LWB 2wd truck with factory buddy seats & factory OVERDRIVE?

[Cap'n Hook]

Buddy of mine just recently picked up a 68 (I think) LWB fleetside with SPID that lists bucket seats, but has buddy seats (would buddy seats be listed as bucket seats?) and SPID also says overdrive tranny. Did GM ever offer overdrive tranny on these trucks factory stock? There's a lever under the dash about in-line with the ammeter that looks like a black plastic pull lever that says "overdrive".

Forgot to add: it has 3 on the tree and v8, not sure if it's 350 or 327

[oldblue1968chevy]

There was an OD 3 spd manual, I think its kinda sought after. Does the vin start out CE?

[toms68cst]

Buddy seats are what we call around here bucket seats with the fold down center seat. It's just a term we coined around here. They were the 67-68 style offered.

I don't think the engine would be a 327 as I don't think they matched it up to the factory overdrive. It would have to be a 307. The factory OD is pretty unusual on our trucks. Not super desireable but adds to the cool factor.

Any pictures on hand to post???

[oldblue1968chevy]

so 3rd is the od?

[tkeduk8r]

My uncle has an OD in his 69 (bought new) CST and according to him you couldnt get it on a 350 that year.... neat option IMO...
--Mike

[too much stuff]

Here is mine with the bucket seats and overdrive. The seats aren't listed since they were standard on a CST in 67. The overdrive wasn't available behind any performance engine. Mine was a 283 truck.

[54blackhornet]

Overdrive option in 67 was M10 Coat $118.40 Not Available with 327 V8 Not available in 68 with 327 or 396, came with 411 rear gear.....hope that helps

[CircusWagonJim]

Originally Posted by toms68cst

Buddy seats are what we call around here bucket seats with the fold down center seat. It's just a term we coined around here. They were the 67-68 style offered.

Since the 70's all the truck guys I know have always called them CST seats- was surprised to see all this talk about "Buddy Buckets". I don't get it- or do I want to sit next to my "buddy"- LOL!

[Cap'n Hook]

Originally Posted by toms68cst

Buddy seats are what we call around here bucket seats with the fold down center seat. It's just a term we coined around here. They were the 67-68 style offered.

I don't think the engine would be a 327 as I don't think they matched it up to the factory overdrive. It would have to be a 307. The factory OD is pretty unusual on our trucks. Not super desireable but adds to the cool factor.

Any pictures on hand to post???

No pics, but it looks just like the white one in your avatar picture, white with the black hub caps, and blue interior!

So, it's probably a 307 and 4.11 gears then? It has the oil filler tube in the front center of the intake manifold.

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by oldblue1968chevy

so 3rd is the od?

No, there is an auxillary unit that bolts to the back of the three speed trans that adds the O.D.

[oldblue1968chevy]

Hmm, what kinda mileage would one pull with the factory OD?

[Longhorn Man]

probably 10 to 12 like the average truck.
The stock overdrive was more to make up for low gearing.
A lame engine can feel stronger with deep gears (4.11 with a small diameter tire like the typical 1/2 ton) but then it is screaming at road speed, so add another gear on the top end. I'd bet a kick in the daddy parts that the cruise RPM would be somewhere around the same as the same engine with a 3 speed (or 4 speed, doesn't matter) and a 3.07 gear.
It was kind of the same idea as the granny gear 4 speed. 4 speed trucks (other than 307 small block ones) generally had the 3.07 gear (talking 1/2 ton here) It was driven like a 3 speed, but if you needed to pull on something, you'd actually use first. But then in final gear on the freeway, you were doing OK on the RPMs in the 2500 to 2700 area.

[Cap'n Hook]

Originally Posted by WIDESIDE72

No, there is an auxillary unit that bolts to the back of the three speed trans that adds the O.D.

So then basically it's a 6 speed, with the 3 normal forward gears, and then the 3 gears after each normal forward gear when overdrive is engaged, since this is a manual 3 speed we're talking about, right?

Basically no different than a split rear end in 2 ton trucks as far as gearing is concerned?

[too much stuff]

I believe it is only one shift after your final 1:1. You don't manually shift it in. I am going off a 67 ford i used to drive around that had it and you had to be doing 32 mph, foot off the gas, and than it would shift. Not sure if you hit 32 mph in first or second if it would shift or not... Not exactly sure how the GM one works...

[Nova70]

Originally Posted by Cap'n Hook

So then basically it's a 6 speed, with the 3 normal forward gears, and then the 3 gears after each normal forward gear when overdrive is engaged, since this is a manual 3 speed we're talking about, right?

Basically no different than a split rear end in 2 ton trucks as far as gearing is concerned?

More like a 4 speed.

[78bronzechariot]

I haven't ever driven on in a 60s truck, but I have driven a late 30s car with one. If they are like the older ones, they are centrifugally engaged. You pull the handle to "turn on" the overdrive then, you accelerate through first, second, and third then lift off the gas. Then the overrunning clutch disengages and allows the flyweights to engage a drum and engage overdrive. They usually won't have enough speed for the flyweights to engage until you are at 3rd gear road speeds. A cool side note is that with the overrunning clutch you can shift through second and third without the clutch before the o.d. engages. In the late thirties, an electric solenoid was added to allow a forced downshift out of overdrive. Before that, you had to downshift into "second-over" for passing and climbing steep grades, or slow down to the point where the flyweights would disengage.