The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks 6-cylinder 3 on the floor

I saw a 1966 for sale that advertises a 6-cylinder with three on the floor. From the pictures, the truck looks pretty stock except for new wheels. Was 3 on the floor an option in '66, or is this a modification to the transmission?

Thanks.
Steve.

It could be a granny 4 speed shift pattern:

L 2
1 3 R

Or it could be another Hurst shifter hack job that was so popular in the day and really a 3 speed.

Thanks for the quick answer, Fried!

I don't know much (anything) about manual transmissions or what was available. It's advertised as a 3 speed, and from what you said, it sounds like it was probably a "hack job" modification and is certainly not original to the truck.

Does that sound right, that there's no way this can be original equipment?

I don't want to buy a truck that's had engine or transmission mods. I can deal with some after-market wheels, but I want the guts to be original. So it sounds like this isn't the truck for me.

Thanks again.

It would be hard to say if it is original or not without seeing it. Do you have any pictures of the shifter? Also look for evidence of a shifter on the steering column. Most of the hack jobs didn't bother with much more than removing the shift handle from the column. One reason for switching to the floor shifters was that the column shifters would get worn and/or dirty and malfunction leaving you in the middle of the road stuck in gear and not able to shift. Just the fact that the shifter has been messed with doesn't make it a bad truck to consider.

Wow, that's a good tip. So it could be a new shifter without necessarily a new and different transmission, or it could possibly be original.

I'm afraid that if I go look at it in person, I'll buy it! Since we're saving for a house right now, that would be wrong.

Since it's the wrong time for me to buy a truck, I'll go ahead and post it here and on the Craigslist_Links forum so you can see the pictures, and so somebody else here can grab this truck if it's right for them.

Seems like a good price...

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/cto/1635841870.html

Thanks again!

Steve.

That ad has now been deleted from Craigslist, so no need to click on the link.

Some old timers will call an SM-420 a 3 speed. It is a 3 speed plus low or Granny gear. But most of us normally refer to it as a 4 speed. As the pattern above refers to, The knob is labeled L-1-2-3. The sellers words got in the way of the sale most likely.

Thanks, k10. So was the SM-420 4-speed transmission available as original equipment on the '66 trucks?

Thanks.

For that 4x4 it was standard. For a base 2wd, it was an option.

k10, thanks. That's exactly what I needed to know. Apparently that one on Craigslist has already sold, but I'll know in the future that a 6-cylinder with 4 on the floor might be original equipment, especially if I don't see a hole in the steering column where 3 on the tree used to be.

Thanks again to you and also to Fried for your help.

Steve.

Usually the 3 on the tree wears out and easy fix is to buy a Hurst or other floor shifter. But, this would not mean it's a hack job. I've had four transmissions in my 46, if done right it's no big deal, floors are the easiest fix of the whole truck.
Never avoid at least looking at truck or vintage car, sometimes you strike gold.

An easy way to tell if it's original equipment or not is the location of the shifter. A factory 4 speed shifter operates the gears directly, and will have a long round tapered steel handle coming out of the floor dead center near the front of the hump.

On a 3 speed with a floor shift conversion kit, the shifter handle will come through the floor well to the left of center and close to the front of the seat. This is the result of the shifter being mounted externally on the side of the transmission behind the main gear case. Linkage and arms then control the transmission via the pivots that originally connected to the column shift linkage.

As noted earlier, a floor shift conversion isn't necessarily a bad thing. Factory column shifters were frequently unreliable as they got older, especially with youthful drivers that tried to speed shift them.

Markeb, I love that tip about the centered or the off-center shifter. Now I feel like I know exactly what to look for.

Can't wait to buy a truck.

This has been a good thread, and in an effort to keep it going, I'd like to add my two cents.

As has been mentioned a floor shifter shouldn't stop you buying an original truck. Look to see what options were added, Deluxe Heater, side mirrors, exterior trim, interior trim, gauge dash, etc., etc.. How many miles are on the truck. Has the wiring been hacked up. These things can be added or reversed, but that's time and money.

Woogero has put together a lot information at;

http://sites.google.com/site/woogeroo/Home/19601966ctis/info6066

Larry

Thanks LGriffin. One thing I need to learn is what was standard on these trucks. I know the 64, 65, and 66 were very similar in appearance, features, and options, but I need to learn the finer points of what was standard and available on each.

I'm looking at Woogero's site to see if there's a link to a page that lists all the differences between the different years. I haven't found that kind of database yet, but Woogero has a lot of links. Might take a while to get through it all!

Steve.

If you haven't found this link yet, it may prove very helpful:

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/buyers_guide_60_66.htm

And the following link to a GMC site provides a lot of valuable information for both GMC's and Chevys of this period.

http://www.6066gmcguy.org/GMCvsChevy.htm

Thanks, Markeb.

Very helpful, especially the stovebolt.com buying guide. That alone answers many questions.