When did GM start offering 4 speeds?

Finally found something.

http://www.348-409.com/1959factpage.html

On that page it states that the 4-speed option first appears....

Thanks for the input from all.

 

4 speed was an option for '57 Corvette. There have been a few cases of late '56 Corvettes with them, but not much documentation to back them up.

 

Your correct on the Vette but was wondering about the passenger cars.

 

Just went thru this verifing my 57 vette 3 speed close ratio. 57 vettes and 57 black widows could have 4 speeds. and black widows were sold to the public because of the term BLACK WIDOW, meaning Illeagal to race (widow) so they were sold as cars.

 

Might check this out
http://www.57chevyblackwidow.com/facts.html

from that site;

There are many rumors and myths. As more facts come in, this section will grow.
The reason there are no factory production figures on the “Black Widow”, is because it never rolled off Chevrolets production line.
These competition cars were also made by individuals and groups participating in stock car racing.


I'd say the '59 stands as the answer Vette not included.

 

I can remember brand new '58 s with 4 speeds. There is and engine code "CZ" that was for 4 speeds. This is not a Corvette engine code.

<TABLE class=MsoNormalTable style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 1.5pt outset; BORDER-TOP: black 1.5pt outset; BACKGROUND: #4076f0; MARGIN: auto auto auto 24.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: black 1.5pt outset; WIDTH: 84.72%; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1.5pt outset; mso-cellspacing: 1.2pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt" cellPadding=0 width="84%" border=1><TBODY><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 1.2pt; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 1.2pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1.2pt; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 1.2pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset black .75pt">1958 fficeffice" /><O></O>

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 1.2pt; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 1.2pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1.2pt; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 1.2pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset black .75pt">CZ <O></O>

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 1.2pt; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 1.2pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1.2pt; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 1.2pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset black .75pt">283 <O></O>

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 1.2pt; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 1.2pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1.2pt; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 1.2pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset black .75pt">290HP <O></O>

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 1.2pt; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 1.2pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1.2pt; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 1.2pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset black .75pt">Fuel Injection <O></O>

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 1.2pt; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 1.2pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1.2pt; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 1.2pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset black .75pt">4 speed <O></O>

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 1.2pt; BORDER-TOP: black 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 1.2pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1.2pt; BORDER-LEFT: black 1pt inset; WIDTH: 17.32%; PADDING-TOP: 1.2pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset black .75pt" width="17%">High perf. solid cam <O></O>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<O></O>

 

Where did u get that from?

I find evidence of that here at Year One.
http://www.yearone.com/updatedsinglepages/Id_info/gm_engine_id/gmidimages/impala58.jpg

 

My second car as a young man in 1962 was a 1960 Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop (lighter than an Impala) that was a dealer sponsored Super Stocker with the high performance, solid lifter, three deuce, 335 hp 348 with a factory four speed in it. Below is the only picture I have of it with my best friend standing beside it.



I've always heard that the four speed was an option in 57 but never actually saw one except for a corvette. I have personally seen a 280 hp 348, three deuce 58 Impala that came with a factory four speed

 

Back to original question--PASSENGER CARS-- I ordered a 1959 Chev. Impala 2dr hdtp. in 1959 from Kenneth Chev. in Hawthorne,Ca. for sum of 2800.00
At the time ordering, included tri-power 348 V-8 With 3 on the tree trans.----Asking about a 4 spd. floor shift, dealer replied----Later in the year, MAYBE, but not now!!
So, you can take it from there!!!---------------Don

 

'59 1st year in sedans

 

I didn't know they made a Bel-Air Hardtop.....Cool.

 

'59

 

Seems to me Chevy got them as noted in '58, Pontiac you could get one in '60. I don't know about Olds or Buick, but Buick I'd guess not until '61 and open drive.

 

'59 chev

 

I can remember at least three 4 speed '58 Impalas being sold by Smith-Hart Chevrolet in Idaho Falls ... my best friend's dad was a salesman.

 

58's..manual 3 speed & 3 speedw/overdrive sedans
'59- 4 speed sedans

fact

 

. . .

 

So was the T-10 that was available in '57, '58, and '59 an aluminum case T-10? Or was it cast iron? How about the tailshaft....aluminum or cast iron?

Anyone have a photo? I have a Super T-10 that's going in my roadster and I'd like to make it look like one of the late '50s T-10s if possible.

 

There is a guy around here that has a 58 Impala convertible 348 that he bought new. The car is all original and unrestored. It is a floor shift and I swore it is a 4 speed but now you got me thinking it might be a 3 speed with OD. I'll have to wait until the show season starts to get it out.

 

The earliest aluminum case T-10 I've ever seen had a 1961 date code.

 

That's what I was thinking...but didn't the early cast iron GM T-10 have an aluminum tailshaft? Or was it cast iron also?

 

have a Jan 58 dated 4spd complete with factory bench seat spaghetti shifter--have had it since 75---iron case and alum tailshaft--have 60 also and it is the same

 

Cool...thanks for the info. This may seem like an odd question, but was the cast iron case painted from the factory? If so, what color?

 

58classicchevy.com

 

I think a 4 speed is a good choice period correct or not. Some things are Ok to not have period correct, like a 9 inch ford, dual master cylinders...and in some cases disc brakes.

 

To the Best of my recollection in the Corvette in 1957 and in V8 equipped
passenger cars in 1959.

Back in the day, I owned a '62 Impala SS 300 HP 327 with a 4 speed, last
year for the T-10 The Muncie was offered in '63. Remember the horrible
sloppy linkage on the T-10 the Muncie was a big improvment.

 

My dad was working on a pipeline (he was a welder) in Iowa in late 1961. Mom and I were there and we went to look at new cars one Saturday. Dad always drove Olds so we naturally were at an Olds dealer in Council Bluffs. They had a 61 Bubble top on the floor that had a factory four speed. Had the spagetti shifter, no console, and was a very stripped down car. The dealer said someone in town ordered it but didn't like it after it came in. That was the earliest Olds four speed I ever saw. Some say they were not available in Olds, but that one had a four speed.

 

1957 vette and some 57 nomads,i had a factory 57 vette 4 speed, then you get a factory 4 speed in 58 up,take it to the bank...........richie.............

 

I just bought a 1963 GM T-10. The date code on the main case is E-20-63, (May 20 1963). It has a cast iron main case with an aluminum tailshaft housing, and side cover. I'm still trying to figure out what it originally came out of, (Corvette?, full size?, 327?, 409?, Pontiac?, Olds?). By the way....Factory Chevrolet passenger car shop manuals have a section on Borg Warner 4 speeds, as do the owners manuals, (along with sections on fuel injection too). So, both definitely were available in 1959 full size Chevys.

 

Started in 1957 offering Borg Warner T-10 with 283 with two 4 barrels at 270HP or fuel injection at 283 HP.

GM used the T-10 until 63 when they came out with the Muncie 4 speed which was a copy of the BW T-10 with straight cut gears and it was called the "rock crusher". The next model of the Muncie had helical gears and was much quieter. GM also produced a light duty 4 speed called the Saginaw which was used in cars with smal block engines. GM also bought the 3.03 full synchro (top loader) 3 speed from Ford and used it in various BOP and Chevy models.

Regards,

Alan