The Cars In The 50s & 60s

[CarlS]

For all of you old guys here :ya2: this should bring back some memories. I am glad I was part of this era. For you younger guys, you may never have driven or seen three on a tree.

http://thefiftiesandsixties.com/CarsWeDrove.htm

 

[cooter]

Good one Carl :y115: Sure was a different age but I guess we all were.
Yeah, great times!! Thanks for posting Cooter

 

[The Seeker]

Speaking of "3 on the tree"......

One of my first cars was a 1963 Chevy Nova with a 4 cylinder and 3 on the tree shifter.

In my school's auto shop, we switched out the 4 cylinder for a 327 8 cylinder with a 4 barrel carb and hi-rise manifold. Being a financially strapped poor student, I lacked the cash and the "gumption" to change to a 4 speed floor shifter (it also had a bench front seat).

That thing was like greased lightning as far as boiling the tires until you decided to back-off, but it was SO hampered by that damned 3 on the tree! I got pretty good though at slamming that lever around!

 

[CarlS]

I switched my three on the tree in my 56 Chevy around to the left side of the column and I had a suicide knob on the steering wheel. That way my right arm could be free...

 

[Rocky]

Thanks for that, Carl :y115:
I'm also glad I grew up in that era. It's something we will never see again, but will always remember.

 

[dazco]

Three on the tree....i forgot all about that phrase ! I never had one but i've always had 4 (nowadays 5) on the floor to this day in fact.
Funny thing about time....you grow up seeing certain things that are normal, then what seems like the blink of any eye and your older and those things are now antiques. I was looking at a pic of my buddys house right across the street from mine as a kid in the 50's and all the cars in the picture would today be worth a fortune probably. they were the norm back then, today they look so out of place when you see one on the street, like it was a million years ago. Sad...those were such better days...

 

[Silli]

"3 on the tree" ?

Is this a manual 3 speed column shift transmission?
:happy:

 

[devo]

[quote author=Silli link=topic=4864.msg28155#msg28155 date=1238476793]
"3 on the tree" ?

Is this a manual 3 speed column shift transmission?
:happy:
[/quote]

10 out of 10 Silli
thats it in a nutshell
:y18:

 

[DaveM]

What a cool web site thanks I enjoyed that :y18:

 

[Lonzo]

I remember shifting a 4 speed with my knee so I would be able to keep my arm around a girl.
My 1st car was a '65 Impala SS. After that, had a '69 GTO convertible, '69 GTO hartop among others. One of my favorites was a '69 Chevrolet Caprice with a 427. That thing was a monster.

 

[pjamesb80]

[quote author=The Seeker link=topic=4864.msg28131#msg28131 date=1238434230]
Speaking of "3 on the tree"......

One of my first cars was a 1963 Chevy Nova with a 4 cylinder and 3 on the tree shifter.

In my school's auto shop, we switched out the 4 cylinder for a 327 8 cylinder with a 4 barrel carb and hi-rise manifold. Being a financially strapped poor student, I lacked the cash and the "gumption" to change to a 4 speed floor shifter (it also had a bench front seat).

That thing was like greased lightning as far as boiling the tires until you decided to back-off, but it was SO hampered by that damned 3 on the tree! I got pretty good though at slamming that lever around!
[/quote]

I didn't start driving until 1974. I inherited a '64 Chevy II (Nova) When my Grandmother passed away. Six cylinder and 3 on a tree. Great car. I practically lived in that thing. I wish I still had her.

 

[The Seeker]

Lonzo...you had some serious cash!!! I couldn't afford really nice rides like those until a bit later in life. My actual 1st car was a $40.00 1958 Studebaker.....LOL!

When I did get some cash, I went for the MGs, Triumphs, TVRs, etc...

The Chevy II Nova was an "intermediate" clap trap back in the days when we went thru the tire shop's trash heap for something with tread left and we'd even do the ole "midnight auto supply" when desperate enough...LOL

The Nova was rugged though. It also had that hand brake you could yank with your right hand.....I did many "bat turns" with that feature!

 

[devo]

imagine how much cash you'd get for that 58 studee now.
:y18:

 

[KeithH]

I want a 49 Ford! h:

 

[DaveM]

I could not afford a car until I was around 25 :silent: Had to ride the poor man's transport of the time a bike :ya2: lucky me :ya2:

 

[CarlS]

[quote author=KeithH link=topic=4864.msg28275#msg28275 date=1238567701]
I want a 49 Ford! h:
[/quote]

Me, too, Keith. I wanted one back in the day, too; but I never had one. I had a friend that had a '50 flathead Ford and another with a '48 flathead Merc convertible.

 

[Rocky]

My first car was a 1950 Ford two-door coach. I put fender skirts on it and dual glass-pac mufflers and I was king of the road :ya2:

 

[CarlS]

Those flathead Fords and Mercs were great cars - and they sounded with glass packs!!

 

[The Seeker]

I've always said that the Ford 289 Hi-Po was the best sounding automobile engine ever made without going into a Ferrari or something.

 

[Lonzo]

[quote author=The Seeker link=topic=4864.msg28261#msg28261 date=1238557820]
Lonzo...you had some serious cash!!! I couldn't afford really nice rides like those until a bit later in life...
[/quote]

'65 Impala SS 327 w/Powerglide bought in '73 $100
'69 GTO convertible 400 cid 4bbl bought in about '75 $600
'69 GTO hardtop (4:11 gears, hi-comp pistons, etc) $600
'69 Caprice with 427 $900

The memories are of course priceless.

I remember eating lunch on a construction site when I had the GTO ragtop. A buddy told me a "rubber nose GTO" was worth about $2500. I told him he was crazy.