Auto Transmissions

[gror]

Would like to know if there is an automatic transmission that will bolt up to a251. Its in a 1950 Narrow gauge.

[rackaholic]

If you are talking about a industrial flathead 251 I dont think there is. You could contact Dan Shavers at 204-467-2605 they would know for sure.Otherwise you could put in a straight 6 with a automatic tranny.

[Swamp Dawg]

Otherwise you could put in a straight 6 with a automatic tranny.

Defiantly worth it to upgrade to this combination.

[Cranman]

THey were rare but the 1954 Dodges and Chrysler cars had automatics. The late Reno Persson had one in Flin Flon.

[the old trucker]

Gror, I don't know if it will help you out any but if you have room to add an adapter you may be in luck. I was just looking @ a site recommend by a fellow in Ham Lake, Minnesota. It's called 
    wilcap.com  they have adapters for the flat head Chrysler engine. They mention a 218, 230, & 250 Chrysler to a Chev, ford
dodge trans. I just got off the phone this minute. I was talking to Scott @ wilcap.com. He thinks he can help you out. His boss will be back in the morning. They are going to check & see if the 251 is same as the 250. Their ph# is (805) 481-7639. Do you or cranman or ted know what model trans is in there now?? Any one
got some ####'s ?

[the old trucker]

   Gror I don't know if this will help now that cranman has scone the light on me. Just got an email from wilcap.com. They say that their part # 230-350at will allow you to put the chevy 2,3, and 4 speed trany to the 251 6 cylinder. It uses a late model 12 volt Mopar small block starter which you can buy locally. The adapter is $ 495.00.
   Now this is for Cranman. He mentioned that there is a canadian & american engine. Maybe he can help & tell us if all this can work. Cranman I did mention to them about the 54 Dodge & chryslers having automatics. Oh yea, Cranman what size engines were in the 54 Dodges??

[Cranman]

I haven't used adaptors since making hot rods in the 1950's but that seems like a lot of cash for an adapter.!!!! A person could find a 300 ford with a C-6 tranny for not much more. The 2 speed powerglides were tough but they like big HP. One fellow here found it just wasn't enough gears in his wooden narrow guage wood (250 chev)and went to the 3 speed auto. The other problems that can come up when you start adapting is the torque converter. I've had to shim the flex plate to match up combine flywheels on a 327chev Industrial to the 2 speed powerglide, so you might have to check out the viability of the flywheel. The 54 dodge motor with the auto was a 264. something or 265 but they were rare and I don't know if they bolted up to the standard flywheel, or what the torque convertor was. I don't doubt that if you could find an old 54 that had the trans still bolted on that you could cut the driveshaft and install fairly easily. Cooling it may be a problem as I don't know if they had an inrad cooler that you could change to an auxillary when we put the later autos in. Another possible concern would be the kickdown/shift up rpm. I know that the later torquflites set up for bombardier use kicked up at 3500 rpm and my flathead wouldn't like that kind of rpm for long. The beauty of the flathead was that it had torque at low rpm and I just don't know how it would handle a conversion of any type. Hope I'm not throwing a wet towel on a project here, I'm not really a Dr Doom in real life...

[gror]

Ive already found the 300 six and sure the c-6 wont be hard to find,pretty set on changing it all out do to overheating problems with the flathead.

[the old trucker]

Gror I'm wondering why your old engine overheats. Is it wore out
or thermostat weak? Just curious. When you put in the ford, are you keeping the same rad or replacing it. If you replace it would you use the ford rad or just use something that fits?

[the old trucker]

I haven't used adaptors since making hot rods in the 1950's but that seems like a lot of cash for an adapter.!!!!

  Cranman, sounds like you were a hot rodder back in the day. Do you remember back in the late 50's & early 60's when Dodge had the old push button transmission ?? Do you know how they shifted ? I thought it was it by cable.  Think it could be adapted to a Ford C6 ?

                                                                               A shifty OT.