Sneaking gasoline into a friend’s GMC Carryall which had a toilet paper oil filter installed. He was getting unbelievable fuel mileage and repeatedly checking his figures.
Refueling a Rolls-Royce at a self-service gas station in Santa Barbara and some people noticing.
Jan and I sneaking into Drive-In theater in the trunk.
Changing a young handicapped man’s tire and finding different sized lug nuts.
After changing Jan’s oil and driving her Plymouth Duster, I noticed the automatic was not going into third gear.
While stopped at the side of a road looking under the hood, a police officer checking on us informed it had no third gear.
Getting new license plates for Kazumi’s white Nissan Sentra, I parked next to a big red pickup truck.
She visited friend’s in their restaurant.
I returned to the car, took the old plates off and put the new plates on. Went to the restaurant to get Kazumi.
Drove her home and when I got out, noticed old plates were on her car!!!
The red pickup had driven away and another red pickup parked next to another little white car. I had put Kazumi’s plates on that car.
Immediately called DMV. Had to return, show ID and pay a search fee.
They gave me the address of the owners whose plates I had removed.
Called them and drove to their home and swapped the plates.
The 1960-1961 “A” body compacts had a 3-on-the-floor shifter, which was replaced for 1962 with a 3-on-the-tree. In 1964 you could get a 4-on-the-floor, even with the slant 6. That option continued with the 273/340/360 V-8s to the end in 1976.
Starting in 1970, Chrysler offered a 3-on-the-floor with the slant six on the Valiant. It was an all synchromesh unit, too. Near as I can tell, it was an option (except for the Duster 340), as it was an extra $14. The standard transmission was the 3-in-the-tree unit with synchromesh on 2nd and 3rd.
In 1970 the Dodge Swinger 340 had the 3-on-the-floor as standard equipment, with that transmission an option on all other Darts. For 1971 it was optional on all Darts except the Demon 340, which offered it as standard equipment.
In 1975 the 3-on-the-tree became an all-synchromesh unit. Starting in 1975, too, Chrysler offered a floor-shift 3-speed plus overdrive transmission on the Dart and Valiant.
In 1976, the 3-on-the-floor was a $28 option on Valiant and Dart, with the 3-plus-overdrive coming in at $127.
So, the 3-speed floor unit was an option, not standard equipment, with the exception of the 340/360 engined cars, from 1970 to 1976 on Darts and Valiants
I may have gotten the make and model wrong.
Never knew of a two-speed transmission.
Perhaps she got a good price on it because 3rd was not working. (But don’t lower gears fail first?)
Surprised when the police officer said no 3rd gear.
GM had the two speed PowerGlide from 1950 to 1973. Sold millions of them. Ford had a two speed Ford-O-Matic from 1959-1965 or so. No two speed automatic was available for a Duster.
I too thought the Ford-O-Magic was a two speed, but it was a three speed, when D was selected started in second.
“ The original Ford-O-Matic, while capable of three forward speeds, started out in second and shifted to third, with first only being used when selecting L on the gear shift column.[4] However, if floored from a standing start, it would immediately shift from second to low then shift back to second and then third as the vehicle accelerated”
Confusingly Ford used the same name for the two-speed and three-speed versions. They offered the two-speed on economy cars, can you imagine how slow the first Falcon was with a 144 cid 6 and the two-speed automatic?!?
" Ford-O-Matic two-speed
The Ford-O-Matic two-speed transmission was introduced in 1959. A simplified version of the Cruise-O-Matic, it combined a torque connector and a compound planetary gear set. A front unit (multiple-disc) clutch provided high gear, a front band on the clutch drum provided low gear, and a band on the rear unit internal gear drum provided reverse. This transmission was offered on Ford models Falcon, Fairlane, and Galaxie, Mercury models Comet, and Meteor and Edsel cars with differences in the torque converter, valve bodies and clutch plates to accommodate differing engine torques."
Just remember that Robert Gift is here just for entertainment purposes only, no real contributions to the forum other than to try to make people laugh… Mostly fictional stories…
Never thoughthathere was a vehicle made with only a two-speed automatic transmission. (Why I was out looking at the transmission linkage.)
Still OK for Jan since she lived in the city and rarely drove at highway speeds.
Late 70’s Duster, I recall. Other similar vehicle?
I just don’t remember except I’m pretty sure the 60 and 62 falcons were two speed. The merc I think was three speed… we had a few manuals that obviously were three speed. Yeah rev it up in first and clunk it was in high gear slowly gaining speed. The good old days.
Yep as stated above Chevrolet, not only full size sedans, wagons, hardtops, convertibles, plus midsize, compacts, and muscle cars.
First year was 1950. Was standard on the original Corvette.