I know Corvettes standard transmission was a three speed until 1970. I read some early 1960s Chryslers had them because the Torquflite was expensive and the column design didn't allow shifter there. GTOs had three speed floor shift as standard during much of their run. I hear Mustangs and Falcons had three speed floor shifters but don't know if they were V8s. It seems there was an insurance hit for 4 speed cars in the late 60s and some full size MOPAR cars had three speed floor shifters.

Ever had a stock three speed floor shift V8 car?

I ordered my 1969 Plymouth Road Runner with the 383 and 4 speed Hurst floor shifter.
It had 3 miles on it when I picked it up at the dealer.

PC

No, but my Dad did. I did drive a 3-speed tall shifter school bus for awhile.
My first car was a 4-speed mustang. After that a 5-speed Toyota Celica Supra. Those were fun cars to drive.

I had a ‘76 International Harvester Scout II “Terra” pickup with a V-8 and a 3 speed floor shifter. It was a handy dude.

Thinking about it, I also had a maroon 66 Mustang “grandpa edition” with a straight six and a floor mounted 3 speed.

In 1968 I bought a new Mustang. 260CI V-8 and 3-speed transmission with floor mounted shift lever.

Lots of 4 speed P/U trucks that functioned as 3 speed for 99% of their lives.

I had zero interest in a 3 speed and I guess if they were slightly common I ignored them out of hand.

Had a 71 El Camino with a 250 straight six and a 3 on the tree. Bought a Sparkomatic, "Mario Andretti" floor shift for it and converted it. Then traded some favors and my best friend's dad built me a 327 for it. Still had the 3 speed, no power brakes or no power steering, but I had a wicked 327 in it.

An uncle had a 1965 Mustang with a 3-speed and straight-6 which I drove from Washington D.C. to Williamsburg, VA in the fall of that year.

I remember the 3-speed being awkward to shift compared to 4-speeds, the reason being the external shift linkage on the 3-speeds of the day compared to the internal linkage of 4-speeds. The same applied to three-on-the-trees.

Edit to add an anecdote about the car: The seats were unbelievably uncomfortable, and after the 175-mile trip, I needed help getting, even though I was only about 17 or 18 years old.

Couple years later I told the story to Carroll Shelby and he laughed, said something to the effect that when he was designing the GT350, one of the first things he did was throw out the stock seats and put in "a pair of Ree-car-ohs".

This message has been edited. Last edited by: newtoSig765,

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
In 1968 I bought a new Mustang. 260CI V-8 and 3-speed transmission with floor mounted shift lever.

Not to nitpick, but the 260 cid Ford V8 ceased production at the end of the 1964 model year. It was used in the Mustang when the car was first introduced (1964 1/2).

Adios,

Pizza Bob

I drove a 66 Mustang with 3 on the floor. Engine was a 289.

I had a 1970 Cutlass that my Dad had custom ordered. We were in NJ and at that time you could order a very custom build. Mine had the V8 and 3 on the floor with a Hurst shifter from the factory. Had the police suspension, no power steering and a sport (small) steering wheel.

quote:

Originally posted by Pizza Bob:

Not to nitpick, but the 260 cid Ford V8 ceased production at the end of the 1964 model year. It was used in the Mustang when the car was first introduced (1964 1/2).

Must have been a 289. Reaching back a few years in memory. I do remember that there was more than one V-8, and I ordered the smallest displacement available.

I wanted it in red, with tan interior. Sales dude told me that tan interior was only available with yellow or black Mustangs. I insisted that tan interior was standard, red paint was standard, just order the non-standard combination of two standard options, if you don't want to do that for me, there are a lot of other Ford dealers. He ordered the car to my specs, and I took delivery shortly thereafter.

First car I bought after I got back from Vietnam was a 1970 Plymouth Duster with a 318 engine, three speed on the floor. I recall that the manual transmission was standard on the column but it cost me $10 extra to have it on the floor. It also cost $10 extra to get it in Plum Purple. Total cost was still less than $3000.

My friends liked it, and one of them then bought a Duster in Robins Egg Blue but had to go one better and got the 340 and 4 speed on the floor.

Then another friend, not to be outdone, got a Roadrunner with the 383 and 4 speed on the floor.

quote:

Total cost was still less than $3000

That's $24,284 in todays dollars.

Once got to drive an Aston-Martin DB-2, RHD. 4 speed, and of course you shifted with the left hand. Wish I could have found the money to buy that one, what a piece of art!

First car: '64 Pontiac Tempest LeMans 'vert, 3-in-the-tree manual (later converted to floor shifter) 215 c.i.d. straight 6 • Second car: '67 Pontiac Firebird 400 'vert, 4-speed floorshift (Hurst converted from Muncie) 400 c.i.d. V8

Had a 73 Nova with 3 on the floor. 350 motor.

The 67 Pontiac 2+2 that I have owned since ‘86 was originally equipped with the 428/376hp engine and the Dearborn three speed on the floor that Pontiac used as it would handle the torque of the Pontiac engine.

The original three speed came in the trunk as the car was a basket case. While I opted for putting a four speed in it whe I redid the car if the original engine had been there I’d have went with the three speed as only 146 full size 67 Pontiacs that year were built with that engine and transmission combination.

Unfortunately the three speed got lost years ago, stored at a friend’s shop and he passed away.

quote:

Originally posted by newtoSig765:
An uncle had a 1965 Mustang with a 3-speed and straight-6 which I drove from Washington D.C. to Williamsburg, VA in the fall of that year.

I remember the 3-speed being awkward to shift compared to 4-speeds, the reason being the external shift linkage on the 3-speeds of the day compared to the internal linkage of 4-speeds. The same applied to three-on-the-trees.

I have the 66 version of this now, with the 2.77 three speed. Even after rebuilding the shifter, it’s still kinda mushy. But that’s ok, I have fun messing around with it.

I had a 71 Plymouth Duster with a 318 V-8 and a 3-speed floor shifter back in the early 80s. It was the second car I ever bought and I paid $225 for it. Neat car.