-3 on the tree question-

[F8-4life]

I drive a '68 318 coronet with a 3 speed column shift.
All stock car..
It is a hell of a drivng experiance and alot of fun.
Yes, I will walk the edge of sanity when I say, I almost think it might be funner then a 4 speed floor shift b body.


That being said, I assume their was a logical reason why chrylser did'nt offer a "3 on the tree" for a big block car.
Well then what is it?

They surly had 70 -71 barracudas with 3 speed floor shifts.

But I think the column shift cars were only available under slant or 318 power.

Another thought is that a base model 3 speed floor shift car was essentially an upsell based on the legend of a "4 on the floor", while using up overstock parts.

[Alaskan_TA]

Starting with the 1970 model year, you could get a 383 with a 3-speed stick in some cars due to a new transmission to the line up, the A-230.

The older boxes may not have been up to the task behind a 383.

[69CoronetRT]

383-2 three speeds can be found in various years of C bodies.

[F8-4life]

Cool info.
For me the column shift is best part.

[Aero426]

I drive a '68 318 coronet with a 3 speed column shift.
All stock car..
It is a hell of a drivng experiance and alot of fun.
Yes, I will walk the edge of sanity when I say, I almost think it might be funner then a 4 speed floor shift b body.


That being said, I assume their was a logical reason why chrylser did'nt offer a "3 on the tree" for a big block car.
Well then what is it?

I can understand why it would be a fun novelty to experience today.      Overall, it is somewhat clumsy and slow compared to a floor shift.       From a marketing standpoint to the youth, 3 on the tree is something you'd find on dad's or grandpa's car.   

[F8-4life]

It does have the advantage of being in natural eyeshot, and your hands/focus are always near the steering wheel & windshield.

[Aero426]

It does have the advantage of being in natural eyeshot, and your hands/focus are always near the steering wheel & windshield.

Hard to power shift on a column.

Like I said, it may be fun today, but it still ain't cool.    

[Alaskan_TA]

If you are willing to experience history of all kinds when it comes to driving old cars, life can be more fun.

I have driven a few column shift manuals, I thought all of them were cool.

[John_Kunkel]

I always disliked the old 3-speeds, column or not, because of the non-synchro low gear (yeah I learned to double-clutch), but with the introduction of the A-230 made it more pleasurable.

I've got a junkyard-fresh A-230 ready to go into my '57 Dodge column shift. Lots of adapting ahead.

[Alaskan_TA]

Looks like a B or E body unit, may I ask the partial VIN?

I picked up one today for a 1970 B-body with all of the specific parts to that model year intact.