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Ford 3 and one half speed transmission

1K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  extech 
#1 ·
Anybody remember this trans?
 
#2 ·
OK, no bites.

In 64, Ford offered a 3 speed column shift with first gear synchro. (I'm guessing it was basically for 6 cylinders and 289 engines.) It was casually referred to as a "3 and one half speed" transmission. You could shift the car into first gear without coming to a dead stop. (You could also do this with a regular three speed if you knew how to double clutch. But, double clutching sometimes resulted in a nasty gear grind.)

As the 4 speeds became more popular, the need for a 3 sp 1st gear synchro trans died quickly.

(You could put this into the trivia file along with the late 40's Studebaker hill holder feature, and 4 speed column shift Datsun sedans.)
 
#4 ·
About 30 years ago, the rear end on my Galaxie went. I wanted to keep the 3:50 ratio, so I searched NJ junkyards.

There was a yard in northwestern Jersey that specialized in older cars, Kobers.

I found a 64 Galaxie station wagon, manual column shift, 352 engine, 3:50 rear. I bought the rear (Pretty sure that 3:50 was the standard rear for manual shift cars in 64. I think Ford went to 3:0 in 65, a big mistake IMHO. Chevy was 3:36)

I remember watching the junkyard worker on the ground removing the rear from this car that's been sitting for years and years. I just shook my head.

I wonder if that was a 3 one/half trans?
 
#5 ·
extech- My first car too, a Hilman Minx, 4 speed on the colomn, getting into reverse was a real exercise!
Loved the Minx, full leather interior, seat 4 people no issues,
Lent it to a buddy, his first date with a girl he;d chased for months,
showing off put a rod out the side of the block!
Damn, he still owes me
 
#7 ·
The Datsun had a knob at the end of the gearshift. You pulled the knob out a bit, and you could then get the car into reverse.

I had a helper's job in a body shop. They decided to sell Datsuns from the front showroom. This was 1961.

They'd drive a few of us down to Port Newark, and we'd each get a Datsun to drive back to the shop in Leonia, NJ.

One dark, very rainy night, I'm driving this POS Datsun up the NJ Turnpike, and the wipers and headlights go dead. Motor keeps running.

Still wonder how I ever made it back to the shop.
 
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