Hi,

I have a 1965 Delta 88 3 on the tree, 425 Starfire Engine, 370 hp, 4bbl, 3:23 posi. No power steering or brakes. Just wondering how many 3 on the tree B Bodies that are out there.

And factory Dual Exhaust with Resonators... Super quite !!!!!

 

Theres a 65 Delta w 425 and three on the tree running around my town, friend of a friend.

Pat

 

Color & pictures ?

 

65B01Delta, would love to hear more about your car! I have loved the 1965 B-Body cars since their introduction, and still regard them as the high-water mark of General Motors styling.

I'm guessing that manual transmission installations in 1965 B-Body cars was less than 2% of total production and probably even less. I have no statistics to confirm this.

 

That's a pretty heavy-duty motor to be paired with the 3-speed, as I normally associate the tranny with entry-level motors. I assume it's a two-door hardtop?

 

Here's a picture...

 

4 Door. Ex Police Car from what I'm told.

 

Very cool car! Thanks so much for posting the image here.

 

...

 

Interesting... Thanks,

 

According to the item, 3-speed not available on the Delta 88 cop car, but I wouldn't want to make that conclusion based on one item. Besides, the car is special enough cop car or otherwise.

 

Also the car has no back up lights. Just chrome inserts.. Also there is a rubber plug dead center on the roof of the car.. Lights/Sirens ??

 

Great looking car....3 in the tree in a Delta ex cop car! AWESOME! Is it in pretty good shape?

Ted

 

The car is from the Southern Colorado Desert.
It was the Police Chiefs car in the town of Center, Colorado back in the 60's. He passed 5 years ago, I've been trying to get pictures from his remaining family members, no luck so far. 99.9% rust free/ original car. I haven't found a build sheet yet. I plan on dropping the tank down this spring. I've found many build sheets on 65 Starfires on top on the gas tank.

 

Very neat and different. Does it have the calibrated speedo? Increments of 2 mph?

 

3-speed manual was the standard trans in Delta 88 and none of available engine options -including the 375hp Starfire- show any required optional trans, according to the SPECS book for civillian models. Whatever 3-speed they were using must have been pretty beefy!

 

If memory serves, were going back 3-4 years and only seeing at my house once! Black coupe, seen it with the hood opened but don't recall if it had power steering or brakes.

The feller dosent get it out much, seems to die on him after running 5 min or so, I told him let me have it for a few days and get the bugger figured out.
I told him I would work for lunch, plus parts.
Pics will be little tougher since things are stored this time of year around this neck of the woods. I will be seeing my friend in the next couple of weeks and try to get a hold of him?

Pat

 

If I remember correctly didn't they use the Ford 3-speed tranny because the GM three speeds of that time period couldn't hold up to the torque of the 425.

 

As I am want to mention at the drop of a hat, I was privileged to own a 1960 Super 88 SceniCoupe w/3-on-the-tree from the factory. It had no PS/PB/PW, etc. My older brother ordered the car that way.

 

Great car, I love the wheels and tires.

 

Great, Let me know.. Pictures & all. He needs to let you work on it, so he can enjoy it more. It's cold here also, no snow yet..

 

Yes, they did use Ford 3 speeds in some, but mine is the GM 3 spd tranny. All original. Kurt Shubert knows what years they used the Ford trannys.

 

Neat, A stripped down model... It's a heck of a lot cheaper that way & less to go wrong.

 

Yeah, The rims & caps are neat looking. The tires that are on it now will not be on there for long.. They are too small for the car, I'll put the right size/bigger set on this spring to give it the right stance.

 

Wow, really? Well it looks great now, should look really great with a little bit more rubber. And yes, it's good when your preference happens to coincide with things that are more affordable...at least somewhat.

 

Back up lights were last "optional" in 1965. My 1965 Chevy Bel Air years ago (3 spd column shift) did not have any.

The plug on the roof would be from a light and/or siren package.

 

Here's a few more pictures, one showing the plug in the center of the roof, one of the posi decal on the inside of the trunk lid & one of the back up light delete.
Also I just spoke with the person that I bought the car off of, she is in her early 70's & knows the cars history well. As I mentioned before the car is 99.9% original, to include the white lacquer paint . She told me the car never was painted the Black & White combo due to it was the Police Chiefs Car (makes sense). She also went on to say from what she remembers about the car it had an antenna mounted dead center on the roof (no lights), which makes sense why the plug is there, and there were lights mounted behind the front grille & a set of rear deck lights. So basically an unmarked car per say.

 

As radioburningchrome noted above, there wasn't actually a "delete" option for backup lights. They were not standard equipment in '65, and the buyer just didn't opt to spend $10.71 extra for them. I can't say I've ever seen a '65 big car without them before.

 

Your are spot on. If you did not check the block, no back up lights.

 

And keep in mind that $10.71 in 1965 was equivalent to $73.54 today.
Why waste it on a couple of lights you will never actually see while you're driving?

- Eric

 

X2

 

Very cool!

More pictures, please!

 

I assume the car originally had 8.45x15 heavy duty (4PR) bias-ply tires. I think that converts to something around a 225/75R15.
I have 235/70R15's on my 67 Delmont and they have a slight rub on the front frame/inner fender on tight turns. The speedometer seems relatively accurate, so they must be close in diameter to the originals. I felt that 225/70R15's looked too short. I was looking for a wider tire for better handling, but the 225/75 would look closer to the original size and probably wouldn't rub.

 

You are right on.... I have a set of (4) 225/75/15's that I will be putting on to give it the correct tire size/stance & look... The tires on it now is what I had laying around & I just put them on until a found a set of 225/75/15's..... Note; The car had 235/75/15's (dry rotted) when I bought the car, I didn't notice any tire rub.

 

Very cool, that should look great. Blackwalls?

Here's a pic of my Delmont back when it had G78x15 Firestone bias-ply blackwalls:

 

Looked Darn Good !!!!

 

Oh Yeah, Black Walls..... I'll post pictures when I get them on.. I'm watching one of the best police car chase movies ever ... Dirty Mary & Crazy Larry....

 

65B01, if you are interested in adding back any of the police equipment, PM me. I'm a retired police officer and I have some vintage patrol car stuff stashed away. Pretty sure I can hook you up with a correct Motorola antenna to replace the rubber roof plug at the least. Not sure what the law says about lights/sirens on vintage cars in your area, but I have some of that stuff, too.

 

As a matter a fact, Yes I do & have an old Motorola Motrac, just waiting to go in it. All I need the correct antenna (if possible) to put back on the roof.. I checked a web site called skyGeek's and from what I have researched they have the correct antenna.. I pulled the back seat out and the old coaxial cable was still there for the antenna, but cut short when the equipment was removed... We'll definitely have to get together on this for sure.

 

Another really nice car. Got any more pictures? I particularly like the rear bumpers on those.