Transmission / Overdrive: Powershift 1st gear start

[Ron Dame]

Jumping the gun a bit, it's not drivable yet, but what valve body and modifications are needed to make a PowerShift start in first?

[64V-K7]

You pull the shifter quadrant into lever (1), wind out to ? Rpm, then push the lever to (2) , wind up to ? , repeat for 3rd.
This is how it was designed to operate....

[Ron Dame]

Understanding that I have had only three automatic cars in my life, out of 47 cars, two which were Flight-O-Matics, I don't know what to expect. The FOMs as I recall were a pain to start in first and make the 2nd 3rd shift without hitting nuetral or reverse.. But that's been 15 years or more.

[PackardV8]

I drove my Avanti Powershift, shifting manually as described for years; soon, it just became "automatic" to me.

jack vines

[63 R2 Hawk]

I think the original idea of Powershift was to give the driver a greater sense of being in control of the car and its performance capabilities. I have never been denied getting somwhere on time by the lack of an automatic first gear start and second gear provides plenty of acceleration for getting through every intersection I have ever encountered. Maybe that's why I enjoy driving my Studebaker, it's a far cry from today's "nanny cars"... Keep it the way it is and enjoy the driving experience!

[Alan]

You need a Ford Iron case cruse-o valve body. A vacuum modulator and shaft. Best to find a used tranny to pirate the parts. You will also need the Ford servo and governor. I have the parts list and info from the few I did back in the 70's, but can't remember all the numbers off the top of my head. Not much left up there other than 3 hairs.

[spokejr]

can't remember all the numbers off the top of my head. Not much left up there other than 3 hairs.

That would be from you thinking so hard all the time Alan. Your brain is burning up all the fertilizer meant for the hair!

I wonder what my thick head of hair says 'bout me...probably explains a few things...hmm.

[fastjohnll]

Alan, Would you please post the parts list and info you mentioned in post #6? Thanks.

[DEEPNHOCK]

I thought all Powershifts were 1st gear start, and that you could add a 1st gear start valve body to a Flight-O-Matic..
My IIRC is not hooked up today...

[spokejr]

I thought all Powershifts were 1st gear start, and that you could add a 1st gear start valve body to a Flight-O-Matic..
My IIRC is not hooked up today...

Only if you select first.

For putting around, it's fine but I really didn't like it. I can only imagine how sluggish it would have been with freeway gearing. The 3.73 gears my car came with allowed okay performance but the poor engine was spinning 3,000 RPM while the car was only pulling an indicated 68. Tiresome at best.

Now, I have a T10 in place and love it. No more thermo-nuclear heat generator between the seats! Looking forward to a 3.31 axle swap at Christmas.

[mapman]

I think the main difference in the powershift is the selector pattern of the now standard PRND21 and the radiator cooling. It also has a much harder shift and a higher stall. I'm sure others can tell us more about the internals.
Rob

[fastjohnll]

If I remember correctly, back in the days of my street racing I would start out with the shift lever in low-at about 30mph in one motion shift from low to drive and back to low. This would engage second gear and hold it in second. Then when maxed out in second shift to drive. The accelerator pedal needs to be on the floor for this to work. Also if you have reverse below low on the shift pattern, you need a very light touch as engaging reverse at full throttle could be disastrous.

[pinehurstbob]

spokejr, you will love the switch to 331 gears if you drive the highway a lot. Changed both of mine which are 259 with powerglide. The 60 came with 363 and the 64 a 40?. Using low and shifting at 20 to 25 mph to drive gives you that little extra "at the light" if you know what I mean. Have surprised more than 1 muscle car.
Bob

[DEEPNHOCK]

That's the LDL shuffle...
Just make sure you are at a high enough RPM, or that your best friend (who is not familiar to the dance) doesn't yank it into reverse...

If I remember correctly, back in the days of my street racing I would start out with the shift lever in low-at about 30mph in one motion shift from low to drive and back to low. This would engage second gear and hold it in second. Then when maxed out in second shift to drive. The accelerator pedal needs to be on the floor for this to work. Also if you have reverse below low on the shift pattern, you need a very light touch as engaging reverse at full throttle could be disastrous.

[Jessie J.]

If I remember correctly, back in the days of my street racing I would start out with the shift lever in low-at about 30mph in one motion shift from low to drive and back to low. This would engage second gear and hold it in second. Then when maxed out in second shift to drive. The accelerator pedal needs to be on the floor for this to work.

While I have no way of knowing exactly what year, model, or version of FOM transmission you street raced with, mine was perfectly happy to hold and remain in whatever gear I chose, with no need to hold the pedal to the floor.
I am aware of this because, once I installed dual glass-packs, I'd cruise up and down Main Street, holding it in either first or in second gear as desired.
It would shift back into first if I came to a stop. To then return into holding second required repeating the accelerate, 'shift up/shift down' procedure. At age 18 I was shifting this way perhaps a hundred times a day.
When leaving the village limits, I'd let 'er gradually wind out in second till 55-60, shift into Drive and cruise. That poor old trans hardly ever found any opportunity to change or select a gear on its own, other than when I came to a stop. Then about 90% of the time I'd override it's choice of a Second gear start. Ended up switching it out for 4 on the floor.

BTW, I still have a take-out Power-Shift & converter stored out in the barn that I'm certain that I'll never use (also have the factory Lark Power Shift floor shifter, linkage and tower) All removed from a non-running '64 parts car I purchased a decade ago, so cannot guarantee its condition -also have the 289, Anyone interested? PM an offer as I'm presently seeking the $$$ needed to purchase a rather expensive trans adapter.