My first car, a 1956 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan, had a Powerflite 2-speed automatic transmission with the push button selector. I inherited it from my mom and dad, it was their first car into the early 1970s. They stored it in a barn for about 10 or so years until I turned 15, at which point we brought it home and dad and I worked on getting it running again.
Took my license exam in that car and wrecked it about two weeks after getting my license. Took out a Pontiac something or other. I did a ****-ton of damage to that guy's poor car and wrinkled the finder on mine. Fixed it back up and drove it the rest of my time in high school.
Interest note, in those days there were no parking prawls or electronic controls, 100% hydraulic, so you could push start your car with an automatic. The spinning of the fluid pump in neutral would work backwards and spin up the engine when you pushed the low button. It was also technically possible to request reverse while moving forward.
You could fit 8 teenagers inside and another 3 or 4 in the trunk. The sheet metal was about 1/8" thick on that thing and you could stand, literally stand, inside the engine bay there was so little stuff and so much room. Mine had the 273 V8 with the huge oil bath air filter.
Oh, yeah, all the trim was stainless steel, not chrome. I wish I wasn't so stupid and still had that and the 1963 Apache Eagle camper my grandparents gave me and I sold.
View attachment 484118
