I looked at an available '66 Chevelle SS 396 today...same owner last 20 years...Has the 138 VIN...bone stock split bench seat with 3 on the tree...the 396 was supposedly pulled years ago and replaced with a 350...still has all the 396 badging.
I'm considering buying this car, but want to make sure is a true 396 car...could you get an SS with coulumn shift 3 speed in '66?
Thanks,
SC

I've never heard of one, but I do know where there is a 1966 Super Sport with a column shift powerglide transmission and bench seats. It was used as a family car. I suppose anything is possible.

I say it didn't happen, but what do the codes on the trim tag read? Unless the car was assembled in Baltimore or Fremont, the tag will tell you what the original transmission was.

A bench seat or bucket seats with no console, and Powerglide, would have a column shift. All others would have floor or console mounted shifters. A 66 SS396 came standard with a floor shifted heavy duty 3-spd. The 396 was not available with the standard 3-spd that included the column shifter. You should look at the transmission in this car.

Back in '66 a friend ordered a new L34 396 Chevelle with the HD three speed. It was a floor shift. Someone said that it was a Ford Dearborn transmission. Don't know for sure myself. It was still working fine after 90K miles of abuse.

I don't know if this means anything, but I think I remember riding in a friend's 64 or 65 with a 6 banger and three on the tree....but the unusual thing is I'd swear I remember seeing SS badges on this car.

I wonder if it was an SS with a 6 banger and the guy put on 396 trim?

Steve

my car was originally a 6 banger w/ 3 on the tree... 71

my car was originally a 6 banger w/ 3 on the tree... 71


And this relates to the original post how???



Rocky

I don't know if this means anything, but I think I remember riding in a friend's 64 or 65 with a 6 banger and three on the tree....but the unusual thing is I'd swear I remember seeing SS badges on this car.

I wonder if it was an SS with a 6 banger and the guy put on 396 trim?

Steve

64 and 65 the SS option was available with the 6 cyl but the '66 138 SS had one engine, the 396. As far as I know the 3-speed floor shift was standard and the 4-speeds were optional. Powerglide automatic could be floor or column shifted.

66-67 heavy duty 3 speed on the floor was muncie 3 speed.

It's the super-RARE, 1 of 1, factory exec ordered, $5 million dollar Barrett-Jackson special, scarcest Chevelle ever!!! :D

Relates to Conversation.

I knew the standard trans for a SS396 was a three speed, I just didn't know that it was on the floor. Three on the tree isn't stock?

Relates to Conversation.

Good, I'm sure you will appreciate the value of conversation whenever you might be inclined to ask a question specific about your car and everyone randomly states things about a car five years older than the one asked about :thumbsup:





And to the original poster, remember the car was Twenty+ years old when the owner of the car who has it now got it. Lots of things could have been done to that car. I'm no expert by any means, but I have been researching info on the 66 for the last Nine years, because that is the year of car I own, and the year that interest me the most.

I have never heard of an 138 car (SS) having a column shift. But the 3 speed was standard and I suppose someone could have had a column shift installed because they didn't want a floor shift. I would look to see if there had been a floor shifter at one time on the trans tunnel. I can't conger a guess as to what has been done, but my best educated guess is that if it is indeed a 138 car it didn't come from the factory with 3 on the tree.


Rocky

could you get an SS with coulumn shift 3 speed in '66?

Read the following thread and decide for yourself:

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199198

Read the following thread and decide for yourself:

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199198

And again this is a thread about 65's not 66. there was many things you could get 64-65 as an option package that changed in 66 when the 138 VIN became a model specific ie SS396 and not an option package.


Rocky

And again this is a thread about 65's not 66. there was many things you could get 64-65 as an option package that changed in 66 when the 138 VIN became a model specific ie SS396 and not an option package.


Rocky

Puff, puff, pass!

And this relates to the original post how???



Rocky

first of all... it wasn't even your thread to begin with
second of all... i think you are a jerk
third... i now know why you are such a jerk, i see you are an elevator guy ,and being in the construction world as i am, i have found that all elevator guys are prima donnas!!!
get over yourself, you are not that great person you think you are!!!

:noway: :noway: :noway:

And again this is a thread about 65's not 66. there was many things you could get 64-65 as an option package that changed in 66 when the 138 VIN became a model specific ie SS396 and not an option package.


Rocky

Sorry, but the main point that I was trying to make was that you could get whatever you wanted as long as the salesman was willing to sell it.
Frank

I had a 53 Ford with three on the tree :D

lol

Another thought occurred to me concerning this 3-on-the-tree column. It is well known that big blocks required a bolt-on steering coupler on the column. The only known application with a bolt-on coupler for small and big blocks is the tilt column. This manual shift column probably does not have the required steering coupler for a big block.

If this column does appear to be original to the body, you should double check the VIN and trim tag installations to make sure some tag switching or rebodying has not occurred. Sorry, I'm just skeptical. Something has been changed in last 42 years besides the engine.

first of all... it wasn't even your thread to begin with
second of all... i think you are a jerk
third... i now know why you are such a jerk, i see you are an elevator guy ,and being in the construction world as i am, i have found that all elevator guys are prima donnas!!!
get over yourself, you are not that great person you think you are!!!

:noway: :noway: :noway:


As I said before how does that relate to the original question?

Oh I see the answer now, I guess as a construction guy your pissed because elevator men do everything thats done in the construction world better than you can, and get paid better for it to boot:thumbsup:


I'm done here.


Rocky

Sorry, but the main point that I was trying to make was that you could get whatever you wanted as long as the salesman was willing to sell it.
Frank


Thats highly possible. you could have things done at the dealer then, that you couldn't even think about today.


Rocky

Another thought occurred to me concerning this 3-on-the-tree column. It is well known that big blocks required a bolt-on steering coupler on the column. The only known application with a bolt-on coupler for small and big blocks is the tilt column. This manual shift column probably does not have the required steering coupler for a big block.

If this column does appear to be original to the body, you should double check the VIN and trim tag installations to make sure some tag switching or rebodying has not occurred. Sorry, I'm just skeptical. Something has been changed in last 42 years besides the engine.

I believe the "bolt on" flange is on the intermediate shaft which is not actually part of the column and would be used on both columns.

naw, i'm the superintendent that get's to yell at you for taking so long to do an easy job

naw, i'm the superintendent that get's to yell at you for taking so long to do an easy job


One of those guys who only think they know how to do it.:yes:




Rocky

I believe the "bolt on" flange is on the intermediate shaft which is not actually part of the column and would be used on both columns.

66s have a one piece column, no intermediate shaft. :)

66-67 heavy duty 3 speed on the floor was muncie 3 speed.

:noway:... it was the Borg Warner T16 HD 3 speed ;)

66s have a one piece column, no intermediate shaft. :)

Not on my 53 Ford :D :D

Thanks Bruce, that's good to know.

"second of all... i think you are a jerk"

Well Rocky . . . if it's any consolation, I don't think that you're a jerk. I thought that you were right on. BTW, most elevator guys and construction superintendents that I've worked with were pretty good guys. It's the elevator inspectors that I have my doubts about. :)

Greg

I also would look under the carpet to see if there had been a shifter removed in the years gone by.

Sorry, but the main point that I was trying to make was that you could get whatever you wanted as long as the salesman was willing to sell it.
Frank

I can vouch for that. I worked the summer of 66 at a local Chevy dealer and many times helped the Mechanics change a car into whatever a "Customer" wanted. Most notably a non power steering car into a power steering car. You know they just robbed the parts from one car for the other.

I think that this idea, "that you could get what ever you wanted if you could find a salesman to order it", was started by guys building poor fakes and clones. When they got caught, this was their line. GM just didn't build what ever you wanted. The parts list for a three in the tree is considerably different from a floor shift car. Not that easy to do on the assembly line. It was a scheduling nightmare just doing the regular options. If you were willing to pay, the dealer would add whatever you wanted....at your expense. GM dealers did have accessory catalogues with stuff like tissue dispensers, rubber mats for the carpets, seat covers etc.

Seb, the expert on HD Borg Warner three speeds, is right.

With the BB the only three speed available was the BW. If you wanted a column shift you would have to order a 283.

The Saginaw three speed has different linkage than the BW, I doubt even a desperate dealership would Rube Goldberg a new "three on the tree" shifter to satisfy one customer.

Besides - I mean really - who the hell would want 3-on-the-tree on a Super Sport? :confused: :boring:

3 by the knee beats 3 on a tree any day!

Yeah but 4 on the floor your knocking at the door.:beers:

Yeah but 4 on the floor your knocking at the door.:beers:

Especially with a bench seat. :D

Besides - I mean really - who the hell would want 3-on-the-tree on a Super Sport? :confused: :boring:

Rather than a powerglide column shift:yes:;)