Driving an Original 1948 Fluid Drive Desoto Deluxe
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- Опубликовано: 5 май 2023
- Sunny afternoon drive to the post office in a two owner, all original 1948 Desoto Deluxe with the fluid drive semi automatic transmission.
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Dreams - Markvard
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Thank you for your effort in creating and posting this video. I'm glad that you shared your car with us and for taking us on a drive too. I've owned a very similar car for a number of years now, a 1948 Chrysler Windsor sedan.
I don't know if you know that you're driving your DeSoto differently than the engineers intended.
You're operating the transmission manually which is an acceptable now-and-then procedure if and when faster speeds are required, but not the norm.
To clarify normal operation for all the readers, the engineers intended operation begins with pressing the Safety-Clutch (more on that later) and put the gear shift lever into the down position as down is the normal range. Remaining stopped, then gently release the safety-clutch. The car is now in gear and ready for normal automatic driving/shifting.
Then, accelerate from having been stopped and upon reaching a speed above 14 MPH, release the accelerator, then wait for the automatic shift to complete its process and resume operating the accelerator.
When coming to a stop, the Safety-Clutch is not pressed in. The engine will not stall. Use the brake pedal only, the same as you would driving a modern car with an automatic transmission.
Low range operation is the same, but the gear shift lever is put in the up position. The car can remain in low range for increased performance during city driving, such as moving from traffic light to traffic light. However, city driving can adequately be accomplished using normal range, if increased performance isn't necessary.
Another situation for using the low range, would be climbing a steep hill with a fully loaded car.
Manually shifting the transmission from low range into high range, is an advantage for taking off in a blind curve, or blind hill, as an anticipation of a possible accident with unseen vehicle.
The Safety-Clutch is only used when you want to change the position of the gear shift lever, somewhat like a modern car in having to step on the brake pedal to move the gear shift out of Park.
The utmost importance with Fluid-Drive cars is that they must be parked using the parking brake. You can't leave them parked in-gear, as the clutch and gears will not hold the car because there isn't a ridged coupling within the Fluid-Drive unit.
Hangar Garaj:
If the kick-down in either range is not working, check the wiring and micro switches at the carburetor. I think your car has what is called an "open" in the kick-down circuit because the solenoids are clearly working on your drive in the video here.
You can still buy Chrysler Factory Service Manuals for these cars. And there's a lot of good clear information in them.
These cars were designed to be a comfortable cruiser, engineered to not break down, and to last and last. Its modern-day equivalent would be something like a Lexus LS.
I have to say that it's clear you're a mismatch for this car. You have a need to move fast. And you stated frequent insults against this car. It's the wrong car for you. I think you would be enthusiastic about owning a VW GTI, Subaru STI or the like.
I'm not trying to be insulting, I'm just saying.
If a person drives these cars PROPERLY, they WORK AWESOMELY!
I had three cars with this transmission and when they work as they should, they are a delight. - the shifts are made by vacuum pressure. I still have a '47 Dodge with 'fluid drive' which is similar but no auto shifts - great video
My Dad drove a '48 DeSoto from Portland Oregon to NY city and back...1953
It'd be fantastic if you got that restored. It's a moving piece of history!!!!
VERY cool car! I always considered the '48 Desoto sedan THE classic '40's car because all of it's art-deco details everywhere. I would just Scotch-Brite the body and spray a clear coat over it and then detail the interior. "Driver"/"Survivor" cars are the best. My Uncle used to tell me that you typically cruised at 35-40 in these cars and took sharp turns at a basically rolling speed. Life was slower back then in every respect. Now, if you're walking and crossing a street near an intersection, a car is suddenly on top of you before you get out of the lane!
The detail on the window garnish and the dash are just great !
Thats a really cool stearing wheel!
This is when a "steering wheel" TRULY EXISTED!
DeSoto called the semi- automatic transmission “Tip Toe Shift.” They are super rugged and reliable. Most drivers when going around town just left the transmission in the higher gear range , not requiring using the clutch .
I grew up with a '50 DeSoto Custom! THE BEST CAR EVER!
Beautiful, absolutely fabulous ❤
GREAT CAR! Yes, an OLD car, but a QUALITY car! The "fluid drive", while slow, was A GREAT TRANSMISSION! If you use it more, IT WILL ALWAYS WORK!
Low should be 1 & 2, High is 3 &4. Sounds like your Tip-Toe Shift is mostly working. Sounds like your governor might be sticking. Betcha if you gave it a little "How's your father" the system would work like normal. Kickdown when you stomp on it is electric. Check all connections.... might be the switch that triggers the kickdown. Parts are still out there! Good Luck!
The two door cars are incredible looking.
GREAT STYLE! The '49-52s had this "look" too!
She sounds like she's still got decent compression!
Hey... that Fluid Drive should kick down to the lower gear in each range by standing on the accelerator pedal... in other words, from "low two to low one" when it's floored... and the same thing in "Hi Range".
We had a '48 New Yorker coupe back in the Eighties... it was a low mileage original that looked brand new... I really miss that car!
What an interesting video. Thanks!
To Kick down 4 to 3 push the accelerator through the step at the bottom of its travel and it should kick down 4 to 3 or in Low Range 2 to 1. If this is not working you may need to adjust the linkage to the ignition interupter switch on the Carburettor so that the contactor pushes the button right in,
I'll take a look at that linkage thank you!
These were sort of simple transmissions, but they ALWAYS WORKED!
Definitely keeps you entertained driving it
Your Desoto. Is. A real. Gem. Thanks
A grand Lady indeed, I've one of her cousins, a 1949 Fargo 3/4 ton, being a truck it's quite a bit simpler, is an awful lot of fun to drive as long as you're in no hurry.
Nice Ride.
The original idea was to put the shift lever downward into "high range" and release the clutch./ Thereafter, for all normal driving you will start in third gear and after reaching about 20 mph lift the throttle and the transmission will automatically shift to fourth (cruising) gear. Below about 40 mph a forced shift back to third can be accomplished by flooring the accelerator. When pulling to a stop, the transmission will automatically drop back to third. Acceleration is rather languid but these transmissions were very reliable and seldom required service. It should be noted that the gearbox requires 10 weight oil. Do not attempt to refill with conventional transmission lube and do not use ATF fluid.
From where I see it the operation of this DeSoto sounds very good to me!
While you are at it check the operation of the kickdown Solenoid and kickdown interrupter switch
The set change down speed is 12 mph in High Range and 6 mph in low range. The kickdown is used for any speed before the set change speeds Low range Speeds 0 - 25 in First - and up to 50 mph in Second
High range 0 - 50 mph in Third and to 100 mph in 4th
Very useful information, thank you!
its not a true torque converter though since it doesn't multiply torque. it's simply a fluid coupling. i've got two of the Dodge version sitting in the back. one ('48) is almost done being restored for a friend. Mine is a '46 and has a V8 swap and suicide doors. way cooler than the regular back doors if you ask me!
New to the channel, very cool! Watching now!
You only have to use the 3/4 range for normal driving. Clutch is only to be used for going into neutral or reverse.
Love this VID. I am restoring a Chrysler Windsor with this gearbox. Question: does the fluid drive act like a hill-holder? Or will she roll backwards on you if you come to a stop on a steep hill - like for a traffic light? I have two other collector cars with manual transmissions which I love, but I wanted something my wife could easily drive without griding gears - or rolling back on a hill and/or stalling - which is her biggest fear in old cars.
From what my mom indicated it would roll until the RPM's went up to create more pressure. Roll was relative to the steepness of the grade, but easily managed since you didn't need to use the left foot for the clutch and could apply the foot brake.
Oldsmobile offered an automatic transmission as early as 1939. Several companies, Ford for the Lincoln as well as independents, offered the Olds Hydra Matic after WW2. Chrysler got its first automatic in 1954!
I owned a Chrysler in high school with this transmission. What a joke.
they are not n hotrod but that's how people drove in the 40's most cars back then were all manual the fluid drive automatic was a treat to people back in them days and those flat head 6 engines were hard to kill
You do not need to use LO on level ground. Just put it in HI and go. Shifting back and forth between LO and HI defeats the whole point of Fluid Drive. This is assuming you have the M5 or M6 transmission, and not a 3 speed manual with a fluid couple in front of it.
Seems like none of the younger people understand this.
@@michaelbenardo5695 Just like they call the 59 Ford Galaxie "Fairlane 500 Galaxie". Technically it is, but Ford never referred to it as such, they want to call the 53 Buick Skylark a "Roadmaster Skylark, despite the fact that Buick never referred to it as such.
Do you know that you can push start an S11 Desoto by Letting up the clutch with the Low Range engaged and the car moving at 20 mph. The same can be done with the car moving at 40 mph in high range.
Hi Hangar,
Very interesting indeed. Actually there is a system that is even older. A 3-speed manual transmission that works with clutch is torque converter. Like yours. Could you show me the gear indicator please? It should be: 1 N D ( how speed?) or something like that. Congratulations and thank you
Mr C on. Happy. Days. Drove. Desoto. I think
Крутая тачка! 👍
It has a fluid coupling not a torque converter.
I think you're not shifting that correctly. You should be able to come to a stop, and it will down shift automatically. Those are really easy cars to drive, and Chrysler knew what they were doing!!!
It's pretty tired, so a lot of the transmission features don't work properly anymore. It's been in the family since 1970, and we've got no plans to restore it, just keeping it running and not rusting.
Great old vehicle. It has a fluid coupling,not a torque converter. You should be able to pull up to a stop without using the clutch pedal.
Yes it does, I get the terms wrong but I've gone through it all before. And it will come to a stop in gear but rarely has the power left to start off
*_Gringo, teníh pa' la corneta el DeSoto culiáo._*
I did not understand how automatic it is. Do you Press the clutch pedal when put first?
Translate: Gringo, (American guy, man, boy, my friend, babe, darling, bro) you have your De Soto a litlle
sorry but you don't have a torque converter, you have a fluid flywheel. torque converters came with torque fluid drive. i think that was 1952. boy that was really something. try driving that car ... drive range clutch out release the gas to shift. it should go back to 3rd by itself. wait do you have fluid drive or tip-toe m5 transmission. to correct the problem try a new diaphram on the m5. i drove one for years it was about the best car i ever had ...good luck.
Thank you for the info!
An automatic transmission is better to have. It’s worth it to pay a little extra for the extra gasoline an automatic might consume.