More Desirable: 3 On The Tree or Automatic

[Russ.W.]

3 on the tree for me. Love it. Don't have my C10 yet, but the work vehicle it is replacing was 3OTT. Had it for 5 years until it died on me on the first day back at work this year after the Christmas break.



I've always preferred manual over automatic transmissions, and there is something calming about driving 3OTT. Hard to explain it, but I just love it.

[BluTrukker]

3OTT no question. I taught the wife to drive stick on my little 4 spd beater car. She wanted to try the 3OTT so I let her and she thinks its easier to drive than 4 on the floor! If you drive 50 miles a day at 70+ mph, I would probably say auto though.

[kcsa75]

I vote for the automatic, but I'm lazy.

When I was younger everyone wanted a stick but it had to be on the floor. Three on the tree was for old ladies!

[sstone69]

3 OTT for me, it really makes you pay attention to driving the truck. Plus you can start it on a hill without the starter. I will be glad when I get mine fixed, I need to get my 3 speed fix !

[Hubscrub]

I miss my truck in it original form. It was a long bed, 3ott, 6cyl i must say the 700r4 and 350 swap was a mistake. It's a swb now but i already had the frame so i built it on it. but the 6cyl and 3 speed i dearly miss, i still have the trans though.

[mikeoj]

Nothin is better than cruisin around with A 70 C-10 250/3ott.If I had to explain ,you just wouldn't understand.

[midniteblues]

3ott for me only wish there is a better od for it (besides the oe or gv od)
If anybody remembers a thread I started awhile ago
(what about five on the tree) Its still in my mind but after seeing another members four ott setup I kinda feel thats so much more acomplishable and i just may go that rout in the future

I'm just not a auto kinda person

[99-LS1-SS]

I took the 3OTT and the 307 out and I'm putting a 4L80E behind a 502. The last 3 cars I've had have been manual transmissions and I want something that I can cruise effortlessly in now. If I get a sports car I'll go with a manual transmission otherwise, I will take an auto.

[young grasshoppa]

I'd prefer an auto over my 3OTT, especially with manual steering.

[kcfirstbuild]

3 OTT, my 68 has it. When I went to buy it I had no clue how to drive it. Like it was said before I would rather have something the younger kids will go "What is that ! " Same reason I'm keeping my Ram assisted power steering.

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

One more thing to consider. If you like having your girl sit on the bench sear right next to you, that's a little harder with a manual transmission
Posted via Mobile Device

Not with a 3 speed "on the column"...

I just sold my resotred 71 GMC. It had a sweet shifting 3 OTT. We only built it like that because it was original and working. IMO, one is not "more desirable" than the other. It depends on each person's preference, what type of build and how the truck is used. For example, I think an old beater shop truck with a 3 OTT is cool. It's not as practical in a daily driver, though.

[Z10]

I learned to drive a 62 Chevy Biscayne with 3 OTT, then a 68 Z/28 4-speed, followed by a 73 Vega 4 speed (POS), then a 76 Mazda Cosmo 5-speed, 79 Mazda RX7 5 speed, well you get the picture. It wasn't until I was 30 did I even own an automatic. Currently my 69 Camaro, Mazda RX8 and my C6 Corvette have manual transmissions.

When my daughters first started driving about 10 years ago, I was determined that they would learn to drive a stick, so they both learned on a Mazda Miata. Both of them came home at different times with big grins on their faces when several of the boys at their high school learned that they were driving sticks and they didn't know how. Started calling them "girly boys".

Real men and real women, drive manuals.

[blasher]

I love my 3OTT. It's one of reasons why I bought my truck when I found it. My dad's first truck was a Chevy Panel with a 3OTT, so I like that connection. It just seems like an appropriate transmission on these old trucks, and the shifter for manuals definitely belong up on the column by the wheel where your hands are. Even though it's only a 3 speed (SM 330 HD) with no OD, I still get 16.5 mpg highway with my V8 and 3.08 differential. And that mileage is GPS confirmed!

[Vintage Windmills]

curious if you guys that like a 250/3OTT have driven a 350/3OTT? Would that be a pretty rare combo? Seems like if they didn't spring for a 4spd or auto, they probably didn't opt for a V8 either.

Is it just an upper midwest thing or are 3OTT generally hard to find in LWB trucks?

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

curious if you guys that like a 250/3OTT have driven a 350/3OTT? Would that be a pretty rare combo? Seems like if they didn't spring for a 4spd or auto, they probably didn't opt for a V8 either.

Is it just an upper midwest thing or are 3OTT generally hard to find in LWB trucks?

Back in the 90's my brother had a 72 lwb custom 10 with a 307 30tt and 3.73 gears. It ran pretty good stock. He pulled the 3ott for a 2004r and swapped the cast itron intake a 2 bll for an Edelbrock Performer and 600 cfm Holley vacuum secondary carb. He also swapped in a mild RV type torque cam. It really woke it up and he pulled down low 20 mpgs on the highway.

I was loooking at buying a 72 Cheyenne Super on here and originally it came with a 350, 3ott and 3.07 gears. I was told by the owner that 307's got 3.73 rear gears and 350's got 3.07 gears...

[1moretime]

3 on the tree for me. Took my daughter for a ride the other day and asked her if she wanted to learn how to drive it. She said no, afraid she'd wreck it.
Back in the day it was was so much easier when you went to shift to third and your hand slipped off and you brushed you girl friends leg. can't hardly do that with a auto.

[Mayo]

My brother has a 71 307/3OTT and its a fun truck to drive.

[PanelDeland]

Originally Posted by GMCJOE

I personally will take an auto over a 3 OTT. Driven them in many different applications. But I would take a 4 speed standard over that any day. And if we go custom, thru in a 5 or 6 speed.

I love a manual trans mission, but I have stayed deployed to often and the wife can't drive a standard like most people now days. From my experience, a husband should never try to teach a wife how to either. There was a many of cuss words coming from her mouth....lol Probably didn't help she was pregnant at the time either.


Auto over 3 OTT!

I would like to see pics.If you aint got pics it didn't happen.I don't really think a pregnant woman can fit behind the wheel of one.

[PanelDeland]

Originally Posted by Russ.W.

3 on the tree for me. Love it. Don't have my C10 yet, but the work vehicle it is replacing was 3OTT. Had it for 5 years until it died on me on the first day back at work this year after the Christmas break.



I've always preferred manual over automatic transmissions, and there is something calming about driving 3OTT. Hard to explain it, but I just love it.

I wish I could get one of those.Isn't that a Holden "Ute"?

[flashed]

I have our version of that ,mine is a 72 El Camino SS but that is a neat looking ride .

[Russ.W.]

Originally Posted by PanelDeland

I wish I could get one of those. Isn't that a Holden "Ute"?

Indeed it is. 1974 Holden HQ Ute. 202 (straight 6). 3OTT. The aftermarket brake-assist you'll notice in front of the rear wheel (more commonly known as a brick), was a custom mod of mine. Very much needed to stay put on those hills!

Loved it. Still love it, and miss the hell out of it. I'd slowly rebuilt the drivetrain over the past few years, starting with the diff 3 years ago, then the gearbox a year later. The donk was next on the list, but it gave way before I could get to it. Unfortunately it was soon due for registration and with the amount of rust throughout, it wouldn't have passed. I couldn't afford what it would take to get it roadworthy + rebuild/replace the engine - and the whole was not greater than the sum of it's parts, financially - so I parted it out.

That money went towards my very first, and long desired, 1967 C10. Should be here by Christmas


Staying on topic ... I love 3 on the tree. For me there was something calming about it. Hard to explain, but I'm weird like that - so maybe that's all the explanation needed?

I've always hated auto's, (even though I own 2). They're boring. I enjoy driving, regardless if it's an interstate roadtrip or daily commute in peak hour traffic. I love all of it because of the car I'm driving, plus I'm a big fan of bench seats in pickups/utes - that's where 3OTT comes in. You get the space/leg room of the column shift, and the personal connection & road feel from your driving that automatic transmissions just can't offer.

I highly doubt 3OTT would be ideal in a performance application - but daily drivers/cruisers? I find it hard to beat.

[blkcorvair]

love the 3 OTT. I can see old timers explaining it to younger ones in cars behind me when they notice me shift. Just dont see it anymore.

[Gokart Mozart]

Originally Posted by midniteblues

3ott for me only wish there is a better od for it (besides the oe or gv od)
If anybody remembers a thread I started awhile ago
(what about five on the tree) Its still in my mind but after seeing another members four ott setup I kinda feel thats so much more acomplishable and i just may go that rout in the future

I'm just not a auto kinda person

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard//...d.php?t=177337
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=249945
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ghlight=toyota

[midniteblues]

Originally Posted by Gokart Mozart

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard//...d.php?t=177337
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=249945
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ghlight=toyota

thanks for the cool links just shows it can be done. I cant find the build I was refering too but I know its in this site somewhere. the fell'a really went all out with hiem joints on his linkage it was set up really nice and he used a saginaw(think cause its what he had)

[GRX]

Of the two, automatic is definitely more desirable in the larger community. Changed my 3-OTT over to a Hurst floor shifter. Best thing I ever did to the truck.