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Turboglide


The Turboglide is a Chevrolet constant torque 3-speed automatic transmission that made its debut as an optional transmission on Chevrolet V8 passenger cars for 1957. It consisted of a concurrently geared (as opposed to sequentially geared) planetary gearbox with a 'switch pitch' dual-pitch torque converter stator. Turboglide utilized a die-cast aluminum transmission case, following Packard's Ultramatic of 1956. It was designed to help showcase the engineering features of the '57 Chevy, and was often ordered with the Rochester Ramjet Fuel Injection system on the 283 V8. Turboglide cost about $50 more than Powerglide, and was available in all 1957-1961 V8 engine models except the Corvette.

Chevrolet Turboglide was modeled along the lines of the Buick Flight Pitch Dynaflow transmission, and operated very similarly to the Buick transmission. Using a five element torque converter, (pump, individual turbines for low, intermediate and direct ranges, and a switch pitch stator) the Turboglide offered the smoothest operation of any automatic in the industry, as no 'shift' occurred between ranges and hence there was no potential to create a disruption in the perfectly smooth flow of power. For extra 'getaway' power at any road speed, the converter stator vanes could be directed to a steeper angle which raised the stall speed of the torque converter and increased torque multiplication, as well as directing the oil flow at the turbine for the next lowest range. Turboglide's selector quadrant was Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Hill Retarder (early 1957 only) P R N D Hr or Grade Retarder (late 1957-1961) P R N D Gr. Some owners of the early 1957 models with the Turboglide transmission marked with HR [Hill Retarder] mistook the HR to mean High Range so the marking was changed early in the model year to Gr [Grade Retarder].


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