The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-10-16
Oldsnobile Features
"Hydra-Matic Drive
Entire Clutch Assembly Eliminated Absence Notice
able Factor in Simplifying Driving

questionably as revolutionary in mo-
tor car designing as was the orig
inal introduction of the electric self
starter. Motorists who have had an
opportunity to learn Of its many adj
vantages have been quick to ap-
preciate its Importance and its con-
tribution to the simplification of
driving,
Simplicity also marks the con-
struction of the Hydra Matte Drive.
In brief, it consists Of a liquid fly
wheel teamed wit ha fully auto
matte transmission. The principle |
of the liquid flywheel teamed with
a fully automatic transmission. |
The principle of the liquid f1ywheel,
of course, has been common know
ledge among engineers for SO years. |
Its advantages, however, have
awaited the ability of engineers to
combine the liquid hywheel with an
automatic transmission-thuS elm
mating the entire clutch assembly,
including the clutch pedal itself.
Oldsmobile engineers have succeed
ed in effecting the marriage" mad
Hydra-Matic Drive Is the result.
This result, however, was obtained
only after many years Of intensive
study and work on the problem.
The absence of clutch and clutch
pedal, and the ability of the car to
shift for itself" back and forth
through four speed ranges, is a
most noticeable factor in the in
PRODUCTION of simplified driving.
With the clutch pedal eliminated,
the left foot has no duty other than
to operate the headligh beam but
ton during night driving. The right
foot controls the accelerator and the
brake as in the past.
There is nothing new to learn in
order to drive the new Oldsmobile
equipped with Hydra-Matic Drive.
In fact there is much less to know
and do.
The operator simply steps on the
starter, moves the lever under the
steering wheel from neutral" to
Hi" forward position, and steps on
the accelerator. The car then moves
forward smoothly, making its own
gear changes from first to second to
third and, whe nit reaches % miles
per hour, it automatically enters
fourth speed. Because of this flexi-
bility and automatic gear changing,
practically all driving is done with
the lever in Hi" position. There is
little use for 'Lo" and it is used
only in deep sand or mud or when
descending steep mountain grades,
where it is desired to operate the
car in constant low gear.
AS result, the pressure Of the
foot on the accelerator governs every
speed desired of the car, from less
than mile an hour to full throttle.
With the Hydra Matte Drive spec
ial pickup" gear Is available for
quick acceleration, as in passing
slower moving vehicles on the high
way. This function is performed by
pressing the accelerator all the way
ldown-whereupon gears are changed
automatically from fourth to third.
Dramatic indeed Is the demonstra-
| t1O1I VI A1CAAbAAAty nAkOAd Wy tAAC PC1
Torrance of Hydra-Matic drive on
a tseep hill. The new Ooldsmobile
can be driven up the steepest grade,
brought to q stop and held there
without the use of a brake. Here
the car is held by a fraction of the
power of the motor applied through
the liquid coupling. There is no wear
o rinjury resulting from this func-
ton. From this complete stop on
a hill, slight pressure on the acceler-
ator causes the car to climb smooth
ly upward. In this, or any other
performance, there Is no possible
chance Of stalling the engine because
it is constantly in gear.
The advantages of the liquid coup
ling when combined with automatic
transmission, as compared with
transmission and mechanical clutch,
are so immense that there is liter