Clutch-Automatic?

[Dave _S]

I was talking to an old time hot rodder the other day and he told that in the early sixties, some people would build a clutch-automatic, which he described as being an auto trans with the torque conveter replaced by a clutch. Sounds like an interesting idea. Has anyone ever heard of this?

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1977 WT Cherokee, 401V8, TH400, PT Quadra-trac.

[Baker]

I've heard of it. Remember the torque converter doubles the torque; you only want to try this on an engine that has insanely high amounts of torque to begin with (a slightly built AMC 401 would be nice)

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Baker
'84 Grand Wagoneer 360,727,229, 44 & 20 (3.31s), 30x9.5 tires

[jonmurr]

THe msot common version of this was the
Clutch-Flite. A 727 was fitted with a adapter
to attach the clutch disc to the driven splines of the input shaft, where the driven vanes of the torque convertor once went. The front pump of the Torqueflite was driven off an attachment to the pressure plate. The reason for this was that at the time of Clutchflite devlopment, high-stall torque convertors and trans-brakes had not been devloped, thus drag racers combined the two technoliges, manual clutch for violent launches, automatic trans for full power shifts without the gear missing of a manual trans. If you want to see one in action, go to a "Goodguys" drag race sometime. Often found in old front motor dragsters with blowers and nitro. Extremly entertaining.
Hope that answers your question .

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[Dave _S]

Yes, that answered my question. I am going to look into this further and see if its a practical mod for a TH400. One could probably make a mock-up with junkyard parts just to see if its feasable.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jonmurr:
THe msot common version of this was the
Clutch-Flite. A 727 was fitted with a adapter
to attach the clutch disc to the driven splines of the input shaft, where the driven vanes of the torque convertor once went. The front pump of the Torqueflite was driven off an attachment to the pressure plate. The reason for this was that at the time of Clutchflite devlopment, high-stall torque convertors and trans-brakes had not been devloped, thus drag racers combined the two technoliges, manual clutch for violent launches, automatic trans for full power shifts without the gear missing of a manual trans. If you want to see one in action, go to a "Goodguys" drag race sometime. Often found in old front motor dragsters with blowers and nitro. Extremly entertaining.
Hope that answers your question .

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>