The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 4 speed on the column?

I was reading a history of the AD trucks on another web site and the statement was made that in 1948 Chevy moved the 4 speed
shift lever and parking brake lever from their location in the floor inorder to have more room for the center passenger. The article stated the 4 speed shift lever was moved to the column. Did Chevy ever have a column shifted 4 speed tranny, or was this an error or typo in the article?
I think what was stated would be true for the 3 speed transmission.

Tex the old stovebolter

I believe I remember one with reverse being hard in and up??

Thanks for your input, Gazim. Maybe you can teach an old stovebolter new tricks. I had an English Austin sedan some 40-45 years ago that had a 4 speed on the column. Best I can remember is reverse was back, pull out and down. Just never heard of a Chevy or GMC truck with four on the column.

Tex the old stovebolter

There was 1 Chevrolet truck that had a 4 speed column shift, the '61-'65 Corvair 95.

Tex,

On what website were you reading this information?

I think that information about a 4-speed on the column in an A-D trucks is a mistake, a mistype, or a misread.

The 4-speed manual transmission was only a floor shift during A-D years. The changes that took place in 1948 is that the three-speed changed from the floor to the column; and, the hand-brake (parking brake, emergency brake) handle changed from being mounted on the floor-shift to being mounted to the left of the driver's feet.

Hi Tim,

The web site I found the info on is Deve's Antique Chevy Truck Restorations, under the heading of AD history. I was inclined to think when I read it that he meant to say 3 speed rather than 4 speed, but I wasn't sure. The other specifications he gives such as engine size, horsepower,relocation of the emergency brake, etc. appear to be good. His site can be found at
www.speedprint.com/deves50/deveshowto.php
Thanks for the note

Tex the old stovebolter

Tex,

Deve has an excellent web site. Nonetheless, I think he misstated that 4-speed information.

Here is the 4-speed SM420 transmission, that was used in 1948 to 1967 Chevrolet trucks (introduced by Muncie in 1947 - it might have been used in some late 1947 trucks). four-on-the-floor.

Not in '48, unless one of those speeds was reverse!


Chevy had four speed column shift available in the late '60s on their "regular" vans - didn't think Corvairs did, but I'm not positive about that. I don't know of any Chevy trucks with four on the tree.

I think you're right about that, the '60s van rather than the Corvair 95. I could have sworn I saw it for the 'Vair, but the manual only shows the Van.

Thanks for the inputs and information from everyone. That's what is so great about this site--knowlegeable stovebolters willing to
share their expertise. My 1951 Chevy 1/2 ton has a flatbed and
set of duallies that I installed, along with a heavy duty 4 speed tranny. I have owned this truck for close to 40 years and have done most of the work myself. I had installed the 4 spped in it some 25 years ago, and when it went bad I put three on the tree back in. I recently had the 4 speed rebuilt and re-installed. It's good to know according to the link Tim listed that the heavy duty 4 speed was available through 1967. If mine goes bad again I'll look for another one. I had always thought
the tranny changed when GM dropped the torque tube and enclosed driveline from their trucks. You learn something everyday!

Tex the old stovebolter.

Thanks for clearing up my memory. It was a van I was thinking about I believe.

An interesting article on an engine/tranny swap on that website:
http://www.speedprint.com/deves50/doc/v8stovebolt.pdf

Hi Guys,
A fellow stovebolter in TN sent me a regular email note and said
that wikipedia had a good article on Chevy vans, and that a four
speed column shifter was mentioned. I pulled it up, and sure enough a four speed column shift was a rare option on the 1968
vans, according to the author of the wikipedia article. You guys
have good memories! Thanks for all who have replied, and I'll go with Tim's assessment that the fella that wrote about the AD
moving the 4 speed shift to the column meant to say the three
speed shifter. Keep the stovebolts running!
Tex the old stovebolter