Hey guys I'm looking for some advice so anything will help. I'm looking to buy a new ride or project and it seems like a lot of the ones that are for sale still have the ol' 3 on the tree transmission. I've never driven one of those before. I keep hearing people say that they suck. what are your thoughts on this one? Thank you!
Hell, I aways thought the were fun. Drove a lot of them, left the three and OD in my '57 chevy for 4 yrs before I started driving it hard and swapped it out for a m22. Just try it. Dad always tried to talk me into swapping it over to the left side of the column, said 1 to 2 shift was better that way (reverse patern), and back in the day you did not have to take your hand off your girls leg to shift. I forgot to ask him about which hand was on the wheel when he did that.lol Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Generally we say they suck, because when we were young, the 3 speed column shifters that we drove were 10-20 years old, and they were plumb wore out. they would stick between gears, miss gears, lever come off in your hand, etc. A nice restored, properly working one would be a pleasure to drive.
Agreed very nice and easy when they are fresh. I've drove a couple that were so worn it was pretty much a crap shoot as to what gear you were grabbing. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I have a few cars with them in it now, sloppy or not they work great. First thing is to remember it's a "H" pattern like a floor shifter, second most are slightly worn out so go slow from 1st to 2nd gear and NO angle shifting (pushing back on the stick before you go into 2nd) it will stick. In 1st go straight up (even pull towards you a little) into neutral, then straight back until you hit the stop, then straight up into 2nd (even push back away from you a little). It sounds bad but it becomes second nature and I haven't had on stick in 19 yrs.
I had a 62 Dodge dart with one. After a little practice I got down to less that a foot of space between 1st and 2nd gear rubber. At a 100,000 miles the car was junk but it still shifted great. I also had a 49 Plymouth that was a different story. It had a spring loaded set-up where you had to pull up toward you to get into low or reverse, but then it was a straight line shift up to 2nd, then down to 3rd. When that mess wore out, there was no way to make a good square "H" pattern and it would hang up almost every shift, I junked the car because of it.
The first car I ever had was a '56 Ford with column shift. It worked very well. I learned to speed shift it and seldom missed a gear. This was the type of shifter with the linkage on top of the steering column. Later I had a Studebaker Lark with three on the tree but it was the tube type of shifter which was inside the column and it sucked. Granny shifting was the best one could do. My '72 Ford pickup was the same way. Tube shifter and it would hang up between first and second. I finally put a Hurst shifter in it. So what I am saying is it depends on the car and the shift linkage.
I had a 56 Chevy with one. As long as the linkage is adjusted right it worked great. Trans finally went bad on me and I replaced it with a Richmond 4 speed and Hurst on the floor. Bought a blank collar for the column so the column shifter nub wasn't sitting there looking ugly.
They are fine, just make sure that you linkeage is up to par. We used to change them out to a floor shift when they got really worn, it was a good excuse. But 3 on the tree is just fine for driving around.
I loved the column shifter in my '61 Falcon. So much so that I transferred it to my '62 to work with the T86/R10 I'm having swapped in. Currently I'm driving a '64 Rambler and it's a less positive feeling shifter. So I have to agree that it depends on the car and the condition. I've heard terrible, terrible things about the '42-'48 Chevys and their vacuum-assist shifters.
When I was growing up a automatic transmission was considered a luxury so I learn how to drive with a 3 on the tree. As recently as 3 years ago I had a Falcon with a 3 on the tree and it was a joy to drive,,you won't have any problem unless the linkage is worn out,but new bushings will correct that! HRP
I had lots of them and agree if the shifter and column were in good shape, they shifted nicely. I had a '65 Falcon, '65 Belair, many Chevy trucks, '64 Galaxie.. that one I broke the shifter off in a 1-2 power shift, amazing I didn't break the windshield. GM used to sell kits to rebuild them, a lot of work in some cases. My buddy had a '64 Ford F100 with a column shift. Nobody else knew how to drive it but him. That one was totally worn out. Bob
My advice would be, if it has 3 on the tree; find a syncro loc or a comp plus and convert it. Nothing feels better than a good ol spring loaded real Hurst!
My wifes 64 impala has 3 on the tree. Has 118k and still shifts fine. Its different than most because everyone switches to floor shift or automatic. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
HRP, A kid I went to high school with had a BorgWard with 4 on the tree. He said I should take it for a drive and I jumped in and started in second. What a slug I told him. he laughed and said start in reverse next time. When I put it in reverse and looked over my shoulder the car took off and I got really confused, hell I still am.
i enjoy driving a 3 on the tree at when i had it on my dd back in the day until it crocked =/ i had to convert it to an out automatic because could not find a bowl for it ( before the internet became so popular ). i still have all the linkage along w/ the column
While everyone's getting nostalgic for the 3OTT, maybe this is a good time to ask a question: Anyone ever heard of using cables between the shift arms and the column? streetdreams is working out that kind of a system due to the engine setback in my '62 Falcon.
A friend did it with an automagic. I suppose that it could be done with a standard. Lots of braketry to deal with though.
I learned how to drive on a chevy pickup with three on the tree, I think it everyone should at least try it once in there life. My 50 has three on the tree with overdrive. when I have to shift my girl grabs my leg!!!
My high school car was a 62 chevy truck with three on tree. I thought it was ok set up. Every now and then it would hang up i would have to pop hood with engine off and pull it back to neutral. (make sure your on level ground when you do it or you will get run over). I rebuilt it with new bushings and oiled it little bit and it worked real good.
They are like points ignitions, drum brakes, leaf springs and bias ply tires..... Shunned because they are misunderstood but actually work great when in proper working order.
The farmer I worked for as a kid had an old beater C-10 farm-use-only with a TOTT. I was a technician with that thing, impressing the hell out of my 11-12yr old buddy's. Plus, I always got to drive, beat the hell outa throwin' bails on back.
You never drove a shit 3 on the tree system till you drove a Nash Rambler that had that ball shifter deal at the column...geesh...even new it was slower than a non sync old farm truck.... However, other than a a few like them, they were a real pleasure to drive as well as shift! And yes you could go thru the gears just as fast with them... As a side note, on dates they were far superior to a floor shift as well !! (When Parked)
My 40 Ford coupe had a Hurst shifter when I got but it wasn't comfortable to shift so I returned the shift to the column. It became a much more comfortable car to drive and even rivaled my favorites, the 42-48 Plymouths, for the fun factor, and with some work, a nice ride as well.
if you can find one thats not worn out you'll like it--------if you get one thats bad you'll have a little more trouble , but before long you'll be able to keep from getting it stuck & if it does you'll be able to free it up almost without stopping ( sometimes )
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