engines for Camaro and Nova. It was available on the Nova four-cylinder engine, and on the Turbo-Thrift Sixes for Camaro as well as Nova. Despite its low introductory price of US$68.65 ($ in dollars ), most buyers apparently considered the Torque-Drive a nuisance to shift, and for a hundred dollars more they could get fully automatic Powerglide, making Torque-Drive installations very rare. Apparently, the transmission wasn't very durable, since it depended on the driver's ability to shift between gears in a way that wouldn't damage the unit. After 1971, Chevrolet canceled Torque-Drive and continued to offer Powerglide until 1974, when all engines could be ordered with the three-speed Turbo Hydramatic. Identification General Motors transmissions have markings to identify; Casting numbers on the case and extension housing. Powerglide transmissions were cast with the word Powerglide along the body Date Casting Codes Assembly Date Code Stamping - can be stamped anywhere... Chassis VIN Number stamping or "source serial number"- beginning in 1962 Prior to 1967, transmission ID numbers contained the plant prefix code, month and date of production (expressed numerically) and a shift code (D = Day, N = Night). From 1967 on, the ID number contained the transmission type or plant prefix, Date (coded below) and a shift code. The constants in decoding the trans ID number are the date the transmission was produced. Pre-67 Example: C213N - (C = Cleveland Powerglide, February 13, Night Shift) Post-67 Example: P9E03 - (P = TYPE, 9 = year (1969), E = Month, 03 = Day of Month) The transmission identification number or source serial number (chassis VIN) is usually located close to the transmission code. This number will contain a division identification number, the model year, and the assembly plant and production sequence (last 6 digits) of the vehicle identification number (VIN) stamped onto the transmission. Example: 19N500001 Safety issues The Powerglide used a P-N-D-L-R selector sequence through 1957, changed in 1958 to the now-standard P-R-N-D-L sequence. The earlier sequence had been criticized on safety grounds for placing reverse after a forward gear, instead of having neutral between reverse and the forward ranges. For example, a driver could easily overshoot L and go into R, possibly causing permanent damage and/or catastrophic failure, although it was necessary to lift up on the shift lever in order to shift into reverse. Turboglide From 1957 to 1961, Chevrolet also produced the Turboglide, an automatic transmission with