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Congratulations on the survivor halfway co-operating.

Re the lack of transmission low gear, I doubt if a valve is sticking or misadjusted because of a couple of known issues with 55's. Fortunately, if it is the first problem, an easy enough fix.. Drop the pan and check the low range band attachment point. There is a pin that goes thru a hole in case to hold the fixed end. That pin was known to break or become loose and fall out. IIRC, the valve body has to be removed to see but that is only a few bolts. Just follow the instructions on torque.

If that is OK, then the other issue is more involved and was a weak cap on the low range piston. If it bulged, the piston would drop below the port where fluid enters so nothing could get thru to apply. The diagnosis and fix is detailed in service counselor Vol 29#9 of Sept 55 but changing it requires relieving the pressure of the piston springs. You will have to make 2 clamps similar to that shown in manual to hold things because the springs inside are quite powerful. I made the ones I used and was not too difficult.

thanks very much! is there any harm in driving the car the way it is? not road driving, but around the yard? it doesnt give any audible signs of trouble, and i do need to move it now and then.

Should be no problem driving around the yard--just stay in left triangle or high range. That way low piston and band are never energized except the brief blip when passing thru to reverse.

cool, thank you. with a bad master cylinder, she wont be going far for quite awhile.

I was in tech school for the past year, so not alot of work got done, but im out, graduated with honours and ready to get back to work just in time for the cold to set in.

Seing as i could only work on weekends it was hard to get anything done this summer, but... after four months of carburetor problems a nice long soak in carb cleaner finally got her running nice again. Its back to the way it was and i dont think it get much better.

Any problems i had with the ultramatic shifting have reduced to virtually nil, with the exception of the "half shift". it seems to be fine though, no engine speed flare like a slipping trans or other problems.

A plugged trans cooler gave me problems early this summer, but that has been replaced by a large fin and tube unit (rated for motorhomes and towing pickups)and it seems to have taken care of that.

I wouldn't recommend using a tube and fin cooler, they're so inefficient. That's why I always recommend using the flat plate type coolers, they're twice as efficient for a given size as a tube and fin type.

I know, but thats what was around when i needed. This one is very large and seems to work fine, either way its better than the clogged original.

Im big into diesel pickup performace as well as the Packards, and my Cummins powered Dodge has a flat plate cooler. I drove that truck (with its unmolested A-518 automatic) 2 and a half hours at 65mph+, and the fluid was still cool enough to hold between my fingers!

It would definitely be better than a clogged one! In a pinch, I've used an old a/c condenser from a wrecked '98 Dodge Grand Caravan as a trans cooler. Probably the best cooler I could find for the price! (free!)

Yes, I know, I'm a cheap ba$tard!

not "cheap" your "rescourceful"!

Well, I've never been accused of that!