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Merry Christmas to all.
After determining my car came with a powerglide, I began looking for this transmission. After reading topics about this part I thought it would be an easy project. I was wrong. A lot of power glides were changed out to a three or four speed standard to achieve the performance a glide could not give. I don't think a lot of those powerglides were placed up on a shelf somewhere for future use. I would guess most of them ended up at some junk yard. I originally started out trying to convert a passenger glide to a vette glide. Trying to find that tail shaft and housing is like trying to find the holy grail. Also anybody that I talked to had a different story on how to do it. It just seems there is not a lot of good information when it comes to a 60 corvette powerglide. Still trying to find info and pictures of correct 60 linkage. Yes there are a few of these trannys for sale on the net, but the prices are out right rude. Then you have to still buy all the extra parts that should be on it in the first place. Eventually I found supposedly a 1960 corvette powerglide 7 hours away. When I arrived I noticed there was not an X on top to determine that it is a vette glide and not a passenger conversion. Please correct me if I am wrong on the X identification. I figured all that way at least I got the SHAFT and correct housing.
Determing value on these cars are based on the following.
1) Does the car come with options, the powerglide was an option.
2) Is the powerglide tranny difficult to find and complete, I think so.
3) If you are looking for a 3 or 4 speed standard, there are a lot out
there.
4) A powerglide is usually preferred by a woman driver (wife), that in its
self should drive the price through the roof. Most women don't want or
need to drive a standard.
I am tired of listening to the announcers say this powerglide will hold the
price back as it goes across the block. It's time we powerglide owners
start getting a little more respect. Okay I'm done ranting.
Happy Newyear to all
Katch
P.S. Yes I know, I forgot to mention H.P.
Good luck in your search. I am the proud owner of a 1960 Powerglilde equipped car. I am I believe the 4th registered owner of this car. I know the 2nd owner personally and spoke to him about the car's history. He bought the car for his wife from the original owner who was a local (within 40 miles) orthopedic surgeon. He sold the car to the third owner who began collecting NOS parts for a frame off restoration. He sold the car before beginning the restoration to a young man who owned a body shop. He owned the car about 10 years having never begun the restoration and then sold it to me when he realized life got ahead of him when his son was looking at colleges. I restored the car and had several Corvette people try to talk me into converting the car to a 4 speed. Because the car was matching numbers with NOS parts I decided it was best to leave it that way. At my age I enjoy the auto tranny and the rarity! I have had numerous offers to sell the car for strong money so don't be deterred. It's most recent admirer was Paul Jr.'s wife from Orange County Choppers.
One of the most difficult parts you will need to source will be the starter relay that mounts to the fire wall on the passenger side. Mary Jo sells a 4 wire relay that will work when you get tired of looking. P.S. yes I have an original!
Wraplock, thanks for the positive response. I think I purchased the correct relay switch from Keen corvettes. Maybe after Christmas is done you could forward some pictures of the linkage that is needed. I have a tranny guy rebuilding it as we speak. My worry is he might not have all the knowledge that's needed to build it completely and install it back into the car. About one month ago I answered an add saying 1960 corvette parts for sale. In the add it had a picture of a powerglide. The picture did not show the tail shaft. This must be to good to be true. Sure enough it was a vette powerglide. It was a half an hour away. It's like it fell from the sky. Please let me know if you have any extra parts that you don't need and are willing to sell. Off to cook a turkey, talk later.
Katch
Was that relay a lockout relay to make sure the car was in P or N for starting?
Doug
The car also has a neutral safety switch that is mounted on the transmission with a linkage rod to the shifter mechanism. There is a single wire from the N/S switch that goes to this relay.
The car also has a neutral safety switch that is mounted on the transmission with a linkage rod to the shifter mechanism. There is a single wire from the N/S switch that goes to this relay.
I have a 1963 power guild coup and installed the Neutral safety switch
all works good . The safety switch is really rare. Plugged the safely switch in to stock harness.
Don't remember seeing this relay anywhere.
I have a 1963 power guild coup and installed the Neutral safety switch
all works good . The safety switch is really rare. Plugged the safely switch in to stock harness. Don't remember seeing this relay anywhere.
'63s don't have that relay. NSS wiring connects directly to ignition harness in the area above the wiper motor and that's all there is.
How did you determine your car original came with a PG?
What is this starter relay, and why did a PG car have one?
Doug
Hi Doug, not real knowledgable on these cars. I had someone tell me it by using the serial number on my door jam. He had a birthday book that he said gives you this info.Mine is a real early production, later production cars had the plate welded to the steering column.
Katch
I'm a little skeptical on this. I have a '58 Powerglide and this is the first time I've heard that you can discover the transmission from the VIN number.
The VIN tells nothing about the car other than the where it was in the sequence of cars produced.
The stamped code on the engine would be the only place to determine engine option. FH, FG etc.....if it were the original engine.
Other hints to rtell if originally auto...screw holes for relay on firewall, wires different for auto cars, clutch tower not present or if present, probaly a poor job of attachment. firewall, FW insulation is different than for auto vs manual, re hole in place ornot for clutch rod, etc
I'm a little skeptical on this. I have a '58 Powerglide and this is the first time I've heard that you can discover the transmission from the VIN number.
Hi rfn026, I was told that you are able to determine the year, month, day, aproximate time a vehicle was produced and the power train info by using the birthday book. Have never seen a birthday book. Please let me know if I am wrong. I don't want to be putting in all this energy into my car if it's in the wrong direction.
Katch
Hi rfn026, I was told that you are able to determine the year, month, day, aproximate time a vehicle was produced and the power train info by using the birthday book. Have never seen a birthday book. Please let me know if I am wrong. I don't want to be putting in all this energy into my car if it's in the wrong direction.
Katch
On a 1960, the approximate year, month and day is all you'll get. Not the time and not the power train.
The VIN tells nothing about the car other than the where it was in the sequence of cars produced.
The stamped code on the engine would be the only place to determine engine option. FH, FG etc.....if it were the original engine.
Other hints to rtell if originally auto...screw holes for relay on firewall, wires different for auto cars, clutch tower not present or if present, probaly a poor job of attachment. firewall, FW insulation is different than for auto vs manual, re hole in place ornot for clutch rod, etc
To add to the list; on my '62 300 PG the carb has a different number than a clutch car.
The absence of a clutch tower and firewall clutch rod hole, as well as the different main wiring harness (neutral safety switch) are huge tells.
Merry Christmas to all.
After determining my car came with a powerglide, I began looking for this transmission. After reading topics about this part I thought it would be an easy project. I was wrong. A lot of power glides were changed out to a three or four speed standard to achieve the performance a glide could not give. I don't think a lot of those powerglides were placed up on a shelf somewhere for future use. I would guess most of them ended up at some junk yard. I originally started out trying to convert a passenger glide to a vette glide. Trying to find that tail shaft and housing is like trying to find the holy grail. Also anybody that I talked to had a different story on how to do it. It just seems there is not a lot of good information when it comes to a 60 corvette powerglide. Still trying to find info and pictures of correct 60 linkage. Yes there are a few of these trannys for sale on the net, but the prices are out right rude. Then you have to still buy all the extra parts that should be on it in the first place. Eventually I found supposedly a 1960 corvette powerglide 7 hours away. When I arrived I noticed there was not an X on top to determine that it is a vette glide and not a passenger conversion. Please correct me if I am wrong on the X identification. I figured all that way at least I got the SHAFT and correct housing.
Determing value on these cars are based on the following.
1) Does the car come with options, the powerglide was an option.
2) Is the powerglide tranny difficult to find and complete, I think so.
3) If you are looking for a 3 or 4 speed standard, there are a lot out
there.
4) A powerglide is usually preferred by a woman driver (wife), that in its
self should drive the price through the roof. Most women don't want or
need to drive a standard.
I am tired of listening to the announcers say this powerglide will hold the
price back as it goes across the block. It's time we powerglide owners
start getting a little more respect. Okay I'm done ranting.
Happy Newyear to all
Katch
P.S. Yes I know, I forgot to mention H.P.
I have a complete original '56 Corvette PG transmission with original shifter, starter relay, neutral safety switch etc if that is any help
The VIN tells nothing about the car other than the where it was in the sequence of cars produced.
The stamped code on the engine would be the only place to determine engine option. FH, FG etc.....if it were the original engine.
Other hints to rtell if originally auto...screw holes for relay on firewall, wires different for auto cars, clutch tower not present or if present, probaly a poor job of attachment. firewall, FW insulation is different than for auto vs manual, re hole in place ornot for clutch rod, etc
Thanks OC-1, I need to check out my firewall to see what I can find. Also my tac is a low red line. I guess that allows me to reduce it down to a couple of combinations. I have owned this car for 35 years, and all I did was drive it. It has just been in the last few years that I have tried to learn as much as I can. But as you can see, just not enough yet.
It's amazing what you find after 35 years of ownership. I'm constantly going through the very same thing with my '58. Little things that you thought were original to the car really aren't.
I just installed the correct brackets for my rear reflectors. When the car was painted about 50 years ago the brackets were never replaced. I didn't know about them until about 6 months ago.
12-25-2015, 10:33 AM
1960 powerglide
