3 speed manual with overdrive. That actually meant 6 different gear ratios
Not familiar with those(and lot of others from then) Was the overdrive like a split shift rear axle?
I am not sure how it worked internally but there was a solenoid which jerked something inside the transmission into another final drive gear.
The overdrive was a switch you had to push manually. When it was on, all gears had a higher range. I actually had to replace the transmission in my old 55. I did not know much about them but can remember lying on the ground under that car with the transmission on my chest and stomach and having to insert it and the bolts before I could take the pressure off my body.
I was in a lot better shape back then.
I really did like the overdrive btw.
Yes, kinda.
Back then, overdrive was a 2 speed manual transmission bolted onto the back side of the regular transmission. It was kinda like the transfer case on a 4wd pickup except without the drive shaft to the front wheels.
You could have an overdive transmission AND a 2speed rear end...so if you had a 3 speed transmission, plus over drive plus a two speed rear end, you would have 12 theoretical gear ratios. Of course many of them would be useless. You would only have 7 useful gear ratios, I think. Maybe only 5.
I just remembered another feature of the old overdrive transmissions. It has been nearly 50 years since I had that old 55 so my memory is not that clear.
That feature was “freewheeling’. If the transmission was in overdrive and you took your foot off the accelerator, the car would basically act as if it was in neutral. If you needed to use the gears to decelerate you had to take it out of overdrive.
I am not sure why but probably it was necessary for the overdrive to work properly.
That old 55 would fly. I remember it had a top speed of 110 and it would do that in 3 different gears. 2nd and overdrive, high, and high with overdrive.
My best friend’s Father bought a new 63 galaxy 500 with a 352 and a four barrel. We had a drag race and the old 55 beat it pretty easily.