last year(s) for three on the tree transmission shifter?

B

buickanddeere

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

What were the last year and models for GM, Chrysler and Ford to have the "three in the tree" shift?

 

M

molinebob

Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

I think ford still had them into the mid 80's...Bob

 

D

DeltaRed

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

Neighbor lady has a '80s f-150 w/300 six and 'three on the tree'

 

T

teddy52food

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

Aw, the good ole days. Three on the tree, or four on the floor, a fifth under the seat & a six pack in the back.

 

M-MAN

Well-known Member

Location

Bostic, NC

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

Ain't you getting a little old to be hunting a leg rubbing shifter? The gals are older now and won't believe your hand accidentally slipped off the shifter knob like they did when we were young. lol

 

O

old

Well-known Member

Location

Camdenton Missouri

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

I know it had to be way past 1974 since I had a Dodge van that I ordered from the factory with 3 on the tree

 

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

Thinking 1987 for the chevies.

 

T

toadady

Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

what's that extra brake pedal for??????

 

J

john in la

Well-known Member

Location

What part of in La do you not understand

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

Still have a 81 F150 with 3 speed on the tree and a 300 6 cylinder that I parked in the field about 6 years ago. Standard equipment for that year. The V8 or any other trans was a upgrade. All my kids learned to drive on this truck before I parked it.

Ford had them to 1987 (at least in the pickups) but the closer you get to 87 the rarer they become. Most of the column parts are obsolete and very hard to find now.

Took my truck in to get a inspection sticker about 10 years ago.
Kid says their insurance only allows him to drive the vehicle into the bay.
One of the best laughs I have ever had.

Kid in high school (72 to 76) had a car with 4 speed on the column. Can not remember the make/model of it.

 

R

rustyfarmall

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

(quoted from post at 09:33:55 04/07/12) Still have a 81 F150 with 3 speed on the tree and a 300 6 cylinder that I parked in the field about 6 years ago. Standard equipment for that year. The V8 or any other trans was a upgrade. All my kids learned to drive on this truck before I parked it.

Ford had them to 1987 (at least in the pickups) but the closer you get to 87 the rarer they become. Most of the column parts are obsolete and very hard to find now.

Took my truck in to get a inspection sticker about 10 years ago.
Kid says their insurance only allows him to drive the vehicle into the bay.
One of the best laughs I have ever had.

Kid in high school (72 to 76) had a car with 4 speed on the column. Can not remember the make/model of it.

Click to expand...

I've seen the 4 speed on the column also. Don't think it was any of the U.S. makers that had that option. Volvo maybe?

 

M

Mike (WA)

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

Simca had 4 on the tree- but when's the last time you saw one of those?

 

D

Dean

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

Mercedes made some models with 4 on the column in the 1960s.

Dean

 

S

ss55

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

1960's International panel vans had four on the tree. I had a heck of a time trying to back that thing out of the shed until someone explained that reverse was in a new place on that one. A shift pattern on the dash would have helped.

 

J

Jon Hagen

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

I had a small 60's something Fiat with 4 on the tree.

 

P

Paul in MN

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

If by "panel van" you mean the Travelall of the 1960's, I do not believe they had a 4 on the tree. I had many of those series vehicles in the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton sizes and they had the possibilities of a 3 speed column shift, or a 4 speed floor shift with granny low, and a 5 speed with granny low and a 17% overdrive in 5th. The bell housing was drilled to accept any of these trannys, and the swap was quite easy. All of the trannys were cast iron case and quite H.D. The transfer case was separate from the tranny with a short driveshaft from main tranny to T.C. The trannys were built by Borg Warner, and the transfer case was New Process 205 (gear on gear). They did have an automatic tranny option, and it was a Borg Warner. In 1972 they changed over to the Chrysler 727 auto tranny, it was nearly bullet proof.

Maybe I am crazy, but I loved those trucks, even drove my first one to Alaska when the Alcan Hwy was mostly dirt or mud with rocks the size of loaves of bread hitting the bottom side. There were IH parts dealers along the highway in the Yukon well stocked in wheel bearings and U joints. The road repair stations (dozers and Cat graders) were about 400 miles apart so any section of road might be graded maybe once every month or two in the short summer.

Good memories!

Paul in MN

 

W

wisbaker

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

I have heard and seen videos of American sedans with 4 on the tree, reverse was a separate lever under the dash. Saab and Mercedes both sold cars here with 4 on the tree, don't know about anyone else. The strangest I've personally seen/driven was a Fiat with 5 on the tree, if you tried to shift fast you learned how to cuss in Italian. They had a series of vans and light trucks with diesel motors front drive and the 5 speed. The Air Force had acquired a few for us in Greece to be used as "low Profile" (read don't look American) vehicles when traveling. Rumor is their decedents will be the new Dodge Ram Van. I think the last 3 on the tree for Chevy was 87- the last year of the Brick body style, I would guess Dodge in '92 or '93 when they stopped the body style used since '72. Couldn't make an intelligent guess on Ford.

 

Ultradog MN

Well-known Member

Location

Twin Cities

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

I'm surprised they went in to the 80s.
The last one I personally owned was on a 69 Rambler American.

 

A

andyinct

Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

1982 for Chevy - I drive one

 

S

ss55

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

This was a big delivery van like a UPS truck with dual rear wheels, no driver's door and a sliding door with steps on the passenger side. The construction company that I worked for that summer used it to carry tools and power equipment. The steering had so much play that it constantly drifted from side to side.

 

Bruce from Can.

Well-known Member

Location

Woodville, Ontario, Canada

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

My Dad bought a new GMC in1985 with three on the tree.

 

I

IA Roy

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

My uncle had a 2 ton cab-over Binder with 5 on the tree and a two speed push pull button on the dash. I am guessing it was probably mid 60's or maybe a little earlier.

 

I

IA Roy

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

My uncle had a 2 ton cab-over Binder with a 5 on the tree and a push pull button on the dash. I am guessing mid sixties or a little earlier.

 

W

wolfman

Well-known Member

• Apr 7, 2012

• #1

My 1981 Ford F-100 had three speed on the column.

 

S

ShadetreeRet

Well-known Member

• Apr 8, 2012

• #1

I have an 86 F150 with "three on the tree" and I think they were available for a few years after that. When I started driving, "four on the floor" was a double date at the drive in.