Never seen one of these before... 3-spd on the column. That has to be so boring and unpleasant. I recall manually shifting my auto on the column all the time, so it must be that way. LOL.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/270795756965

 

That was the standard configuration back in the day - seen less on higher-end cars like Olds (which tended to have more expensive automatics) than on Chebbies, but still not unusual.

- Eric

 

That's a rare piece. Even though the 3-speed column shift was standard, this car almost had to be an order to get a/c and the stick on a Supreme. You tend to see more cars equipped like that in the Northeast. I remember when Everett got that car.

 

Okay, I can get more specific here. The W39 "performance" 3-spd floor shift was also available on the Supreme Coupe and Convert. Through June, 178 came with it. Knowing how July production was, 190 is a good guess for the year.

Again, through June, there were 757 Supremes (2 dr., 4-dr, and Converts) that came with the 3-on-the-tree. So 820 is a good guess for the year.

The seller says
"when I bought it I wrote to Helen Earley the Oldsmobile Historian and she stated "to the best of my ability there were only 29 of this model with these options produced". She stated by 1972 Oldsmobile was not keeping very good records of these things".
What we don't know here is what are "these options" that Helen was referring to. Whether intentional or not, her statement is not exactly in context here. We all know that most cars can virtually be "1 of 1" when you add in every variable.
I can't say how many of the 757 3-on-the-trees are Coupes, but I think it is safe to say it is more than 29.

 

Wow, kind of cool in a perverse sort of way.

Most folks are not aware that the three-on-the-tree manual trans was the base equipment in most Cutlass models through the 1960s and early 70s.

 

I saw a 70 (or 71 or 72, can't remember for sure ) 442 convertible with a three on the tree at a certain dealer/collector in Seabrook NH. Come to think of it I can't remember for sure that it was a 442 but I'm pretty sure it was

 

Thats pretty cool! I had a 69 camaro with a 6 cylinder and a 3 speed column shift about 30 years ago. It was actually kind of fun to drive like that.

 

I think John Edds in Seabrook NH has a few 3 speed manual column cars but I think they are 69's and Cutlass/F-85.

 

It's the one that you can barely see at the back circled. It definitely had W29 hood

 

I had a 3speed on the column in two of my vehicles....non-olds....but one was a 1948 plymouth 4dr suicide sedan and it was a dream to shift. The other was a 71 F250 ford truck and it also was a dream. It was nice not having to jam the gearshift into your girlfriend's legs on each vehicle.......

 

Interesting.

I just recalled as a youngin we had a 70 or so Ford pickup (a light green/bluish color IIRC) with a 3-spd column. I got in once by myself and played around with the shifter (I never touched the clutch pedal at all - could not reach it anyway). Started rolling down the driveway... and a big rig would have t-boned it, had my mother not ran out and jumped in just in time. Was not meant to be I guess.

 

My Dad bought new ...'70 Impala, no options just a 350 with bench seat and "Stick on the column" (as we call it).....awesome and fun car to drive! Short throw with smooth syncro back into first! Very Kool car in the High School parking lot! .......years ago did see a '66 'L79' Deuce with factory 3 speed stick on the column.....now wouldn't that be a wild ride and far from boring.

 

I had a full size 69 Ford 4 door sedan, I believe it was a Custom 500. Someone almost had to order the car the way it was. It had a 302 2v, 3 on the tree, ps, manual brakes, and a/c.

 

http://www.impalass427.com/Allchevysphotofullsize4.htm

2 very interesting cars on this page if you scroll down a bit. First is a 69 Biscayne w/ a 427/335 and 3 on the tree. Then there's the 67 caprice wagon w a 427/385, a 4 spd on the floor and pretty much every conceivable option.

 

Four speed on the Caprice doesn't raise any eyebrows even in a wagon, but I thought those 427 Biscaynes had to have either M40 TurboHydraMatic or a four speed. If there's documentation, yeah, but otherwise I'd wager it started life as a 6 or a 307. I'm always suspicious of a Chevrolet equipped like that, simply because I know what Chevrolet people will do.

There was a reason BOP used the Ford top-loader 3-speed behind their big blocks.

 

The guy selling the '72 is too hung up on the rarity of the car....really isn't that rare. 3rd eBay auction just ended and he's gotten progressively lower final bids with each auction. Must have a really high reserve.

 

How many like that have you seen? Considering non-four-speed stick production was usually 2 to 3% of the total for the year, I'd say it is definitely a rare bird. The trouble here is rare does not always equal desirable.

My spidey-sense tells me Everett probably has the reserve kinda high to keep the four-speed converters at bay. The pedals and back drive linkage are already there, so a four-speed box and a floorshift column would make a four-speed conversion easy. And we all know there are people who will do that without blinking and then try to pass the car off as gennie.

 

What I'm saying more specifically is that the seller is too hung up on the fact that only 29 were made with that option combination. All that means is that 700 or 800 others might be just like it but came with an AM radio, or a rear defroster, etc... Sure, the 3 on the tree is rare but not 455 4-speed kind of rare....won't get that kind of money and I think the seller believes it will.

The first auction ended at $8100, the 2nd ended at $7500 and this last one ended at only $6223.99. To me, it's a $7k-$8k car....the 3 on the column might be hurting it...some don't like it, regardless of how rare it is. I have bid on it each time because I grew up driving my Dad's Ford pick ups with 3 on the tree shifters. I like them! Great point on the 4 speed...probably would be a pretty easy conversion. Sure would like to know what the reserve is...

 

you should give him a call he's a nice reasonable guy he sells olds parts,delt with him a couple times ,straight up guy

 

That's good to know....thanks. He seemed like a nice guy when he answered my questions through email. If he didn't take $8500 the first time, I think it's priced out of my range for now.

 

Listed again with a "buy it now" of $15,000

Item number 280743732685

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1972-...item415da165cd