Powerglide Totally Explained

Everything about The Powerglide totally explained

The Powerglide is a two speed automatic transmission designed by General Motors. It was available primarily on Chevrolet automobiles from 1950 through the early 1970s, although a few Pontiac models in the 1950s also used this automatic transmission.
   When introduced on upper-level Chevrolet models in 1950, the Powerglide represented the first automatic transmission offered in a low-priced automobile; in contrast, Ford didn't offer their automatic transmission until 1951, while Plymouth car buyers had to wait until 1954. The transmission was simple and very durable, which satisfied customers. By the mid-1950s, more than half of all new Chevrolets were sold with Powerglide. In 1962, GM started building Powerglides in aluminum (primarily for use in the new model Chevy II, which required a light weight transmission for the compact body) and discontinued the cast iron Powerglides in 1963. A heavy duty version of Aluminum Powerglide was offered for 409 V8 equipped passenger cars, and Chevy light trucks using a 1.76:1 reduction planetary gearset, instead of the usual 1.82:1. With a 3.31 axle, Car and Driver magazine discovered an upshift speed of 76 mph to direct with the 409-4bbl 340 hp engine in a contemporary road test. Most, if not all, of the V8/Powergide transmissions came with the 1.76 gearset.
   From 1957 to 1961, Chevrolet also produced the Turboglide automatic transmission, a three-speed automatic whose design was similar to that of updated versions of Buick's Dynaflow. The Turboglide, only offered with V8 engines, was more expensive (by about $50) than the Powerglide and didn't have wide acceptance, in part due to failures in 1957-'58 models, which were addressed by a significantly upgraded version for 1959. Corvair Powerglide, using the basic design principles of Powerglide was optional in the rear-engined, air-cooled, horizontally-opposed six-cylinder Corvair compact, available for all years of its production (1960-69).
   Powerglide continued to serve as Chevrolet's main automatic transmission through the 1960s, when a new three-speed automatic transmission called Turbo-hydramatic 400 (1965 introduction) began to be phased in (the Turbo-Hydramatics were introduced in Buicks and Cadillacs a year before).
   Usually, Powerglides were coupled behind small-block Chevrolet V8s and their third-generation inline sixes. By the late 1960s, demand for two-speed automatic transmissions was dwindling as buyers were demanding three-speed units (Ford, Chrysler and American Motors had already switched entirely to three-speed automatics by this time). In 1969, the three-speed Turbo Hydramatic 350 was introduced as a light-duty companion to the Turbo Hydramatic 400, and made available on virtually all Chevrolet cars and trucks with six-cylinder or small and medium sized V8 engines, as well as intermediate sized cars of other GM divisions. The Powerglide lingered on as a low-cost automatic transmission option primarily for six-cylinder Chevrolet Novas and four-cylinder Chevrolet Vegas until it was phased out after the 1973 model year.
   Although it's a very old design Powerglide still has a strong following in drag racing due to its strength and simplicity. Powerglides are also popular in mud racing and monster truck racing.

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