1953 Chrysler Windsor 4 door sedan

This was an auction car...and a good example of a luxury car of 1953 presented to you by Chrysler! The fabrics were of high quality, and the engine in this series was a flathead 6. The senior models had the ohv V8. Chrysler was making the transition from semi-automatic fluid drive (this car) to Powerflite two speed automatic. Notice the quadrant on the steering column. 1954 would be the last year for the 6 cylinder engine.

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Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• raconter1
• antique
• car
• show
• Chrysler
• Windsor
• 1953

[drewerz01]

Hey, Jack! This is a nice car, I love the dash, and that real nice sculpted front bumper and the over all shape of the car, very typical early 50's design :) Very nice!

[raconter1]

@drewerz01 Hey, Mike! I think one could best describe this car as solid! With some style too! I think most traffic would yield to a car like this...if they were smart, they would! Chrysler loved lots of chrome and decorative plastic trim in their interiors! Thanks! :) Jack

[raconter1]

@rx6180 Ford had a D3 and D2 position on its automatic back in the 50's...D2 would start the car in second gear...D3 in low. Hydramatic also had "dual range" back it the day with their 4 speed automatic..D4 and D3 ranges were used..I think D4 used all four speeds, D3 only the bottom three, but I'm not sure about that. There was not much uniformity in the early days of automatics! Thanks!

:) Jack

[rx6180]

My Mercedes has an electronic switch on the transmission to put it in winter settings to skip 1st gear when driving on ice and snow. I've used it in the past but during the current freeze we're experiencing, found I can pull off better on icy surfaces leaving it in normal mode and using transmission creep to get me rolling in 1st gear. The torque in 2nd on the winter setting is reduced, but if I have to give it gas to get rolling, it induces wheelspin. No probs this winter, been stuck before tho

[raconter1]

@rx6180 Hey, Mick...it was far from ideal. Better than nothing, as they say. Other makes had electric clutches...start shifting and the clutch was actuated...but nothing was better for convenience than the fully automatic transmission! Thanks! :) Jack

[rx6180]

Oh dear! Using the clutch for some gear changes and not for others - that takes quite some score keeping to know where you are! 

[raconter1]

@brians09challenger Hey, Brian! This car is really huge! I regret not filming the floor in front of the driver. My guess is that it does have a clutch, and that the transmission is the semi-automatic. Plymouth in 54 had the following choices...standard transmission, overdrive, Hy-Drive (semi-automatic) and in the last part of the year, Powerflite (2 speed, fully automatic)! Talk about confusing! :D Thanks! :D Jack

:) Jack

[raconter1]

@cheddyrod ..so they were starting off in 3rd gear, then letting up on the gas to shift into 4th. If you were in a hurry, you'd put in the low range, pushing in the clutch to shift to that position..let up on gas, shift to 2nd, push in clutch to move to 3rd...etc! You can see why Hydramatic was more readily accepted. No clutch pedal! The clutch on the fluid drive cars was called the "safety" clutch...go figure!

:D Thanks! :) Jack

[raconter1]

@cheddyrod Hey, Chester! As I understand "Fluid drive"...it had a different name in Plymouth, Dodge, Desoto and Chrysler...one referred to it as "tip toe shift". It consisted of a fluid coupling and that semi automatic with basically two ranges...a low range with 2 speeds, and a high range with two speeds. You pushed in the clutch to move it from range to range, or to reverse. I think most kept it in high range, which made for very leisurely acceleration/cont.....

[raconter1]

@monarch1957 Hey, Barry! These cars definitely excelled in interior room..and the upholstery was first class! Thanks! :) Jack