We’re always excited to learn more about the inner-workings of the manufacturing process when it come to our favorite aftermarket parts. So when our friends at Circle D Specialties put together this video, highlighting the engineering and development of their high-quality billet front section of a torque converter, we were totally onboard!
Custom forged for Circle D Specialties in the U.S.A and machined in-house at their Houston, Texas facility to their specs, Circle D offers converters and flexplates for 4L60E, 65E, 70E, 80E as well 6L80E and TH350/400 transmissions. Naturally, they’re available in various stall speeds and customizable configurations to suit the needs of everyone from the hardcore drag racer to the casual enthusiast wanting more from their daily driver.
In this particular video, they highlight the entire process of machining the the front section of the converter, from billet aluminum. We get a firsthand look at the lathe process, from both the transmission and the engine side, to the mill process, forming the bearing, the clutch and the mounting holes for the flexplate.
While this video doesn’t give us the complete procedure of how a torque converter is manufactured, it does provide a more broader scope of just some of the engineering that’s involved in producing a high-quality product. Just keep that in mind the next time you make a converter selection for your drag car!
Rick Seitz is the owner and founder of GMEFI Magazine, and has a true love and passion for all vehicles. When he isn’t tuning, testing, or competing with the brand’s current crop of project vehicles, he’s busy tinkering and planning the next modifications for his own cars.
