Early hydra matic basics?
 

Hey guys, I've come across a '57 Super Chief driver project. Supposedly original 347/auto car. I don't know anything about the early automatics. Can somebody give me the rundown on how they work, how good they are and what to look for? Thanks!

I think that they are great transmission but I have rebuilding them for 40 years.
Inbox me any specifics

I like early 4-speed HydraMatics. But- repairing them can be very expensive, and few transmission shops will service them.
'57 is a Dual-Coupling, which eliminates the harsh shifting of earlier Dual-Range HydraMatics. But it suffers from a performance standpoint; the 1-2 and 3-4 shifts can not be made quickly, since time is required to fill the front coupling with fluid.

For the 1957 Hydramatic manual, go to www.pontiacsafari.com and select "Pontiac Garage". Scroll down to find the manual under "Pontiac Documents" heading.

For more general 57 Pontiac info, select "Pontiac Info" from the home page and scroll down to 1957.