[69FIREBIRD76MM]

What auto transmissions and engines were available for the 69 firebirds th350, th400 and PG. And which shifters? Knob n T handles?

[north]

250-175: ST300 (2speed) or TH350
250-215: TH350
350-265: ST300 (2speed) with or without AC, TH350 without AC, TH400 with AC
350-325: TH400
400 all: TH400

2 speed trans all used T handle and all 3peed automatics used knob with slap shift

[einstein]

"Slap shift" gives me a chuckle. It's a nice and useful feature, introduced on 69 console shift models and carried on for many years. It was actually described in sales literature as the "Rally Sports speed shift unit".

It's curious why it never got any promotion. I might surmise the Mopar Slap Shift operation could be made to appear more dramatic in advertising than this unit.

Most owners were unaware of the feature, and a few discovered it accidentally.

[north]

Unfortunately it didn’t have the pizzazz of the 67-68 hurst unit and furthermore the concurrent introduction of the 69 steering column with neutral switch and floor shift to column interconnection made consistent adjust impossible. So many new cars never had the shifter cable adjusted just right so the “slap shift” and neutral switch and reverse lights all functioned properly at once.

If I’m not mistaken in 70 and later they introduced a new shifter that looked the same but didn’t have the “slap shift” functionality for now performance oriented cars like GP’s and LeMans’? You can spot these only by the absence of the little numbers 1, 2 and 3 on the right side.

[69FIREBIRD76MM]

Originally Posted by north

250-175: ST300 (2speed) or TH350
250-215: TH350
350-265: ST300 (2speed) with or without AC, TH350 without AC, TH400 with AC
350-325: TH400
400 all: TH400

2 speed trans all used T handle and all 3peed automatics used knob with slap shift

Thanks

[einstein]

Originally Posted by north

Unfortunately it didn’t have the pizzazz of the 67-68 hurst unit and furthermore the concurrent introduction of the 69 steering column with neutral switch and floor shift to column interconnection made consistent adjust impossible. So many new cars never had the shifter cable adjusted just right so the “slap shift” and neutral switch and reverse lights all functioned properly at once.

If I’m not mistaken in 70 and later they introduced a new shifter that looked the same but didn’t have the “slap shift” functionality for now performance oriented cars like GP’s and LeMans’? You can spot these only by the absence of the little numbers 1, 2 and 3 on the right side.

I never noticed the 1-2-3 number in the photo from the accessory catalog. I've owned several 69s as early as 1974, and my cars never had those numbers. Still have the shift plates from a couple I parted. No numbers.

And my fading memory suggests I've driven cars in the 70-later models which had the feature. I could be wrong. I did own a 70 TA auto for a while, but it was never roadworthy, so I'm not sure about that one either.

What about your fleet? Any have the 1-2-3?

[north]

All my 69's with three speed automatic transmissions on the floor have the 1-2-3 on the shift plate. This includes the expected models like the GTO's but also the GP and even Firebird and LeMans 350 2 bbl cars.

I think those small numbers could easily be missed, especially if someone used harsh cleaners or just got one that was poorly printed.

Btw, on my previous post I meant to say "non" performance oriented cars not "wow".

For fun I'll have a peak in my MPC to check part numbers for the woodgrain shift plate and the shifter itself.

[north]

I had a look at the MPC (Nov 69 so no 70 birds yet) and the 70 GP and the 70 LeMans- Tempest have a different part number but the 69 part number for all Abody is still valid for 70 GTO only. So looks like my memory was correct that in 69 all three speed automatics on the floor have the "slap shift" but in 70 it is only the GTO and perhaps the Firebird? Given that the shifters look identical I could see how some cars would be built with them even if they weren't supposed to.

[necdb3]

Originally Posted by north

250-175: ST300 (2speed) or TH350
250-215: TH350
350-265: ST300 (2speed) with or without AC, TH350 without AC, TH400 with AC
350-325: TH400
400 all: TH400

2 speed trans all used T handle and all 3peed automatics used knob with slap shift

I think you have you 250-215 and your 350-265 info swapped.

[north]

No, the post is correct. The sprint (250cid, 215hp) was only available with th350 if you wanted automatic trans. The 350 2bbl (265 horse) could be ordered with 2 or 3 speed automatic, (if you ordered AC also the you got a th400 instead of the th350 without AC).

[necdb3]

I think what's throwing me is my brothers 69 bird Conv was a 350 automatic with A/C and a 350 trans. All original car.

[north]

I thought I had posted it on this thread but actually I recently posted on another thread that late in the 69 model year they stopped using the TH400 on 350 2bbl applications. There is no bulletin found about this so far but there are several examples of late production 350 2bbl AC cars with TH350’s out there. I actually own a July built 69 LeMans wagon with that situation.