Hy-Drive

The Hy-Drive was a Chrysler Corporation transmission introduced in 1953 in US-market Plymouths. It was a hybrid manual transmission with a torque converter like an automatic. Although Hy-Drive cars had a clutch pedal like a traditional manual transmission, it was only used put the car in gear. Once underway, the driver could upshift and downshift using the gear shift without using the clutch or even lifting off the accelerator.

The industry was caught by surprise by the advent of the automatic transmission in the late 1940s. General Motors' Dynaflow, introduced by Buick in 1948, was a smash hit with the public, very soon being fitted in over 80% of new Buicks. (GM's fully automatic Hydramatic, which debuted in 1939, was in 70% of Pontiacs that year.) Chrysler had previously offered a Fluid Drive fluid coupling (not a torque converter, as it did not multiply the torque) on their manual transmissions, and the Hy-Drive was an evolution of this. It was sold by Plymouth for the entire 1953 model year, and into April of the 1954 model year, when the fully automatic PowerFlite became  available. About 75,000 cars came equipped with this transmission.

Trivia
 The Hy-Drive was so large it required a complete reengineering of the engine compartment and transmission tunnel.
 Export Plymouth-based Dodges and DeSotos could be ordered with Hy-Drive.
 Hy-Drive transmissions shared the engine's lubricating oil, requiring 11 quarts (10.4 L) for an oil change.

See also
 List of Chrysler transmissions

References

Flory, J. "Kelly", Jr. American Cars 1946-1959. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Coy, 2008.

Notes

Category:Chrysler transmissions