3 on the Tree "Have you?"

[miikee73]

My sisters 62 chevy II was so worn out if you didn't know how to shift it you would never get 2nd gear,never,no second chance.
I had a 63 Mercedes with a 4 on the tree,worked perfect. I learned on a 52 MG at the age of 12.

 

[Madgyver]

I loved it. It was a tough decision to remove the "3 on the tree" I drove it all over the place in the green77 before the C4 went in. It was also in the copper77 untill the 4 speed top-loader went in. My yellow77 had it too. I drove it with it stock until the NP435 went in.
I miss it.

 

[Dannyboy71]

The only one I ever drove was my uncles 60 something El Camino back when I was just a grass hopper! I thought it was cool

 

[graniteguy]

High school. My brother had a 70's long bed f150.

Those old 3 speeds always seemed torquey. Its like they are always in the rpm power band. To bad the mileage sucks cause they were fun.

 

[Deano]

A few of my friends tell me to quit swatting flys when I drive down the road with my 3 on the tree but they have all wanted to learn how to drive it because they hadn't driven one before and I teach them and have fun with it

 

[Master Chief]

Mom taught me both how to parallel park AND drive a standard shift with a rental about 30 years ago....smart move on her part probably. Since then I've driven a few column shift types, had to growing up helping around the local farm lands. They're way more fun on the floor though.

When I was stationed at Pax River, MD. in the mid-80's a bunch of us barracks rats used to drag race an old 440 Plymouth Duster 4 speed at MIR....good times back then.

 

[half cab]

As a kid I learned on a 3 on the tree. '76 Plymouth Fury. Taught my older brother (who was teaching me how to do doughnuts) how to shift into 2nd while doing doughnuts. Both broncos I have owned have had wore out columns. Those SUCK! But a good working column shift is nic to drive.

The other week I was talking with a co-worker who spent a chunk of his youth in Australia. At one time he had a van with a 5 on the tree. I have heard of (but never driven) a 4 on the tree. I think that is the most we ever got in this country.

My parents '84 Econoline bought new had instrucions in the owners manual for column shift. Apparently the last domestic column shift was the '85 F150.

'B model MACK's gave a whole nother meaning to "twin stick"You had to turn loose of the wheel and grab both sticks and shift them a the same time to get the next set of gears

 

[sprdv1]

Owned several, driven a bunch of them, and you can keep them! Not a fan of 3-on-the-tree. Much rather drive a floor shift manual.

That's something I haven't driven, is the column shift converted to floor, bet it's 100 times better..

 

[sprdv1]

I loved it. It was a tough decision to remove the "3 on the tree" I drove it all over the place in the green77 before the C4 went in. It was also in the copper77 untill the 4 speed top-loader went in. My yellow77 had it too. I drove it with it stock until the NP435 went in.
I miss it.

It brings back memories for me, working w/my uncle driving to get us some lunch..

the 1st 71 I owned, had it, it's definitely an acquired taste..

can be fun though.

 

[FRANKO289]

i prefer manual , drove paddle shift but never manual on the steeringcol.

 

[Skiddy]

my second vehicle was a 66 F100 3 on the tree, i even drove it and shifted with a cast on my right arm. one thing about them if you get stuck going back and forth from 1st to reverse is easy;D i had a 60's something Saab that was a 4 speed on the column that was kind of odd also a 2 stroke.

 

[dube]

I had a girlfriend that's was like a 3 on the tree, I would jam threw her gears, but never made it to 4th.;D The 71 I have now has it. But will be removed for the c4 I got for cheap.

 

[highvoltage]

Have owned only one, a 67 bronco. But learned by driving my dads '65 f-100 and my grandpa's '70 C10 chevy when I was 8. We used to grow watermelons and I was to small to load so I had to drive. That first summer was rough for the stackers in the back.

 

[ncsubronc]

first experience with 3 on the tree was my dads 63 impala...not really sure what i learned on though. either that or his 72 c10. the bronco i just sold had one in it and the 66 c10 i'm getting from my dad to replace it is on the column as well. while i'm sure a 4 speed in the floor is fun/easier, there's just something about "stock" that i like.

 

[stock1970]

dont feel bad if you havent.. every time i decide to let a jiffy lube or the such do an oil change they have never been able to drive the 70stocker.. lol..

 

[sprdv1]

It definitely can be a Theft Prevention for those Peeps trying to take it and don't know WTH to do, lol

 

[70bronc]

I may be young (I don't know, is mid 30s young?) but I learned 3 on the tree on a 49 ford sedan when I was 12 (which is still in my garage, waiting on me to stop working on the Bronco). I have never had a column shift EB, but my last daily driver was a 66 Catalina Ventura with 3 on column. Its fun watching people's expressions when they see you drive it for the first time.

 

[Greg_B]

The first vehicle I ever drove was 3 on the tree... An old 66 PU we hauled the beagles in to hunt... used to love to drive that thing across the fields when I was 12 or so years old. I have owned a couple of other column shifts as well. Unless they are in good shape they shift like crap but if I were to build a stocker I would like to have a column shift... just for the novelty of it.

Greg

 

[Pearlcoat]

When I first learned to drive my dad had a 69 Chevy truck with 3 on the tree and sometimes the shift linkage would get stuck between 1st and 2nd. One time while trying to get it back in gear, and turn into an alley at the same time, I kind of swiped against a brick wall. Never really told him what happened that day when he noticed the scrapes on the front fender. If I had to drive a stick shift today it would have to be on the floor.

Master Chief - my friend "tests" his Pontiac G8 at MIR these days, that place is still making noise in southern MD.

 

[Krayzie]

I never drove a vechicle with 3 on the tree until i bought my 69 bronco, it was different but fun