4 on the tree?

Discussion in '1947-1954' started by cantdrivemall, Oct 23, 2010.

  1. cantdrivemall

    cantdrivemall Member

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    Has anyone done a 4 on the tree shift set-up?
    Im thinking of using my stock 3spd.column shifter linkage,coupled to a Saginaw 4 speed. With a cable for reverse,,like an overdrive T-handle cable. Feasible? or Crazy?
    Thanx in advance
     
  2. bigtimjamestown

    bigtimjamestown Member

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    Both!!! lol:eek:
     
  3. Zig

    Zig Member

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    linkage?

    Aren't the shift arms on a three sticking out of the box and a 4 completely hidden and tickled only by the shaft that protrudes down through the top? Not that that is a big deal to get around... I guess? :confused:
     
  4. vwnate1

    vwnate1 Member

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    Sounds Good !

    I like it ~ lots of European cars used to have this in the late 50's through mid 60's...


    DO IT ! you'll have the only one around .
     
  5. federale

    federale Member

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    Re:4 on the tree

    My uncle had a Simca passenger car back in the day with 4 on the tree. That thing was a POC:rolleyes:
     
  6. Greg_H

    Greg_H Member

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    go to oldgmctrucks.com and search for posts by motion guru. He did just this and the reports are that it worked very slick.
     
  7. vwnate1

    vwnate1 Member

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    OT : Simca

    Well ;

    It's a French car , whadda expect ? :D . I know a good Machinist who's a Fenchie and his pride & joy is a Simca 1100 , 1968 or so .

    I've owned a few Renaults , my Dauphine was weird and fun (except the Ferlec Clutch) , my '59 Citroen 2VC AZ was actually a pretty good car , I worked in an indie Peugeot garage when I was but a laddie , two French brothers , one nice , one a cast iron S.O.B. , both Master Mechanics who taught me a lot .

    I had a '75 Peugeot 505 , once I stopped trying to fix it like any other car on earth , it became a really good car ,nice driver etc. , etc. ~ super comfy chairs and the single best sunroof I've ever had but I couldn't stand it and sold it for $150 to two girls who loved it .

    French cars are different ~ it doesn't matter how any other car makers do a thing , they have to do it differently , just because they're French , dig ? once you understand that , the cars are O.K. if really weird :D .
     
  8. cantdrivemall

    cantdrivemall Member

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    After lying under the truck today for awhile,,,I think this can be done pretty easily,,well, somewhat easily.
    With a handful of extra shifting rods, and a torch,and a bag of cusswords,i might get it close enuf to kinda work.
    At the end of this,,I'll end up with a Patricks Saginaw shifter set-up that i wont be needing.
    Just in case somebody..................................
     
  9. Kens 50 PU

    Kens 50 PU Member

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    I can help with the bag of cusswords! I think I invented a couple of new ones this past week changing out the brush hog with the box blade on the ol' '52 8N! Let me know if you need 'em!

    I vaguely remember some old F*rd ('40ish) that had a four on the tree back in the day. It was in the early '60's when I was a sprout and dad and I went "bargain" hunting!
     
  10. shooter2

    shooter2 Member

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    4 on the tree

    The old Divco milk trucks had a four on the tree. Look for Divco step and drive. You drove them standing up, no seat. I used one several years when I was in high school. God I hated getting up at midnight and working 6 hours before I went to school.

    Jim
     
  11. federale

    federale Member

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    Memories

    Shooter,this should bring back some memories for you,good or bad,lol. I found this a couple of years ago near where I lived in Greenfield,Ohio. No clue how they got it there from California. My dad was also a milk delivery guy when I was a kid and I remember the Divcos very well.
     

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    Last edited: Nov 4, 2010
  12. vwnate1

    vwnate1 Member

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    Divco Delivery Trucks

    Few are aware that Divco lasted until 1983 (IIRC) and retained the distinctive nose until the end ~ in their later years they sold mainly in the East Coast and only went under because of terribly bad management , not because of low sales .

    Much the same thing happened to Mobile sweepers , the best ever made, they were fine until some college boy wunderchild came in and cut co$t$ across the board , cut corners everywhwere ~ this idea based on zero experianced allowed
    him to show rapid profit increases just before unending warranty claims and subsequent loss of sales , bankrupted & closed the company .

    Divco trucks were very advanced in the 1930's and solid , cost effective work trucks right to the very end .
     

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