[7T-GOAT]

Found a nicely optioned, great color car, with matching #'s '69 GTO convertible. Frame-off'd a while back. Western car with no rust. Transmission is the factory 3-speed manual. I believe a 3-speed is more desirable than an TH400 trans but no where near equal to a 4-speed. How much of a price difference should there between the 3 speed and 4 speed and should I even mess with a 3 speed car? Thanks

[1969 Ram Air]

Buy it, install a 4 speed and drive it like you stole it! It has to hurt the value some, but if the colors are good, that makes up for it. I would rather have a blue 3 speed than a mayfair 4 speed.

[Diego]

On the market, the auto is worth more than the 3-speed. But a 3-speed with 3.90 gears would be quite desirable in my opinion.

[north]

i don't think the fact that a car was born with a 3speed versus 4spd has a huge effect on value unless it's a rare high buck car.

if it currently has a 4speed of course.

[The Boss]

No difference in my mind since it's so easy to change. I don't believe there would be any penalty in the value either if you did.

JMHO.

[gtohurstjudge]

Personally, I would prefer the 3 speed if I was driving it around town
and not drag racing. It's much easier to find the right gear and a lot less work
rowing through the gears. I hadn't driven a 3 speed manual in twenty years when I test
drove a customer's 3 speed manual firebird 400 1968 model. Boy was that car a blast
to drive! I had forgotten how good the 3 speed pulled through the gears and how much
smoother it shifted. With the four speed you take off from a dead stop, go about 10 feet
and it's time to shift. The 3 speed spaces the gearing out just right.

[Txbobcat]

Pop the 4 speed in and keep the 3 speed. I would see no difference in the value. If someone else does put the 3 speed back in.

[Simple Man]

My brothers neighbor has a 70 442 ragtop he bought new, with a 3 speed. He want's to put a 4 speed in it, but he's afraid of hurting the value. I told him to make the swap, keep the 3 speed under the bench in the garage.

[north]

My Fbird sprint came with a 3spd (a Saginaw) and it was hopeless for that application; not enough 1st gear but 2nd was too high for rolling stops and too low for highway downshifts. I found a correct wide spread Saginaw 4spd and it transformed the car.

But to be honest the biggest problem with a 3spd is its just hokey, like a non posi diff or a 2bbl engine. Drop in a 4spd and drop the 3spd in a crate for safe keeping.

Just my two cents

[Simple Man]

I had a Dearborn 3 speed in a 69 GTO years ago. With 2:93 gears, that car would wind out all day long. I remember flooring it from a stop one night on along stretch of highway, and shifting from second to third, at about 80 MPH.

[7T-GOAT]

The car does have a special order rear but the PHS doesn't say which one. 3:55 would of been standard for that car but you could go down or up for a special order rear. Owner is uncertain what it has either. Probably not a 3:90 then if owner can't feel those gears. The car does have a 4 speed in it now but the original 3 speed is with car and it does have a factory posi.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

If you went down much the PHS would call it AXLE-ECONOMY #364 $2.11

If it was 3.90 - would have to have HD STT Posi - AND HD Radiator

Those clues might help you out.

Its been hashed before - but i can't remember for sure if you could even get the 3.90 with the 3spd .....

The only thing that would stop me from buying a factory 3spd Stick car would be if i wanted an Automatic .

[north]

There was no economy or performance axle option available on 69GTO's except on 2bbl cars.

Baron is right that if there is no HD safe t track and HD rad it must be a taller gear like 3.23 or 3.08.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

One of my old 70 GTO's came with Economy Axle 2.73
i just dropped that out there - assuming .

So that might not be applicable to 69's , if North says its not applicable.

[north]

Perhaps the dropping of the two barrel engine in 1970 Made it necessary to offer that kind of gearing in the regular GTO engines.

[geeteeohguy]

The tallest gear Pontiac put behind a standard trans was a 3.08 to avoid clutch warranty issues. No 2- series gears for sticks. Nothing wrong with a 3 speed car. Switch to a 4 speed and keep the original trans. Me, I'd leave it as is. More user friendly day to day, and stronger than the 4 speed. A high torque Pontiac gets by very nicely with 3 gears instead of 4. In a four speed car, 1st gear is almost not needed...as stated, you're shifting into second right away, even with a 3.23-3.36 gear. Go for it.

[indetrucks]

Originally Posted by gtohurstjudge

The 3 speed spaces the gearing out just right.

Yuuup!

My 4spd with 4.11's is annoying.

I go 1st, 3rd, 4th
Don't even bother with 2nd when cruising

[Simple Man]

Must have been 3:08's in my 69 then.

[north]

Here is the 69 Gto power train chart for the 350 and 265 engines. Note the absence of economy and performance axles, same for the 366 and 370 jobs.

Sorry it's upside down, never get that right with iPhones

[Ron Landis]

Originally Posted by north

There was no economy or performance axle option available on 69GTO's except on 2bbl cars.

Baron is right that if there is no HD safe t track and HD rad it must be a taller gear like 3.23 or 3.08.

economy axle WAS available on 2bbl cars...as our '69 GTO ragtop had 2.56:1 "economy axle. Air conditioned car at that. Just sayin',