<VV> power glide differences

[Norman C. Witte]

John,

I'm sure that the differences are many, but the most critical ones have to
do with drivetrain layout.  In a conventional car you have the torque
converter at the front of the trans, attached to the flex plate.  The flex
plate turns the trans, and power output is via the tailshaft at the rear of
the trans.

The Corvair arrangement is much more complex.  Working from the back of the
car, you have a torque converter attached to the flex plate, but between the
torque converter and the transmission is the differential.  This means,
first, that power from the engine must be transmitted through the diff to
the transmission, and second, that power must be transmitted from the
transmission to the diff the same direction it came in.

In order to accomplish this, the Corvair uses a series of concentric shafts,
which you can see in the illustration on page7-30 of the '65 shop manual.
The innermost shaft is the front pump shaft, and goes from the far rear of
the torque converter to the very front of the transmission.  The powers the
front pump, which is used for low gear.  The middle shaft, the turbine
shaft, provides power to the input sun gear to transmit converter torque to
the transmission gear box.  The outer, third, shaft transmits power to the
differential.

The shop manual states that "excepting converter location, mechanical
components of the 'Corvair' Powerglide are generally scaled-down versions of
comparable parts in conventional Powerglides."  Other than that, Mrs.
Lincoln, how was the play?

Because of the unique arrangement of the powertrain, the only feasible
replacement for a Corvair automatic would probably be an automatic out of
another rear engine, transaxle equipped type of car (i.e., Porsche) and that
would probably require a lot of imagination and fabrication to adapt.

Norm Witte

> -----Original Message-----
> From: virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org
> [mailto:virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org]On Behalf Of John Sconiers
> Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2004 11:09 AM
> To: Virtual Vairs (E-mail)
> Subject: <VV> power glide differences
>
>
> Hod different is the powerglide application (ie linkage, etc
> ) used in
> the corvair to those in other early GM vehicles?
>
> JOHN
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