Ford Liquamatic auto trans in '41 Merc/Lincoln- has anyone seen one?

[Tim Ayers]

While reading the Jan/Feb issue of the Antique Automobile, there is a story about the history of automatic and semi-automatic transmissions.

In the article, they mentioned how in '41 Ford offered their version called the Liquamatic as an option in Mercury/Lincoln cars.

In all my years fooling around in this hobby, I've never seen one or even knew it existed. Curious if anyone here has any experience with this transmission.

[TJ]

Tim, I believe there may be one on display at the V-8 Museum in Auburn. I recall that Jerry Windle did an article in the V-8 Times some years ago on the Liquamatic.

[ford38v8]

Liquimatic assemblies were recalled, to be replaced with standard engine-transmission assemblies at no charge. All assemblies were to be returned to Ford to be scrapped. At least one assembly survived, and can be seen at the V8 museum in Auburn.

[deuce_roadster]

My late friend and mentor Bill Steil in the 60s bought out 3 Ford Dealerships to get the old stock parts. He had a couple of new Liquimatic cases and assorted parts that a V8 Club member from California would buy from him each year at the Portland Swap Meet. Don't remember the guy's name. Maybe TJ knows who I am talking about. I think there were 2 guys who drove up this way each year in a tan 36 convertible sedan, the liquimatic guy was one of them.

[TJ]

Mike, that doesn't ring a bell, but I suspect that Jerry Windle might know. I'll see if I can find out.

[petehoovie]

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Mercury Liquamatic on display at Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum...

https://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/...ic-experiment/

[petehoovie]

With its special cylinder block casting required to make room for the fluid coupling in the Ford V8’s integral bell housing, the Liquamatic drivetrain unit was four inches longer than the conventional three-speed manual setup, and the radiator was relocated accordingly. Reportedly, only 744 of the approximately 23,000 cars produced by Mercury in 1942 were equipped with Liquamatic, and some sources say a mere eight Lincolns were so equipped. For reasons not completely known to us—though we’re guessing poor performance was one factor—Liquamatic was withdrawn from the market almost as quickly as it appeared. Whatever the problems, they were serious enough that dealers were instructed to retrofit all customer cars with conventional manual transmissions immediately. Meanwhile, the Liquamatic engines and transmissions were to be crated up and shipped back to the factory. However, one Mercury dealer in Minnesota never got around to shipping its Liquamatic unit back to Dearborn, and it was discovered there, still in its crate in the parts department, in 1971. It’s the very same one on display at the Early Ford V-8 Museum, and experts believe it may be the only complete Mercury Liquamatic unit in existence. The Ford Motor Company wouldn’t offer its own automatic transmission again until 1951.

[TJ]

Pete, great posting.

[Bored&Stroked]

Interesting! The unit doesn't match the drawing - at least the rear half. There is no OD on the example shown. Really weird that it had both a torque converter / liquid coupler AND a clutch? I kind of fail to see the point of it - other than I guess it automatically shifted???

[rotorwrench]

I think it was late in 1941 before the liquamatic was offered. The unit was bulky and overly complicated so it had bad teething problems. They were trying to keep up with stuff like the Hudson Electric Hand shift system which was also complicated. The Drive-Master came along for 1942. GM was also developing the Hydromatic in that time frame which ended up the the M5 Stuart light tanks for WWII where it was very successful after working a few bugs out.

Ford went to the Borg Warner electric overdrive in the Lincolns first and it was a sort of semi-automatic transmission. The halt of auto production in February of 1942 delayed any consideration of use till after the war but the Ford cars didn't get overdrive till the 1949 models were introduced. The delay was due to the scramble to get new models into production. The transmission had to have a reverse lock out feature to safely use the overdrive and this took further development.

The Columbia Overdrives were also available in the years that the banjo rear axle was in service so Ford wasn't too excited about keeping up with Hudson and other new designs. FoMoCo used the GM 1st generation Hydramatic in Lincolns after the war at least till the plant burned down anyway.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

Interesting! The unit doesn't match the drawing - at least the rear half. There is no OD on the example shown. Really weird that it had both a torque converter / liquid coupler AND a clutch? I kind of fail to see the point of it - other than I guess it automatically shifted???

A lot of Chrysler Corporation products had this same setup in the early fifties. It caused me a few problems when I built my first T Bucket using a "baby hemi" in the early sixties.

I remember the car I took my engine out of at the junkyard had a clutch pedal with "Safety Clutch" molded into the rubber pedal pad.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by tubman

A lot of Chrysler Corporation products had this same setup in the early fifties. It caused me a few problems when I built my first T Bucket using a "baby hemi" in the early sixties.

I remember the car I took my engine out of at the junkyard had a clutch pedal with "Safety Clutch" molded into the rubber pedal pad.

Those Chrysler/Dodge units had a torque converter in the mix. You could literally stop the vehicle in gear with your foot on the brake pedal while the engine continued to idle.

Coop


.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by petehoovie

With its special cylinder block casting required to make room for the fluid coupling in the Ford V8’s integral bell housing, the Liquamatic drivetrain unit was four inches longer than the conventional three-speed manual setup, and the radiator was relocated accordingly. Reportedly, only 744 of the approximately 23,000 cars produced by Mercury in 1942 were equipped with Liquamatic, and some sources say a mere eight Lincolns were so equipped. For reasons not completely known to us—though we’re guessing poor performance was one factor—Liquamatic was withdrawn from the market almost as quickly as it appeared. Whatever the problems, they were serious enough that dealers were instructed to retrofit all customer cars with conventional manual transmissions immediately. Meanwhile, the Liquamatic engines and transmissions were to be crated up and shipped back to the factory. However, one Mercury dealer in Minnesota never got around to shipping its Liquamatic unit back to Dearborn, and it was discovered there, still in its crate in the parts department, in 1971. It’s the very same one on display at the Early Ford V-8 Museum, and experts believe it may be the only complete Mercury Liquamatic unit in existence. The Ford Motor Company wouldn’t offer its own automatic transmission again until 1951.

I'm curious about the source from which you may have copied this very descriptive and informative article on the "Liquamatic" transmissions by Ford.

Coop


.

[mercman from oz]

1942 Mercury V8 with Liquamatic Transmission attached.
On display at the Early Ford Foundation Museum - Auburn, Indiana

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Those Chrysler/Dodge units had a torque converter in the mix. You could literally stop the vehicle in gear with your foot on the brake pedal while the engine continued to idle.

Coop

From personal experience... My father always drove Dodge Business Coupes for their huge trunks, as he moonlighted installing water heaters and forced air furnaces. I learned to drive in his Dodge Liquid Drive Coupe. It had a clutch and 3 on the tree. Operation of the clutch was optional, even from neutral to first gear, although that was just a bit lurchy. Those transmissions never failed him, even when he chained up a tree trunk to pull it out of the ground. The tree won the first round, ripping off the bumper. Second round chain to the axle won the war.

[Mart]

That was very interesting. Thanks for posting the info.

[mercman from oz]

1942 Mercury Sales Brochure
Notice mention of the "New Liquamatic Drive" bottom right.

[barnfind08]

The dealership in Minnesota was Pankow motor company in Wells. This was near the Iowa border.. I got a lot of parts out of that dealership. Left the auto trans..Greg Schneider from Minnesota and Bill Norton who at the time ran a antique Ford parts store in North Hollywood California took it. Those were the days.

[deuce_roadster]

I didn't know Greg Schneider but knew Bill Norton. Used to talk with him every year when he was at the Portland Swap Meet. It was always and experience! I always smile now when I walk past where his stalls used to be! He was a true wild man. There is a U-tube video of the sale he had before moving to Texas that is worth a laugh or two!

[woodiewagon46]

If you are a member of the V-8 Ford Club, there have been six articles written over time in the V-8 Times magazine about the Ford Liquamatic transmissions. Interesting reading on this monumental failure.