First gear start with R1+ cam?

[riversidevw]

With the "289 upgrades" already in progress for the '58 President 289 (my prior topic), wouldn't this one be a reasonable application for a 1st gear start valve body for the Flightomatic?

I bought one a couple of months ago from Allen (satdoc2). My thought then was to eventually use it in the '58 Packard Hawk. I've never really minded the second gear start, but the new cam and pistons in the President tempt me to try the valve body in this one.

I've enjoyed searching out the prior discussions on this. Any reliability issues likely with only occasionally spirited driving?

[DEEPNHOCK]

Are you familiar with the "L-D-L" dance?
If you start out in 'L' and run up the RPM to..say...3500 rpm, and put the shifter into 'D' and immediately pull it down back into 'L' it will shift to second gear (and stay there if you keep acellerating) and then shift it into 'D' for 3rd gear.
(Just don't pull it down into 'R', or you will have an 'interesting' experience....BTDT[B)])

quote:Originally posted by riversidevw

With the "289 upgrades" already in progress for the '58 President 289 (my prior topic), wouldn't this one be a reasonable application for a 1st gear start valve body for the Flightomatic?

I bought one a couple of months ago from Allen (satdoc2). My thought then was to eventually use it in the '58 Packard Hawk. I've never really minded the second gear start, but the new cam and pistons in the President tempt me to try the valve body in this one.

I've enjoyed searching out the prior discussions on this. Any reliability issues likely with only occasionally spirited driving?

[showbizkid]

Jeff, that sounds like an operation that would give me a big pucker factor!


[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

[riversidevw]

Jeff, I'm not sure this is quite what I had in mind with "occasionally spirited driving".

My guess was that the emphasis on higher RPM performance with the R1 plus cam might give the first gear start some advantage.

I learned to drive in a '54 Lincoln with dual-range Hydramatic. First gear was very "short, the 1-2 shift often brutal. It did launch a heavy sedan off the line rather briskly with only 317 CID.

[StudeDave57]

quote:Originally posted by DEEPNHOCK

Are you familiar with the "L-D-L" dance?

I would not suggest that in a '58. My '65 has paid the price in worn linkage and the like because that's how I've driven her for way too long. A '58 is less "beefy" in this area. Even my Packard is VERY heavily worn, and I seriously doubt it's been driven nearly as hard as I've driven that poor ol' '65.
I bought that Packard from the original owner's son~ who was in his 70s!!! [:0]


StudeDave '57 [8D]
San Diego, Ca. (for now...)
San Diego County SDC

https://www.studebakersandiego.com

'54 Commander Regal 4dr 'Ruby'
'57 Parkview 'Betsy' (she's a 2dr wagon...)
'57 Commander DeLuxe 2dr 'Baby'
'57 Champion Custom 2dr 'Jewel'
'58 Packard sedan 'Cleo'
'65 Cruiser 'Sweet Pea'

Part owner of the one and only
'55 PROTOTYPE panel van

[N8N]

Isn't a '58 old enough that it would still have all the 1st gear start parts in it, you just need to buy a couple springs etc.? or is that only 56-57?

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight

http://members.cox.net/njnagel

[riversidevw]

Nate, since I already have the complete control valve assembly I haven't spent a lot of time reading all of the prior postings on "field modifications" with the springs, etc. I believe there are some very good prior forum threads.

By the mid-50's, smooth operation seemed to take precedence with a lot of manufacturers. I mentioned my old '54 Lincoln with rough-shifting 4-speed Hydramatic. By '55 they switched to a variant of the Ford automatic ("Turbodrive"). Smooth as a good soufle, it wasn't particularly fast. Most old road test reports suggest the '55 Lincoln hard-pressed to keep up with the '54 despite significant increase in displacement and claimed HP.

Gil

[DEEPNHOCK]

Nahhh.....
That's how you drive a later non Powershift B/W Flight-o-matic second gear start Stude if you are in a hurry.
Wind it up in Low, shift to D, and pull it back into Low*.
Then wind it out in second and shift it to 'D' drive..
Just don't get all funky and yank to too far on the 1-2 shift.
I'm amazed y'all don't drive that way..
I was doing that way back when in the late 60's/early 70's and I have never fried a Stude trans.
What are y'all...A bunch of 'fraidy cats'???
Stude's are tough... So should their drivers be![}]
Jeff[8D]
* Note: Forum legal disclaimer.
You do this with your own car at your own risk.
(I have to add this for those that love to disagree with everything and anything on this forum...but what I said works..)

quote:Originally posted by showbizkid

Jeff, that sounds like an operation that would give me a big pucker factor!

[DEEPNHOCK]

Sheesh..
If the trans (or linkage)is that worn then why yack it up on the forum about an R1+cammed engine?...
It's a valid question, and an optional solution that could be tried without costing a penny.
And it doesn't make the trans do anything it was not designed to do.
Driver has to be a bit careful is all..
Jeff[8D]

quote:Originally posted by StudeDave57
I would not suggest that in a '58. My '65 has paid the price in worn linkage and the like because that's how I've driven her for way too long. A '58 is less "beefy" in this area. Even my Packard is VERY heavily worn, and I seriously doubt it's been driven nearly as hard as I've driven that poor ol' '65.
I bought that Packard from the original owner's son~ who was in his 70s!!! [:0]

quote:Originally posted by DEEPNHOCK

Are you familiar with the "L-D-L" dance?