Does anyone know how long the 1959 Triple Turbine was, and if it was longer than the regular Dynaflow or "Twin Turbine" of the same year? Did they share the same torque tube and driveshaft?
'59 Shop Manual doesn't list dimensions. Triple was optional on all lines, so if the trans were different lengths, there would've been 4 different TorqueTube lengths over the 2 wheelbases. If they were the same... I'm still left wondering where the 3" longer wheelbase was taken up on the drive train.
Could have been swapped out from another year torque tube. 57-58 Specials and Centuries were smaller than the big series. I have two 57 Roadmasters here that I can measure, but no small bodies.
The only explanation I can figure is that the Triple was longer, the older cars shared the same wheelbase as the 59s did so that isn't it. The working Twin Turbine had a torque tube that was 45 inches from flange to flange, and the other one was 42 inches, and the bodies were both LeSabre 4 doors, so even though one was a sedan and the other a hardtop, it should be the same frame. So the mystery continues...
In reading some old threads, 2 different folk implied the 3T is shorter; that the frame holes to relocate the trans crossmember were 'farther toward the front' and that the 3T trans pan was square, vs. the 2T's rectangular pan. Still could not find anything even among the talk about 'back in the day' swapping of the 3T for a 2T, if the TorqueTube also had to be changed.
Thanks Mark, Well, it's still a mystery then, maybe it's for a standard transmission then. Can't see that either, but this is really strange. There is a twin turbine in the car, and the torque tube is 3 inches shorter than the other car's torque tube. The whole works is bolted together, and the springs are also stretched as a result. I don't know how that car handled, it looks like the whole works was driven that way. Now why anyone with half a brain would do something like that is anyone's guess. Maybe that's why the car ended up as scrap, who knows. All we know is we have to find the proper length torque tube and sleeve. I don't even know if this set up will come apart, it's so sprung up.
I can get you some dimensions off my 58 Buick Flite Pitch Dynaflow (old name for 3T). Will actual length and mount bolt holes work?
