<VV> 3 on tree - another slight Corvair reference

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/17/2010 6:35:04 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
Vairtec at optonline.net writes:

What  kind of junk have all you guys been driving?  <grin!>

In my  misspent youth I did time in the previously-mentioned 3-on-tree 
Econoline,  a 3-on-tree '66 Chevy wagon, and a 3-on-tree '68 Chevelle.  
NONE of  them ever refused to shift nor did they ever get hung up in  gear.






My first car - back in BC (Before Corvairs) was a 55 Chevy 6-cyl (for  a 
while) + 3-speed. About the second thing I did to it - after removing the  
front bumper, was to install a Hurst Mystery shift to replace that 3 on the  
tree. The only problem with that set-up was that the shifter, with all the  
impatience of a 16-year-old behind it, was too fast for the synchros inside 
the  trans. I was regularly popping the synchos apart - inside the trans. I 
wasn't  very proficient at fixing them, I had a buddy who was, but I got very 
good at  removing the transmissions. I could remove the driveshaft, the 
shift lever and  the four bolts and bench press that cast iron sucker out in 
about 10 minutes.  After the third or fourth time, I started saving up the 
money for a T10 4-speed.  Much, much better. In the early 80's I changed out my 
tow vehicle 70 Chevy  350 - 3-Speed to a floor shifter. That had the 
strangest shaped shift lever  this side of an early FC. The trans was basically 
behind you. But it towed a  friend's Corvair all the way to the Seattle 
Convention, with only  occasional bouts of vapor lock. Climbing into Red Bluff 
California at  over 100 degrees with my buddies 69 show car on trailer behind 
it. I had to  hitchhike into town to get an electric fuel pump. If it had been 
my race car on  the trailer, it would have had a donor pump, at least! 
 
Personally, I prefer to use the 1965 3-speed shifter on my race car. Same  
basic premise as with the 55!
 
 
Seth  Emerson

C's the Day! - Corvair, Camaro,  Corvette