I have been researching '57 Chevys of all kinds, not just Corvettes, and I came across a road test from the day that described a TurboGlide transmission that was available along with the Saginaw 3 on the tree and common PowerGlide. I have never heard of this TurboGlide, have never seen any '57 with it for sale, and am wondering how rare it must have been. Apparently it was never offered in a Corvette, but wonder about it and how few cars had it and why. You guys are better experts than I about these rare things, so all insights are welcome for my education, thanks!
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Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New Mexico -
Re: TurboGlide Transmission?
turboglide have a bad reputation regarding reliability. they were offered first in 57 chevy pass cars and i believe thru the 59 model year. one could order a turboglide behind the 350 hp 57 pass cars if one wished.they were never offered in the corvette platform. mike -
Re: TurboGlide Transmission?
Not only a bad reputation -0- try to overhaul one. Better yet, try getting parts. We used to (and may still) have an overhaul book in school, and I saw one student years ago struggling with one.TerryComment
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Re: TurboGlide Transmission?
if i'm not mistaken the turboglide had a different shift pattern also. i think it was from left to right on the column went park,neutral, drive, low, then reverse. you had to be careful going from drive to low or you might engage reverse.Comment
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Re: TurboGlide Transmission?
"Gr" is for Grade very low first gear.Turboglide shift indicator.jpgClick on the shift indicator for a larger view.
Transmission mechanics did more than usual repairs on Turboglides and many conversion to powerglides.Last edited by Ray G.; February 6, 2013, 09:12 AM.And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
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Re: TurboGlide Transmission?
My aunt bought a new 1957 Bel Aire 4-Door (black with red interior). 283, four barrel, dual exhaust with TurboGlide automatic. I only drove it a few times "to get the carbon out" for her. I do remember the GR on the shift indicator. I think it was Grade Retarder and was only used when going down hill. I don't remember that it was useful to launch the car. I also remember that in a relatively short time the car had the TurboGlide removed and a Powerglide installed.
JimComment
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Re: TurboGlide Transmission?
Thanks all, this explains why you never see one of the '57-'59 Chevys these days with that tranny. You wonder what they were thinking putting it out.Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New MexicoComment
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Re: TurboGlide Transmission?
I can't speak to Chevrolet's quality or durability history on bringing the TurboGlide to production. I do recall Oldsmobile mechnics calling the 350 diesel conversion as the "throw away diesel" during its development. I also recall that during the development of one of the TurboHydramatic transmissions you could find your way to the Hydramatic garage by the trail of the ATF fluid from all parts of the Milford Proving Grounds. And then of course was the one year only, infamous 8-6-4 Cadillac V8 which probably drove more luxury car buyers from GM than any other single issue.
Obviously, the Olds diesel was a horrible black eye for GM. I don't specifically recall huge problems with Hydramatics (although the Hydramatic in my 1965, 396 Impala only lasted about 40,000 miles.) I did sit next to an 8-6-4 owner at a SAE meeting. When he found out that I was a GM employee, he wouldn't stop talking about how his wife was scared to death to even ride in his new Cadillac because of that engine.
As a Delphi retiree (only 37 years with General Motors), I now get my pension from the Feds. I also don't have access to any specific GM quality information any longer. I assume things are better today.
JimComment
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Re: TurboGlide Transmission?
I remember driving a '59 with a Turboglide. My recollection is that it was basically a single speed torque converter like Buick's Dynaflow. Can anyone elaborate?
The Hydramatic of the day was still the original four-speed/fluid couplling design. Fluid couplings don't provide any torque multiplication, which is why the original Hydramatic had such a short first gear
DukeComment
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Re: TurboGlide Transmission?
Earlier configuration "Turdoglides" had HR (Hill Retarder) which was replaced gy (GR :Grade Retarder) marking because some drivers thought HR meant high range.Comment
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Re: TurboGlide Transmission?
It must have been early Turboglides that had HR. Because I specifically remember that my aunt's car had GR shift designation.
As far as I know, the old 4-speed, friction shifting, hydramatics were quite durable. B&M specialized in modifying them for heavy duty drag racing. That "short" (I would have called it "tall") first gear really got you out of the hole.
BTW, I am pretty sure that my 396 Impala came with the TH400 transmission. Saginaw Steering Gear manufactured all of the tilt columns for General Motors back in that time. There was a special 1965 tilt column that had to be released for the Chevrolet B-car with TurboHydro transmission because it required an additional detent in the steering column head for the three speed automatic compared to the PowerGlide.
As a co-op student at Saginaw, I actually made the engineering drawing that released this steering column for Chevrolet B-cars with 396 engine and TH transmission. I actually ordered a 1965 Impala with 396 engine, TH trans, and a Saginaw tilt column in February 1965. The car with "my" tilt column finally showed up at Draper Chevrolet in Saginaw, Michigan in May of that year. (That's a whole 'nother story.)
JimComment
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Re: TurboGlide Transmission?
My next door neighbor worked at the local GM dealer and bought a very clean used dark blue '57 Bel Aire 4 DR HDTP, Power Pak, power windows, and spinner wheel covers with a TurboGlide from the original owner. It was a beautiful car and highly optioned. I don't remember him having a problem with the trans. He was known to do a lot of tromp downs.
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