Just ran into a 3-speed overdrive, never thought I'd find one of these! I think I can buy it for around $200.......hard to pass that up, I think. I's the non- synchro, bout a '60 vintage, but heck, I learned how to double cluch down into first gear years ago
Plans HAD been to change out the 4-speed for a 700r4, primarily to get the cruising "economy" and lower RPM on the highway.........so this covers the biggest reason for the change.
Been holding off setting the motor in the truck, till I could afford the 700r4...not inexpensive for a well built one! Add in the crossmember change, lockup converter, TV cable, and it's a few bucks more, plus the shifter. (Lokar floor shifter had been planned, since the automatic columns and linkage aren't cheap, either)
This 3-speed means no crossmember change, and I'll probably look around for a second-hand 3-speed floor shifter for the time being, and hope to eventually find a standard column sometime. I'm sure they're more common than the autos. No fooling with the e-brake stuff, either, which surprisingly, is complete original, and working!
downside? well, the DW may not be as excited to drive it, but I can probably get her past that......she used to drive a schoolbus, after all, and they were all standards then! She was looking forward to the automatic in this, but, ce la vie! As for me, 2 pedals, 3 pedals, I don't much care, really! Saving a ton of $$$ interests me!
All in all, this will move the project along faster, since the biggest holdup is having the extra $$$ to do this stuff!
So, a couple of questions:
1) I've read up here on these OD's, and I'm going to need to wire it up,set up a cable lever, (which is not with it) etc to make the OD work, but will it function like a regular 3-speed until I get that done? what about the speedometer, will it connect right up and work correctly? Anything particular I need to look for in a floor shifter, does the seat interfere? Tanks for the help!