Technical 57 Chevy with 3 Speed on the column and a gear indicator gauge

Looking at purchasing a restored 57 Chevy Bel Air 2400 convertible that is equipped with a 3 speed manual "on the column" tranny. It was restored quite meticulously, but it also has the gear indicator gauge that is normally found on automatics. I've asked around and gotten several completely different answers. Does anyone know if this is a restoration mistake or if Chevy actually did this?

 

Mistake. Sticks were blank where the indicator is.

 

what he said-have had many 57's

 

Parts are commonly available to install any number of aftermarket transmissions and, dash indicators to match. Unless it had a Hydro.

 

But a stick car should have no indicator on the speedo.

 

Two possibilities:
1: It was a automatic originally and was converted to a standard
or
2: The original "standard" gauge was replaced with a "automatic" gauge
(maybe the original gauge was missing or damage.)
in any case, it's a minor thing.

 

I don't think we know enough to determine if the "mistake" is minor or not. I believe it depends on what the seller is claiming about the car and its' originality.

 

Time to check the other meticulous restoration features ...

 

It was either a P.G. car, or the dash parts used in the restoration didn't "match up".
Chevy didn't do it.
Is the car a true convertible? Time to give a close look.
Can't you just hear an owner saying this indicator was a "rare" exception.

 

This! There is NO other reason. Look at the clutch Z-bar pivot point on the frame, it would be spot welded from the factory, if it has any other welds, it's NOT original. Someone could have possibly swapped in another speedometer cluster from an automatic car however. Most people would have gone to a floor shift with a conversion however; that's a lot of work to swap to all the clutch AND shifter linkage. No way, no how a "mistake" was made at the factory. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Thanks everyone. If I got this right, ALL 3 speed column shifted manuals would have the speedo cluster that has the blank at the bottom and no gear indicator letters. I will check the welds on the clutch z-bar pivot and that should give me a pretty good idea if it was converted or a gauge swap out.

BTW.... the seller is very open about the car's originality. It is being sold as a Fuelie "Clone".... The restoration is very good, but there are some details that are not totally original. I absolutely know I am not buying a 90+ point show car for Hershey, more of a beautiful piece of history with a checkered past......