Learned how to drive three-on-the-tree.

'77 Chevy G10 (I think, it was a big van)

Not nearly as awkward as I would have thought. It also kept up with traffic pretty well considering it was laden with old furniture and stuff going to Goodwill. I had to learn on the fly too, since the guy who loaned it to me just asked if I could drive a manual and threw the keys at me. The hard part was figuring out that what I assumed would be first was actually reverse.

Now that's funny.

Hadn't thought about how few people might have had that experience. Used to be a common arrangement.

I wonder how many C&G members have ever driven one.

Hey Satty, good to see you. Sounded like a fun time.

Now that's funny.

Hadn't thought about how few people might have had that experience. Used to be a common arrangement.

I wonder how many C&G members have ever driven one.

I'm one. I'm sure Balthy is another.

Three on the tree... I've driven many, and all without power steering, an extra treat at low speeds when turning. First, down and back. Second, up and forward. Third, down and forward. Reverse, up and back, with neutral in the vague middle ground where you can move the lever forward and back, full travel.

Before that little adventure I had never so much as seen one, it was quite the experience, although since the van had power steering, not the full experience.

I've been in a Nissan Cedric taxi... with a four-on-the-tree and diesel inline-six.

Never even seen one...

Count me in have driven many and a 65 Rambler Classic Cross Country 660 for about 4 years their nice till the shifter bushings fail and you have to crawl under all the time to get it back into neutral

I have driven four on the tree and also one with diesel. A Peugeot, Fiat and a Nissan Jonga.

Never even seen one...

+1

I knew they used to have them, b/c my mom has talked about having an old car with that setup...

Get to do it again in a little bit.

I'm one. I'm sure Balthy is another.

Yep: '76 Chevy pick-up, unknown year Dodge van and a '53 Merc. May have also been (another) '66 Rambler in there...

In a weird way its a really fun experience. Not sure I'd want to do it on a regular basis, but its something different.

A 70's stub-nose Ford panel van. I wasn't driving, but my friend was towing, starting to bog down in the RPMs up a hill and got muddled up in the gears. In frustration, he asked me 'WTF gear am I in?!' ... I couldn't tell from the passenger seat because the handle was so loose, it kind of had its own personality. We came to a stop on the side of the road while he 'practiced'.

A 70's stub-nose Ford panel van. I wasn't driving, but my friend was towing, starting to bog down in the RPMs up a hill and got muddled up in the gears. In frustration, he asked me 'WTF gear am I in?!' ... I couldn't tell from the passenger seat because the handle was so loose, it kind of had its own personality. We came to a stop on the side of the road while he 'practiced'.

Haha, cool! Yup, driving 3-on-the-tree was an excellent way to initiate a kid's driving experiences. One had no choice but to pay good attention to your vehicle.

'68 C10 with a 230cid six was my primary experience with three-on-the-tree. I always parked it in reverse in its spot in the driveway. One day, as I put it into reverse and shut it down, the shifter came off in my hand. It was a real WTF? moment.

Our '65 Chevelle wagon also started life as a column-shifted 3spd - but with overdrive!

I never drove it that way though, as my dad converted it to a floor shift before putting it on the road. The overdrive made that car alot of fun to drive.

I've seen one, but I can't say I've ever driven one, or seen anyone else drive one.

Oh I forgot to tell ya all that the Ramblers 1st gear was UNSYNCHRONIZED !!!!! If you were in traffic and got slowed down in the city arround 10mph it took forever to get up some speed maybe about 30mph IIRC. What I would have given for a Saginaw from a Chevy but it also had an enclosed driveshaft ball socket even at the tail shaft. But it was a tank you couldn't hurt it.

I've seen them at car shows, never driven one. Learned to drive in a diesel w/ a 5spd and a couple automatics...later drove cars w/ 3spd and 4spd manuals.

My folks had a few cars w/ 3 on the tree before my time, '49 and '52 Fords, and a '61 Fairlane wagon that had them I've heard.

Not yet....

Smk if your there have you any input wondering if you've driven a Mercedes 4 on the tree?