3 speed saginaw in 72 gmc with 350

[SnS C10]

I have a 72 gmc half ton im pickimg up friday. Has a 350 with hooker long tubes, 2.5 inch pypes stainless exhaust, dual flowmaster 40 series, edelbrock 650 carb with performer intake and a stock cam. Never driven the three speed saginaw. I like to drive fast and shift hard occasionally, how will this trans feel and hold up? What is the top cruising speed? plan is to covert it to floor shift as well
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[geezer#99]

They're a good stock tranny but won't handle a bunch of abuse. Floor shifters are available but are cheaper universal ones like Mr. Gasket etc. Hurst makes a 3 speed mastershift but no one sells an installation kit anymore. Not even Hurst. The sag 3 speed isn't a quick shifting tranny. Has long throws between gears.
You'd be better looking for a 4 speed if you want to thrash it once in awhile.
Sag and normal 4 speeds are all direct drive in top gear. T5 overdrive tranny can be used but are not super strong either. T5's are o/d in 5th gear.

[SnS C10]

So would the saginaw be worth it to convert to floor shift or should I just go with something else? If I go auto, it will be th400. Would rather stay manual though and the truck already has the saginaw in it
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[geezer#99]

Sure you can put a floor shifter in it but don't expect it to be a speed shifter. Depends what you want. T 400 could cost you a grand by the time you're done.

[Mustard72]

I installed the Hurst Indy floor shifter in my 72 C20 with a manual trans. I even adjusted the linkage to minimize the stick travel per shift trying to make it a hot rod. Its a lot better than the column shift, particularly the 1-2 shift, but it still isn't that quick. Plus, if you hammer the shifter around, the linkage bends a bit, requiring more adjusting, so I take it a little easier now. My manual trans is coming out now to be replaced by a TH350 so my wife can pull horse trailers with it.