Larry Sr. was the 'part time' starter at Irwindale and we would all go down to help Al Weiss (learned a lot from him) run a Jr fueler. (later top gas, Jimmy Scott drove) In the late 80's and early 90's my shop was 5 doors down from Dick and Mike's shop in Northridge Ca. Close to home, and close the the earth quakes! I remember Mr Peabody and Sherman, and the 60's, but not much else.

Mr. Peabody's boy Sherman???.....:D Easy Georce, I'm having flashbacks...:D

[AzDon]

Babyhydro-
Is it the pictured hydro that you are considering a powerglide for?
If you have a lightweight/big HP boat that isn't going to benefit from an available upshift, then a powerglide has some advantages.....
It is substantially lighter and more compact than a t-350 and MUCH stronger! If you use first for wakeless, you are going to wonder if the thing is in gear... even at 1800 RPM, but it will still move you better than a paddle....
Some of those hydros really float low in the water, so you may want to evaluate how much weight you feel comfortable adding. Backing up is not reccommended unless you install a 6-8 inch splash shield all the way around the back of the boat from the front of the engine. Even then, reverse could only be used with extreme caution.
I have a full-manual powerglide with an internally locked marine convertor that I would sell cheap! My whaler needed an upshift, so I had a t350 built to replace the glide.