Still plugging away on my project. Gotta make a final decision on the tranny. Wondering if anyone is running a column shifted three speed in a 50s era vehicle, and how they like it for average driving. Thanks!
I used to love speed shifting my 60 f-100 with the 3-on-tree until the linkage broke. It really confused most people who assumed it was an automatic.
I've been using one in my 64 chevy c-10 for 16 years now. New bushinings down on the column and no problems, i would have to get a free muncie 4 speed before i even thought about taking the 3 speed out. Now an overdrive tranny would be awesome going dow the road. Think about that. Gary P.S. AT THE LOCAL CAR SHOWS THE THREE ON THE TREE GETS THE CONVERSATION STARTED.
My 20 year old sister drives her 235/3-on the column 51 chevy almost everyday.. With fentons and straight pipes.. Are you gonna let her be harder core than you man? I drive the car a lot and I dont mind it, even in traffic.. A manual is a manual, but that said it is nice to "set it and forget it" with the th350 in my car sometimes...
235 3 on tree in 50 fleetline here. I actually dig driving mine. Probably since I really don't take her out as much as I should.
My 51 Stude has 3 on the tree w/ Overdrive. Borg-Warner T-96, it's a great tranny used in several other makes also.
I've got the stock set-up on my 66 El Camino , 327 cu in and Three speed on the tree.. Love it and going to keep it just as it came from the General...
I am running a 3 on the tree with overdrive, works great, even my 21 year old son can drive it. Having no syncro in first gear works a little better with a V8 because you have a little more torque.
My wife's Falcon has 3 on the column and I am really surprised at how much fun it is. I hadn't driven a column shift in 20 years when we picked up this little car last month. It took me a few minutes to get back in the groove. My wife had never even seen one. Took her a couple of days to warm up to it. Functionally, it just has a long, deliberate throw. You can't get in much of a hurry, even on purpose. I thin it kinda makes you relax and just cruise. Kind of a switch these days. Highly enjoyable.
My '54 Ford is stock, 239 Y block, 3 on the tree w/ OD. It's fun and people look at you funny at the stoplight ( maybe I'm just funny lookin' though.)
Got three-in-the-tree in my 1950 Ford business coupe, 1953 Ford sedan delivery and my 1953 Stude Coupe. As long as the bushings and linkage are tight, they are great. Find an over-drive, you love it even more.
got a six with three on the tree in my 61 Dodge, I commuted for 3 years in that car about 20 miles each way, with roughly half of that being stop and go traffic. a 3 speed with a no synchro first gear is a big pain in the azz in those conditions. you can adjust them or rebush them to work well, but it was the non synchro first that killed the fun of my commmutes
Yeah, my is non-synchro first also. My pops taught me to put it in second and then first before taking off. Lines it right up. Mine's not a daily though, so I can see how it would get old.
Kind of rare factory full syncro 3 tree OD in my '67 El Camino with a 283" , really nice to drive.........Z.
51 chevy coupe 235, 3 on tha tree And one of the best thing about it, is you don't have to worry to much around here, about the younger crowd, nagging you to drive it!!! Shadetree
I got three. jams up going from 1st to 2nd sometimes, and slips out of reverse, and occasinally out of 3rd. I've tried adjusting, and it didn't work, so I'm assuming i've got some worn out shit in there. generally it works well though, and it's nice to have all the empty floor space. Makes it easier to have your girl right next to you too. that and none of my friends (except for a few car folks) know how to drive it!
That kind of stuff sounds a bit more like worn parts inside the trans., not the shifter or linkage. Although it is probably a combo of everything a bit worn and tired. If you got it in all 3 gears, you are probably due a major rebuild soon, trans. and maybe spruce up the shift stuff too.
LOL Boy some of you sound like it's really an big deal to manage 3 on the tree especially with non syncro. Hey it's what we all drove back then and we never thought anything about it. That's what we learned to drive. When you really thought you had something was when you put a floor shift on that same non syncro
That's what made me decide to keep the 3 on the tree/OD in my '55 Stude. It makes me play nice so I don't break things pretending I'm Ronnie Sox. Plus like mentioned above it messes with people that have never seen one.
Got the factory 3 on the tree in my econoline....love it...and talk about messing with people? When folks see me through that huge flat windshield shifting into 2nd they really get that WTF look.
Are you saying you haven't learned to power shift the 3 on the tree yet? Yes it can be done. I remember skinning my knuckles on the dash of my 40 back then power shifting to 2nd when it still had a column shift
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