No, the only auto trans available in 1962 was the Powerglide. Clint Hooper H&H Custom,owner 1969 El Camino ProTourer 2001 H-D FLHR custom bagger http://dalesplace.com/misc/friends/clint/clint_hooper.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "D.R. Jones" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Is this the same trans used behind the 409 in the 1962 chev? If so I > could beat them in 1/4 mile with a standard shift 1962 6 cylinder Chevy II. > D.R. Jones > > Clint Hooper wrote: > > > No offense but the author of that was very loose with the facts. He makes it > > sound like a switch-pitch TH400 is the greatest thing since sliced bread. > > Gosh,I wonder if the fact that he sells them might have something to do with > > it? > > Oh,that's right,I see those things used all the time out there.<g> > > Clint Hooper > > H&H Custom,owner > > 1969 El Camino ProTourer > > 2001 H-D FLHR custom bagger > > http://dalesplace.com/misc/friends/clint/clint_hooper.htm > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "mike f" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > >>The Switch Pitch TH-400 > >>Summary: > >>The reasoning behind installing an overdrive > >>transmission is running a low rear gearing to get off > >>the line, but still retain manageable RPMs at freeway > >>cruising speeds. This seems like the best of both > >>worlds, but this article will examine some reasons why > >>an overdrive transmission is not always be the best > >>solution. > >> > >>Traditionally GM overdrive transmissions such as the > >>700-r4 and the 200-4r were viewed as anemic pieces for > >>gas sipping transportation appliances. The last > >>several years have revealed that these transmissions > >>can be modified to handle significantly more power > >>then in base configurations. A well-built and properly > >>adjusted overdrive transmission should be able to > >>handle around 450 ft/lbs of torque. Is that enough for > >>the engine combinations that people run in their hot > >>rods? In many cases the answer is no and I for one, > >>have been through enough "built" 700-r4s for a > >>lifetime. > >> > >>So what then is the solution? > >>The solution is the tried and true TH-400, more > >>specifically the variable-pitch version of the TH-400. > >> > >>The variable-pitch, or switch-pitch TH-400 is nothing > >>new as it has been around since 1965. Originally found > >>in Buick, Olds, and Cadillac the switch-pitch offers > >>two stall speeds, a low stall and a high stall. > >>Applying a positive 12-volt signal to the appropriate > >>terminal on the transmission case makes the selection > >>of low or high stall. The high stall gives you the > >>advantages of torque multiplication to get off the > >>line with a taller rearend gear and the low stall > >>decreases slippage for cruising or on the big end of > >>the track. > >> > >>The variable-pitch stator is not the only advantage > >>that the TH-400 holds over its more modern overdrive > >>counterparts. A TH-400 will generally cost less then > >>an overdrive and it can be built to handle some > >>serious horsepower numbers. The TH-700 and TH-200 also > >>require a T.V. cable to be installed and adjusted > >>correctly or serious damage and shifting problems will > >>result, and getting it correct is often harder then it > >>seems at first glance. Another advantage of the TH-400 > >>is a small spread between gears. First lets put some > >>gearing numbers out there for reference: > >> > >>Gear Ratio Comparisons: > >> > >> 1st 2nd 3rd 4th > >>TH 400 2.48 1.48 1.00 > >>TH 700 3.06 1.63 1.00 0.70 > >>TH 200 2.74 1.57 1.0 0.67 > >> > >>It is clear that the two overdrive transmissions in > >>the comparison chart have lower first gear ratios as > >>well as have the advantage of overdrive, but let us > >>look at the numbers that are hidden between these > >>ratios. > >> > >>Between Gear Gap Comparisons: > >> > >> 1st-2nd 2nd-3rd 3rd-4th > >>TH 400 1.00 0.48 > >>TH 700 1.43 0.63 0.30 > >>TH 200 1.17 0.57 0.33 > >> > >>Notice the large gaps between gear ratios. The TH-700 > >>has a particularly nasty gap between 1st and 2nd. In > >>fact if you combine the 1st-2nd and 2nd-3rd gaps on > >>the TH-400 you get roughly the same gap as the 1st-2nd > >>on the 700-r4. The result of this is that your first > >>gear in the TH-700 may launch you like a rocket, but > >>the huge gap is going to lug your engine and drop > >>RPMs, hurting performance. The TH-200 has a more > >>favorable gear separation then the TH-700, but the > >>TH-400 still has a slight edge. > >> > >>Now to address the flaw in my argument that I am sure > >>many of you are thinking about. The TH-400 does not > >>have an overdrive gear and if you don't run an > >>overdrive then how can you possibly expect to have a > >>respectable freeway cruising RPM? > >> > >>The solution to this is easy, run a taller rearend > >>gear. I argue that the many hotrods rarely, if ever, > >>see the drag strip and spend a lot more of their time > >>on the road. So why then do we put in a low rearend > >>gear that makes freeway driving unpleasant and limits > >>out terminal velocity to 115 miles per hour. An > >>overdrive transmission will make up for our low rear > >>gearing, but this introduces several problems. > >> > >>Overdrive was never intended to be an acceleration > >>gear, which it is being forced to become if you are > >>running a deep rearend. > >>High drive shaft speeds > >>Running a 4.11 gear with a TH-700 sounds like a good > >>idea until you consider that with a 275/40R17 tire at > >>100 mph your drive shaft is spinning at somewhere in > >>the neighborhood of 5383 RPM for comparison a TH-400 > >>with the same tire and a 3.08 rearend gearing will > >>turn 4034 RPM. The same comparison at 150 mph yields > >>8075 for the overdrive versus 6051 for the TH-400. > >>Spinning the drive shaft that fast takes horsepower > >>and can have other problems like magnifying the > >>effects of driveline alignment problems, drive shaft > >>imbalance, and driveline component wear. > >> > >>With the right setup, a switch-pitch TH-400 provides a > >>viable alternative to the modern overdrive. > >> > >>Controlling the converter: > >>There is a multitude of possible methods for > >>controlling when and how the converter changes from > >>high to low stall. Use a delay box to have the > >>converter go to low stall after you leave the starting > >>line. An RPM switch could have the converter lock up > >>once your car is into its power band. Wiring a relay > >>to the brake switch would allow you to put the > >>converter in high stall for stoplights in a car with a > >>radical camshaft. A simple switch can be used to allow > >>full driver control of the system. For most those who > >>want to have the most control of their driving > >>experience this probably the best option. [article on > >>wiring a switch pitch transmission] > >> > >>Where do I get my hands on a switch pitch TH-400? > >>I bough mine from PAE Enterprises in Texas. They offer > >>both Chevy and BOP cases for a resonable price. PAE > >>also sells conversion kits so those of you that > >>already have a TH-400 are in luck. PAE's contact > >>information can be found in the sources section of > >>this article. > >> > >>Sources: > >>How to Work with and Modify the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 > >>Transmission > >>by Ron Sessions > >>ISBN: 0-87938-267-8 > >> > >>P.A.E Enterprises, Inc. > >>4401 Turf Rd. Bldg E > >>El Paso, TX. 79938 > >>915.855.6009 > >>915.857.4727 -> Tech Line 8-10am and 4-5pm MST M-F > >>www.paeenterprises.com > >> > >> > >>--- Dan Mascheck <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>__________________________________ > >>Start your day with Yahoo! - Make it your home page! > >>http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > >> > > > > > > > > > > >
