Single range hydromatic versus Stick OD....

Unknown

Okay, one more post for tonight...



the sticking clutch thread got me thinking....



my original plan on putting the OD trans back into my hudson, and getting a rebuilt clutch, and gone over pressure plate, and resurfaced flywheel, might take a backseat to another plan.



Today's discussion might have opened the door to me being able to get an early single range hydromatic. (whih might of course need rebuilt, but the general cost might very well be similar to that of re-doing the clutch items)



What is involved in putting a hydromatic into a 50, like finding kickdown linkage, the crossmember, and possibly doing what to the "middle crossmember" where the triangular mounts go at the front of the trans, what else might be involved?



Has anyone done this (I imagine so... )



Does the frame have to be cut?



Anyone want to offer advice to a troubled kid?



How about a turbo 350?



Anyone have a easy to adapt solution for putting a 350 behind a hudson six, with ease? specifically, an adapter plate, and drill the flywheel?

[Deleted User]

Check out 21 Century Randy and Russ Maas have what you need http://21stcenturyhudson.net/products.htm scroll down half way and you will see the adapter plates to stick in a Turbo 350.

EssexAdv

You would need to cut out the center/transmission frame cross member to put in the Hydro. You would have to find the correct cross member for the Hydro. This cross member consists of 2 mounting stubs and the center, bolt in transmission mount. The stubs would have to be properly located and attached to the frame. The factory used hot rivets to attach it. Not the easiest conversion.



Then when/if you wanted to put back in the OD, you would need to reinsert the cross member

TwinH

Make mine 3sp/OD. Not concerned about sticking issues,I'm having too much fun

shifting myself. Of course this isn't the greatest setup if you spend a lot of time

on a cell phone. :rolleyes:

[Deleted User]

I'm gonna go with the 3 speed OD over the Hydro also. I have slowly become addicted to the shifting as well. It gets a bit busy in traffic whilst juggling a 20 oz. cappacino and splitting lanes with traffic - once your on the open road, the OD and kickdown switch are probably as effective in managing the engine load/speed as the Hydro. Maybe even more managable. The only drawback to the 3 spd OD is the kickdown switch if your zipping down the highway at 65-75 and start easing up a hill at speed. If you keep laying into the trottle, you'll trip the kickdown and it will sound as if a jet engine is about to launch from under your hood. There are some wiring by-pass tricks to keep that from happening via an under-dash switch, I think that has been discussed on this forum sometime in the past. I'd also recommend a 3:58 rear gear rather than the 4:55 I have.



I'm still struggling with whether I want a 5 speed stick or leave the 3 spd on the column alone. The control freak in me wants the T-5, the nostalgia buff in me loves the 3 spd - decisions, decisions!



The Hydro swap is just fine, but as Lewis said - the crossmember swap can be a tad tedious and if you want to go back to a standard Hudson tranny/bellhousing - you have to cut and reweld everything all over again.



Mark

Unknown

Yeah, I saw the Maas's adapters at the nationals in Pittsburg, great guys. Not what I had wanted to do though, but it is a nice way of going modern. They really took some time to figure it all out. The machine work and all involved is terrific. I would still have to cut the car, to change the crossmember, and at that point, since I got one available, i might as well use a single range hydro... if I would go automatic.



I guess I'll stick to the 3 speed OD for now. I hate to think about cutting up my hudson, just to make it auto. It gives me an excuse to get another one down the road.



Of course, my car was originally a "supermatic drive" car, maybe I can put that back in, I got all of the parts now... and with twin h of course..... (but I better not use the oil bath aircleaners.... Ouch! )

Uncle Josh

I move my kickdown switch over by the clutch, just southeast of the dimmer switch.



I can kick it down without flooring it, I don't get a surprize kickdown like you describe, and I can split shift the beast thru all 6 speeds if I like.

[Deleted User]

Hey Uncle Josh, I'm all ears.

I want to know more about this "split shifting" situation. I am really not that educated on OD particulars when it comes to the electro-mechanical fine points.



Mark