63 LeSabre 3 speed manual shift car question

[Guest]

I just found a 63 LeSabre 2 door hardtop with a factory three on the tree manual shift trans. It has a few other options, but the trans caught my attention. I was wondering if this car was rare, or if the three-speed manual was somewhat common. The motor is a 401 4 barrel. Any info that anyone may have on such equipped cars would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Matt.

[BUICK RACER]

3-speeds were the 'standard' transmission, that is if you didn't order a auto, probably pretty rare as even then people really liked not having to shift!

[Guest]

A 3-speed '63 LeSabre is VERY, VERY rare. I have a 3-speed '58 Special, and I know that only 2% of the '58s were so equipped. With the greater acceptance and dependability of automatic transmissions by 1963, I imagine the percentage is even smaller for '63 Buicks, especially the full-sized ones.<P>In 1979, I bought a 3-speed '63 LeSabre at a Kruse auction in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a terrific car with excellent performance and acceleration, yet it consistently got 20+ miles per gallon. I'd give anything to have it back again. If you don't want this one you have found, PLEASE let me know!<P>Pete Phillips<BR>BCA #7338<BR>Ector, TX<BR>pphillips@netexas.net

[Guest]

You indeed have a rare Buick. I know from one of our members that worked at Buick those Years that if one of those stick jobs came along they took it off line and often had to go across town to the Chevy plant to scrounge up all the linkage and the only Buick part was the special clutch housing made to bolt to a Buick engine.<BR> If you would like to know more contact Del Cutter, Swartz Creek Mi. He is listed in the Bugle. Jim

[Guest]

Thanks all for the info. Jim, thanks, as I sure would like to talk with someone who has first hand knowledge on the manual trans (3 and 4 speed) 63 and 64 Full size Buicks. I currently have two 64 Wildcat 4 speed coupes (one is 2x4 425 equipped), a 63 LeSabre 4 speed coupe, and now this 63 LeSabre 3 speed coupe. There is not any info to be found on these cars anywhere, so any new info is GREATLY appreciated. If anyone has any more tidbits of info, please enlighten me. Thanks, Matt.

[Guest]

i recently purchased 1963 buick lesabre 4 door 4 speed bench seat car and removed all 4 speed stuff i also have a 1963 wildcat 4 speed console and floor mounted shifter i am in the process of restoring a 1964 wildcat sport coupe and want to install the 4 speed console but dont know how shifter rods run through fioor board kid 4 speed if you have a 4speed console car i would like to have any information on this type of set up thanks

[Guest]

Catcando - man, where do I start? The shift rods are completely different from a console shift car to a floor shift car. Also, the consoles are different from a 63 to a 64 (and different from auto to 4 speed). The floors from a floor shift to a console shift car are different in that the in a console shift, the factory torched out a large opening and spot welded on a shift rod access hump plate (because the console shifter was set farther back and higher than a floor shifter). How the rods attach to the transmission are different from a floor to console shift. A console shift car does not have a left floor vent duct, and the floor plenum duct assembly (the one that exits from under the dash and directs the air to the l and r rear floor ducts) has the left opening cut and blocked off to fit around the 4 speed shift rod floor hump. This may sound confusing, so I can provide you with pics of all parts, differences, etc. which I have described - both of floor and console shift cars.<BR> Now, do you have access to the 63 4 speed Wildcat? You will need the floor hump plate. I guess you can make one, but that would not be easy. Also, with your 63 Wildcat shifter did you get the large, heavy cast iron bracket that bolts to the floor (please say you did)? This is what the shifter must bolt to as it sits approx. 6 inches off the floor. Did you get any of the shift rods from the 63 Wildcat? <BR>There are so many other differences from an automatic car to a console shift 4 speed to a floor shift 4 speed that I could waste a lot more of your time. If you have any other questions or want pics of the floors and parts of these cars, let me know. I am doing a frame off on a - THANKFULLY - complete console shift 4 speed 64 coupe, and I have a running/driving complete 63 LeSabre floor shift 4 speed coupe. Needless to say, I now know these differences like my ss#. Let me know, and have fun, Matt.

[Guest]

hey kid 4 speed i do have the correct floor mounted shifter and linkage rods for the factory 4 speed console set up. could you e mail me pictures or diagrams of the factory floor hump that the shifter rods pass through at expertexteriors@hotmail.com thanks

[Guest]

Hey Kid Dumb Ass !<BR>Who gives a crap about 1963 and 1964 Buicks ?<BR>Buy a 1963 Ford Galaxie R-code like mine !<P>Punk !

[Guest]

Ryan, as I said before, jealousy will get you nowhere. You should have listened to me and bought a Wildcat instead of that 'red door' R code of yours. You are living on borrowed time before you drop through the floors (though they are rusting out from the inside, as that leaky 427 is lubricating the bottom of the car very nicely). Oh well, when that happens I can buy the salvage for $8 and use the running gear for a Gazelle replica. Do you want to see what a set of 64 Wildcat taillights look like? Lets hook 'em up! hehehe, Matt

[Guest]

anybody that has ever driven a Super Wildcat would have no use at all for ANY Ford...

[Guest]

Kid 4-speed, I met a guy in Vermont who is into the 3-speed Buicks. He drove a 64 3 on the tree coupe til the body rotted, then rebodied as a 4 door! He said its still in his junk yard... Also of note, he had put a 3 speed with overdrive(thats a MANUAL shifter) into a 65 Riviera back in the 70's. Nice black car, 3.91 rear end(!!!) He has quite the collection of standard shift Buicks. I only have my 2 65 4 speed Wildcats...one coupe, one convertible.