1963 riviera 465 "transmission"

Discussion in 'The "Juice Box"' started by Mr.Riviera, Sep 10, 2016.

  1. Mr.Riviera

    Mr.Riviera New Member

    Hi, i wounder if any one have some experience with the dynaflow 2 speed transmission, how many horsepower or torque it can handle. I am rebuilding a 63 riviera 465 and going to ad a blower on it but im not sure how mutch the transmission can take. Is it better to change to a different transmission?
     
  2. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    It must be a late 63 model year 425 cid nailhead. The number 465 is the torque rating for a 425 engine.
     
  3. Mr.Riviera

    Mr.Riviera New Member

    Yes i know its a 425☺ my question is how much more power can the dynaflow transmission handl?
     
  4. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    I'm not sure of the answer to your question, but the Dynaflow's main problem was it's relative inefficiency compared to the later 3 element torque converter equipped Hydramatic built transmissions. Seems to me that applying even more HP and torque to a Dynaflow would magnify that inefficiency and create a lot more heat in the process. If you take a typical 3 element torque converter today and put it behind an engine with a lot more HP and torque, it will slip more and stall higher, potentially a lot higher A.K.A. "driving through the converter". Seems to me that could be even more so with a Dynaflow. I think it is safe to say there aren't many guys on V8 that use the Dynaflow, so I am not sure you will get a definitive answer, but if it was my project, I'd use another transmission and definitely have a converter built to the engines torque numbers. That isn't cheap but it will give you the best results.
     
  5. cjeboyle

    cjeboyle Gold Level Contributor

    While I can't answer your OP question I can tell you that if you decide to change to a TH400. It will not mate up to your early 425. I think the crank is different somehow. Adapters can be purchased but are not cheap. I think it also puts the shifter linkage on the other side and going from a 2-speed to a 3-speed the floor shifter won't be right. I don't believe a dynaflow was ever meant as a performance tranny. They were built to be smooth as silk. I am by no means an expert so anyone with more knowledge please correct me if I am wrong.
    Cliff
     
  6. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    They were marginal behind a straight 8.
     
  7. Mr.Riviera

    Mr.Riviera New Member

    Thanks for the replays it answerd my question☺ so the smartest thing for sure would be to change the transmission. What transmission would be recomended to use if i wanted to have 600hp? TH400 or? And sorry if my english is bad im from norway
     
  8. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    THM400, but it won't bolt up to the Nailhead without an adapter plate. I think there is something else to do with the flexplate as well. Tommy (Telriv) would know better than I.
     
  9. BRUCE ROE

    BRUCE ROE Well-Known Member

    The 63 Riv is a cool car, but it would be even better with a TH400. Bruce Roe
     
  10. Gary Farmer

    Gary Farmer "The Paradigm Shifter"

    TH400 has my vote for your application. It's a very nice transmission and very durable even in stock form, and can be built to handle some serious power.
     
  11. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    TH400 was 1st. available in the '64 Riv. & full size cars WITHOUT switch-pitch. '65-'66 TH400 available WITH switch-pitch. In your situation I would look for a '65-'66 NAILHEAD bellhousing bolt pattern switch-pitch then it will be a bolt-in with out any trans. to block adapters besides the crank adapter. There are MANY other things that go along with the swap besides the trans. & crank adapter. Best would be to get a '64-'65 parts car for all the nec. parts & pieces OR someone who can sell you all the individual parts needed from a parts car. I've done this swap & KNOW what's involved. It's not ONLY the trans. & crank adapter. MUCH more involved than that.


    Tom T.


    P.S. This trans. was also available in Rolls Royce & some Jeep applications to widen the search, but you should be able to source something specifically from a Buick.
     
  12. lemmy-67

    lemmy-67 Platinum Level Contributor

    All 1st generation Rivieras had the ST400 switch-pitch transmission factory stock. If that is not what's in the vehicle now, I would question what else has been modified.
     
  13. cjeboyle

    cjeboyle Gold Level Contributor

    I agree with Tom. As long as # matching isnt overly important I would look for a 64 Riviera parts car (lots of rusted out Rivs out there) that has a complete drivetrain. In my 63 Riviera I wasnt happy with the Dynaflow and looked into just swapping out the trans to a TH 400 and based on cost I went with a complete 455 TH400 swap. If I had it to do over again I would have left the 63 stock as a cruiser and bought a second car to go fast. My 63 is currently sitting outside under a tarp with no engine. I wasted a lot of money on that one. I probably spent north of 10Gs on that car and now it has the value of a parts car. :Dou:
     
  14. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    ALL 1st. yr. 400's in '64 Rivs & full size cars & Cadillac's used a NON SWITCH-PITCH 400
     
  15. lemmy-67

    lemmy-67 Platinum Level Contributor

    I have never seen/heard of a 1st-generation Riviera built without the ST400...with either the 401 or 425 Nailhead. I certainly never have heard of a Dynaflow being installed into Riviera from the factory.
     
  16. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    My Buick Musclecar book describes the transmission for the 63 Riviera as a Turbine Drive 2 speed Automatic hooked to a 5 element torque converter. That sounds like the final version of the Dynaflow. That Dynaflow was the precursor to the Switch Pitch 300 and 400. In 1964, the Dynaflow was replaced by the ST300 and ST400. The 1964 ST400 had a unique valve body and was not a switch pitch. 1st year for the switch pitch 300 and 400 was 1965.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynaflow
     
  17. Gary Farmer

    Gary Farmer "The Paradigm Shifter"

    I was checking out a 1964 Riviera with the '465' Wildcat (425 CID) back in the late 80's when I lived in Georgia...was a sweet car. White exterior/white interior with a floor mounted automatic shifter that showed P-R-N-D-L from the factory, along with a nice looking 140 MPH speedometer.

    Had a transverse mounted dual-in dual-out muffler behind the axle. Almost bought it, regret not having done so.
     
  18. lemmy-67

    lemmy-67 Platinum Level Contributor

    Interesting...thanks for the link. The Buick book I had never mentioned another option for the 1st gen. other than the ST400, which by definition was the switch-pitch...or so I thought. :)
     
  19. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    In actuality/reality the 1964 ST300 was the 1st. with switch-pitch.
    All '63 Rivs. & Full size cars had the DynaFlow.
    All '64 Rivs. & Fullsize cars had the NON switch-pitch 400.
    '65 & '66 Rivs. & Full size cars had the switch-pitch 400. This carried over into '67 for one yr. only.
    And I could type for hrs. & not give/come across the information/reasons why they went from the P-R-N-D-L shift pattern to the P-R-N-D-2-1 shift pattern in '65 & on.


    Tom T.
     
  20. TheRev

    TheRev Silver Level contributor

    In my 62 Wildcat the other mods required that have not been mentioned in order to adapt the ST400 w SP was to shorten the drive line and move the cross member back, source the appropriate kick down switch and bracket, source a new or used flexplate, and get either a mini starter or a 64-66 starter (the Dynaflow starter is too big), and of course run new trans fluid lines. I did not have much trouble gathering the parts needed thanks to this forum and Ebay. As for the transmission linkage, it is true that you will have to modify the shift gate and also find a new shift indicator lens for your console, I used a 66 Wildcat lens. Mine has never exactly lined up but I am the only one that drives the car so it is what it is. I think you could just buy a 65-66 Riviera shift linkage and swap that in for your dynaflow linkage to resolve this issue. The trans bolts right up and is a night and day difference over the Dynaflow. However, sometimes I still miss the Dynaflow on the highway if I am being honest.

    If you like the car, make the swap.
     

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