Automatic with floor shift

[52-fan]

I talked with a man at the Springfield swap who said he was getting out of Studebakers and wanted to sell his parts. He has several engines. Some engines are complete and some torn down. The engine that I personally am most interested in is one that he said came out of a 63 Hawk he parted out. He tells me that the car has an automatic with a floor shift. Two questions. Does that mean that it has to be a powershift and was the powershift available behind standard Stude V-8s?


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[JDP]

Yes, and yes.

JDP/Maryland
"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."
Thomas Jefferson

[StudeRich]

The Power Shift was never limited to R Series engines at all! You see many '64 GT's with Std. 289 & Power Shift, and any other model that was ordered with it in late '63 and '64.

Even though it most likely IS a Power Shift, because it came from a '63 Hawk (late), however, I would look and see if the Trans has the cooling line fittings on the pass. side front and middle of case and 6 detents on the shift lever to be sure it is a H.D. Trans. and not a Flight-O-Matic with an aftermarket floor shift.

StudeRich -Studebakers Northwest Ferndale, WA

[52-fan]

Thanks for the info. I suspected that the powershift was available with the other V-8s, but I've had no reason to ask before. It will be a while before I could go look at any of this stuff as he is over 4 hours away. I knew how to identify an R block, but now I know what to look for on the transmission. He is supposed to email me some pictures.
I would really like to drive a powershift car sometime. My 62 GT with the standard automatic was not too exciting on acceleration, but a fine road car. My wife has trouble driving a standard anymore and I have considered an automatic.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[StudeRich]

The Power Shift will perform exactly the same, (2nd. gear start & all) as the Flight-O-Matic, UNLESS you manually shift it!

The main diff. is it was built to "take" the manual shifting (wide front band) can hold 2nd all the way down to 0 MPH, and being the H.D. case with cooling lines, it also runs cooler for longer life.

The only way to get it going quicker, is with a lower axle ratio at the expense of MPG. It should have a 3.31, if it is a 3.07 or a 259 engine, I would correct it!

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[CKOT]

My '63 GT in my signature photo is a std 289 with powershift

[PackardV8]

FWIW, when driving a PowerShift it soon becomes automatic for me to start in Low, bump it into Drive with my thumb between 2-3k. In an Avanti with 3.73s, medium throttle application will squeek the rear tires going into second.

IMHO, the PowerShift is an under-appreciated unit. We've come to demand an overdrive or two these days, but it is a solid, durable performance transmission.

thnx, jack vines

PackardV8

[52-fan]

Does the powershift have the same gearing as the standard flightomatic? On the occasions that I did pull my Hawk into low the gearing seemed awfully low and I didn't hold it long. Was I just not bold enough to take advantage of the low gear takeoff?


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[PlainBrownR2]

I have found 1st gear to be awefully low with the Powershift in my Lark. I would do the same thing, where I wouldn't hold the gear too long either as the gear just runs out of steam after 30 mph(I'm getting passed if I don't shift). It is humorous though that I have drawn a couple of conclusions after discovering the low gear:
Any racing is done in second. I could leave the line but I won't hold a lead for very long [)]
NEVER shift down into first after 20 mph when downshifting. The engine will either try to spit tranny parts out from the car, which luckily hasn't happened yet(and its never done on purpose and its not condoned), or it will launch your personal self toward the windshield when the car lurches into low low gear [)]


[img=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/My%201950%202r5%20Studebaker%20Pickup%20with%20turbocharger/P1000137-1.jpg[/img=left]
[img=right]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/DSC00005.jpg?t=1171153370[/img=right]
[IMG=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/Ex%20Studebaker%20Plant%20Locomotive/P1000578-1.jpg[/IMG=left]

[52-fan]

That's rather disappointing. The powershift feature does not sound very useful except for the stronger band and cooler.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[showbizkid]

And the floor shift! That's a big plus in my book.


[img=left]http://members.cox.net/clarknovak/lark.gif[/img=left]

Clark in San Diego
'63 F2/Lark Standard

http://studeblogger.blogspot.com

https://www.studebakersandiego.com

[52-fan]

I would certainly like the look of a floor shifter in a performance oriented car. I much preferred my slap stick to a column shift in my old Dodge Charger back "in the day". I have just lost some of my interest in this particular transmission.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[PlainBrownR2]

Oh yes, can't forget the floor shifter. I've never had too many problems with the Powershift(well okay the flexplate), but I've come to know it as a very stout tranny. I guess the thing I have found with the tranny though is its a very tough, yet a seemingly simple little unit. It's also a design thats been found in everything from Acura to Zimmerman [)]

[PlainBrownR2]

Oh yes, can't forget the floor shifter. I've never had too many problems with the Powershift(well okay the flexplate), but I've come to know it as a very stout tranny. I guess the thing I have found with the tranny though is its a very tough, yet a seemingly simple little unit. It's also a design thats been found in everything from Acura to Zimmerman [)]

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by 52-fan

That's rather disappointing. The powershift feature does not sound very useful except for the stronger band and cooler.

The Flightomatics in the jet thrust cars were also water cooled as were the Flightomatics in the Chevy powered 65 and 66's.



Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA