3 on the Tree "Have you?"

[sprdv1]

Kinda like riding a bike right...

 

[Bajabrewer]

First Bronco was 3 on the tree & I busted the column slamming 2nd one day- had to push in on the stick to make it work & I put another 10,000 miles on it like that before rust finally killed it. Also when my dad ordered a 73 Dodge Coronet station wagon with a three on the tree, 318 & radio delete he put down $100 deposit. The next day the sales guy called and said the manager needed another $500 deposit "because if you don't buy it no one else will". We had that for 7 or 8 years before rust killed it too.

 

[allenfahey]

My first Bronco was a 70 with three on the tree. Took it into PEP BOYS for an aligment. They told me to drive it into the bay up onto the alignment rack. Went inside and waited. They came in and told me I was done but they couldn't get it into gear. I got in indeed it wouldn't go anywhere. The guy tried putting it reverse with "T" shift transfer case shifter. Transfer case was in neutral. %)

The three on the tree shifter linkage was worn bad and got stuck in second gear and drove it home over 20 miles. Put in a 435 shortly afterwards.

 

[blazinchuck]

1st thing i learned to drive was my dad's 77 chevy C10 6cyl/3sp. no automatics, no imports...those are some good memories!!

i was able to apply what i learned then to drive my 1st 71 halfcab. just needed new shifter bushings and it drove great



i even owned a 71 nova with a 3 on the tree!!





wish i had every one of them back

 

[Pedestrian]

I've driven "three on the tree" since before I had a license, Grandpa's early 60's Ford pickup, Uncle's Early Bronco, friend's early 70's Econoline.

I had to drive it on the Dyno for the emissions test here in AZ because nobody there knew how ;D

 

[LOVNBRONCOS]

My 75 had 3 on the tree when I bought it, locked up in 2nd gear all the time would have to pull over pop the hood and unlock it. changed it after a month to the floor

 

[wdbowers]

first one I remember driving was a chevy van that we had at school for industrial trades class and I worked under the teacher for a while and he let me drive it on occassion, owned a 67 falcon 6cyl 3 on tree junior/senior year of highschool and I could shift it fast enough friends thought it was automatic. My Bronco was 3ot but when it goes back together it will either be auto or NP435.

 

[chuck489]

First one I drove was a Ford Falcon with a 289. It was a blast. Reading this post makes me wish my lottery numbers would come in so I can have a Bronco with that set up too ;D

 

[El Kabong]

They were still common when I learned to drive in the 70s. My 1st stick was a 40 Packard with a column shift. My dad had a 64 Plymouth Valiant 3 on the tree that all of us kids drove whenever our stuff broke. Everybody ragged on it, but we all borrowed it eventually. We thought floor shifters were cool & column shifts were slow & for old people. When my kids were little the family van was a 70 E350 Club Wagon that I swapped from an auto to a JY 3 on the tree. All of them had to be realigned if you shifted carelessly.

I learned to drive on a 1957 Chevrolet Panel,, three on the tree with the floor starter.

I worked at a hardware store & we got a 57 Chevy Panel to use as a delivery truck. The boss called it the Old Soldier. It was a three on the tree as well. Everything (Body, bumpers, rims, trim, everything) was battleship gray. It was a fun truck.

 

[bluesbish]

I had a 1980 f150 2wd that was 3 on the tree. it also had manual steering, so it was kinda nice to keep both hands near the steering column at all times. was one of the most reliable trucks i ever owned.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

i learned to drive on a 56 ford pickup 3 on tree, now a-days i have a 77 bronco with 3 on tree ...........shift great ....but is kinda a pita on long trips...i have the hurst floor shifter conversion sitting on the garage waiting to go on now soon as my floor pans are done

 

[rubywoofs]

My 74 is still 3 on the tree. I dig it.

 

[JGbronc]

Proud to say my first time actually driving a 3 on the tree was in a '66 Bronco! Funny thing is, I had played in enough of my Dad's old parts rigs as a kid, I knew exactly what to do! I've loved it and wanted one with it ever since!

 

[tmacstickman]

I learned to drive on my Dad's 77 F-100. 3 on the tree all the way! I can still hear my Dad yelling at me, "Easy letting off the clutch"!

 

[sprdv1]

I learned to drive on my Dad's 77 F-100. 3 on the tree all the way! I can still hear my Dad yelling at me, "Easy letting off the clutch"!

LOL, ahhhh yeah remember that too....

 

[half cab]

DE gears is jammed,de gears is jammed was a common yell around my house growing up as we had atleast three Trucks and/or cars at any givin time that had these tree shifters.My mother would get very upset when she had to drive'em too?:?

 

[sprdv1]

while I love an Auto, there's just something about driving a classic w/the manual on the column...

brings back memories for sure...

 

[bknbronco]

My first and only vehicle i drove with 3 sp column shifter was my 68 bronco! I still have the column shifter in it and drove it today!

 

[71massbronco]

71 Maverick. Was my sisters. I taught her how to drive it.%)

I KNEW we had something in common. That was my first ride, 71 ford maverick with a HUGE PS dent, three on the tree until we converted it to the floor. Learned three on the tree in a field picking up firewood in a 54 f100.

 

[TTTGOWYO]

I hated when mine was 3 on the tree.. It would also jam at the most inconvenient times. usually between first and second. When it got bad, I would have to pull over and beat on the linkage under the hood to free it up. I drove with it on the column for about 3 years. then hurst on the floor for another 19 years. Now it is being converted to an C4. Can't wait to get it back on the road and be done with shifting.