I've gotten out of no-seatbelt-tickets because my car wasn't manufactured with them. I wonder what you could get away with in this car. "Ish okaay, offisher. Drinking and driving wush a fackery option in thish car! (burp)"
I saw a '68 Nova with a four cylinder and what I believe to be a manual shift powerglide, like was in the Camaros. Also a neighbor had about a '73ish Firebird with a four cylinder in it.
The Chevy 'model-name' for that manual-shift Powerglide was "TorqueDrive". It was pretty much just a regular 2-speed 'glide transmission, but fitted from the factory with a 'manual-shift-only' valve body. If you ever come across one in a boneyard, you can tell the TorqueDrive from a regular 'glide because the TorqueDrive case isn't drilled and tapped for a modulator valve and the valve-body has the letters "TD" stamped into the side of it. It was a rare , but available option on low-line 4-cyl and 6-cyl Novas from 1968 through 1970. If memory serves me, as an option, 'back in the day' it cost about $30 less than a Powerglide automatic transmission. It was a rare - and relatively short-lived (only 3 model-years) option, because most new-car buyers simply sprung the extra $30 for regular full automatic Powerglide and also, because the only real difference was the valve body and the lack of a modulator valve, it actually cost GM just about the same to build as a regular Powerglide anyway. I've only personally ever come across one actual TorqueDrive transmission equipped car. That was back in the early 1980's when I worked for large, late-model auto wreckers. We had a complete, low-mileage, but absolutely stripper '70 Nova come into the yard that had a 153-cu.-in. 4 cyl., a TorqueDrive tranny and no radio even.eek The car was a theft recovery, from an insurance company and had no damage. I remember trying to buy that car just to use for a cheap daily driver, but for one reason or another, I didn't and the car ended up being used as a 'yard-car' for carrying tools and a set of torches around and it ended up going to the crusher just a couple of months later. Because there was no demand for them back then, I don't think they even bothered pulling the 4 cyl. engine or the tranny out before they crushed the car. Mart3406 ==========
I had a loaded 66 GTO with factory reverb for the radio. Had a switch on the dash to adjust the amount of reverb to the back speaker. If you hit a big bump the reverb would go BOINGGGG...
Nope, that "Ol' Timer" just didn't want to say "I dunno..." No Packard in that time frame had an automatic, ALL were stick shift. The red pedal indicated that the car had ElectroMatic clutch. ElectroMatic clutch was an option that would operate the clutch whenever you took your foot off the gas, ie: to shift, thereby making it easier to shift. IIRC it was also stated that it was possible to take off from a start with this system, but I doubt it. It could also be turned off by pressing one of those button along the lower edge of the dash. Cosmo
I have a friend in Florida with a 56 Ford convertible with factory a/c, power windows, town and country radio, 312, power steering and brakes, padded dash, dual rear antennas, and other options.
Another (O/T) odd one: my boss has a '66 Charger with a 361 V8 - the mid-level engine between the 318 and 383. Not sure how rare they are but every other '66 I've seen has either a 318, (mostly) a 383 or (rarely) a Hemi.
Don't forget the Mobile Director option available on 67-68 Imperial Crown Coupes. Swivel passenger seat, table ,and high intensity lamp.
Cosmo: Thanks for the straight info on the Packard red clutch pedal/Electromatic system. The .." manual transmission reminder.. " explanation didn't sound to plausible to me anyhow.. Stan
My 51 caddy hdtp had an automatic headlight dimmer that dimmed your headlights when a vehicle was coming from the other direction. Streetlghts also made it work. Our 57 bird has a memory seat for gettin in & out it & a kinda unusual two tone green interior. Cumberland & sage colors if I'm not mistaken.
One would think so shelton, but no. This is the best pic i could find of these covers. You can kind of make out the Chevy script on the valve cover.
Not a rare option , but a lack of. I have a 64 F85 Olds with no options at all, none ! The rare piece is back up delete plates in the rear bumper. I am the 3rd owner. The orginal owner passed away in 1988. I got the car from the guy who got it when the estate was settled. The car has 22K miles on it.
The Hemi was not supposed to be available in a 4 door but several were built to special order. Years ago Mopar Action found 2 of them in Kansas City. At least one of them was bought to tow a trailer. I heard since then, a total of 7 had been built. There was no reason the Hemi would not fit the 4 door body, they just never bothered to catalog it. Have seen several cars that fit the same pattern, a big sedan or hardtop, stripped, with NO options, except the biggest motor they made. Ordered by some old dude to tow a trailer. I had one myself, a 68 Buick Electra 225 2 door hardtop with AM radio and the high compression, 365HP 425 motor and nothing else.
Im not real sure about that... The one we had wasn't driven enough to figure out the mileage. I would assume if the motor was in good shape it would be decent.
There's pictures floating around on the net on how the Vegas were transported on the raillines.... On it's rear bumper pointing straight up.... Like hanging on a meat hook... Look it up!!!!
CHEVY VEGA VERT-A-PAC One of the most unusual rail transport innovations was the Vert-A-Pac rail car, which transported Chevrolet’s subcompact, four-passenger Vega import-fighter nose-down inside specially-designed boxcars. Vert-A-Pacs held 30 Vegas, versus 18 held in a normal tri-level autorack. The rail car doors were opened and closed via forklift. Chevrolet engineers also introduced some special consideration to allow the Vega to be transported nose-down. They included a special engine oil baffle, unique battery caps and windshield washer bottle that stood at a 45 degree angle.
"Chevrolet engineers also introduced some special consideration to allow the Vega to be transported nose-down. They included a special engine oil baffle, unique battery caps and windshield washer bottle that stood at a 45 degree angle." - Lurker McGurk I guess that was so that what happened (to be) in Vegas, STAYED in Vegas? BWAAAAAH HAAAAaaa haaaaaaaa haaaaaaa..!
Sounds like one of my friend's cars. In '64, his dad bought a Chrysler Newport, white 4-door sedan, bench seats, manual steering & brakes, 361/3 speed, on the floor! My friend still has the nearly rust-free car!
Sounds like RR/Bentley's "Bijur" one shot lube system. Please correct me if I have the name of that system wrong!
My 54 Buick Roadmaster has some pretty rare factory options... Power windows, power brakes, 4 way power seat, dor-gard, selectronic radio, wire wheels, and air conditioning. Most of these options were standard for the roadmaster, but the AC is something you don't see often on these.
My 64 Bonneville has a couple odd options. Map light, reel-up trunk light, and a "Autotronic Eye" headlight dimmer. Some people have told me this version is kinda rare. The earlier ones were a little bigger. I took it apart and got it working good. Had a couple of glass tubes like you'd find in an old guitar amp. Works great - now they dim for oncoming traffic, streetlights, and even reflective signs. Looks kinda cool sittin' on my dash, too.
The Jalopy Journal
