1954 Hudson Transmission

Browniepetersen
Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
edited January 2013 in HUDSON
I am working towards starting up my 54 Hudson after 40 years sitting idle. I pulled the transmission pan off yesterday and got around to cleaning it up today. At the back side of the pay the words HYDRO MATIC are stamped into the metal. My car was from the factory with a stick and the Hydro was built by and installed by Ike Smith. So, is that enough information to identify it as a 54 transmission or should I be looking for more?

Comments

  • PAULARGETYPE
    PAULARGETYPE Senior Contributor
    BROWNIE MOST ALL HYDROMATCS WERE NOT IN 54 HUDSONS MOST ALL WERE PRE 54 THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE PLANT AT GM ALL MAKES WHO USED THE HYDROMATIC WERE SCRAMBLING FOR TRANYS IN 54 THATS WHY ALOT OF 54 WERE STICK OR BOURGWARNNER

    HERE IS A LINK ABOUT THE FIRE

    http://www.autotran.us/TheGreatHydraMaticFire.html
  • 54SuperWasp
    54SuperWasp Expert Adviser
    I knew about it but never had a chance to read the story. Sad thing for these workers who lost their lives in this fire. It opened the door for better security and fire protection for the other workers that would follow over the years...My 54 is equiped with an automatic Borg-Warner but it's ok for me cause I don't think I will go to the drags with it...Thanks Paul for sharing. Michel.
  • Glowplug
    Glowplug Expert Adviser
    Brownie: Hudson racers were in sync with the rest of the racing world in the 50s. The Hydramatics prefered by most were the Pontiac and sometimes Oldsmobile. Jack Clifford and Ike Smith raced 54 Coupes and while the serial plates were marked as Hudson, the guts were indeed modified Pontiac. The shifting control and the lock up speed were better on the Pontiac branded Hydramatics. Good Luck with your build.
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