I should know

409newby

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
Was a factory 4 speed available in a 58 passenger car?
I read somewhere years ago that a 58 with the fuel injected 283 could be had with a 4 speed other 283s and the 348 would have a 3 speed with a 4 speed boxed up in the trunk :scratch
 

Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
:yup Years ago I read pretty much the same thing right here on this site. The way I understand it,and could be wrong]was that the 4 speed transmission was an option that was dealer installed.Bob may be right when it comes to Factory Installed.
 

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 12
I know the Borg Warner T-10 four speed was first made available in the 1957 Corvette, and that it was all aluminum (main case and tail).

It makes sense that the next year's passenger cars might get such an option, but I do recall that in 1959 they were pretty hot items to order from the factory. Wayne Eupers ordered a new El Camino in 1959 and specified the four speed, but it took soooo long he settled for the column shift three speed and bought a four speed over the counter a bit later...

I've never seen a factory 1958 four speed install, but that doesn't mean it wasn't available :). Pretty sure the passenger cars got the iron case version.

TomK
 

Tooth

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
Russ, I read an article about the 58 full-size Chevy cars and the transmissions that were available. In late 58 you could get an RPO installed from the factory at the end of 58. Which was the delray, they also made them available for police cars. So at the end of 58 yes you could get a factory installed 4 speed. RPO was the regular production option number 685
Regular Production Option (RPO)No. 685 in the 1958 passenger car instruction manual dated Feb. 13, 1958, (illustrated on opposite page) shows the four-speed conversion on four pages. The conversion included a unique transmission and extension assembly, a floor-mounted control lever and bracket, specific control rods and adjustment; a four-speed transmission mounting; and a seal and retainer for the floor-mounted shift handle. Source is old cars weekly February 13 2016. :scratch From the factory...
Car of the Week: 1958 Chevrolet Delray

If cars could talk, this 1958 Delray Model 1221 Utility Sedan would have an interesting story to tell. Unfortunately, it keeps all of its past a secret.
OLD CARS WEEKLY
FEB 3, 2016
 
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DonSSDD

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
I think the special 59 police vehicles were 3 on the tree, they had a 348. You’d think if this car had a 3 on the tree, a 58 police car would not have had a 4 speed.
59 factory 4 speeds were rare, I’ve never heard of a documented factory 4 speed 58. Lots of stories of them though.
 

409newby

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
I think the reason for the three speed in the police cruisers is they could be had with overdrive :dunno
 

Blk61409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 9
A couple of years ago I was walking through the cars at the DFW Good Guys show. I stumbled across a guy with a 58 Impala and a 4 speed. I had heard for years about a dealer option kit. Well, here was one. Incredible he displayed in the trunk the old packaging of I think the shifter and linkage along with the Chevy docs. I believe the guy that owner it had bought it from the original owner.
I have some photos, I’ll see if I can find them and post.
 

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 12
Since those would have been bench seat cars, do you think the early four speeds (in 1958-60 passenger cars) all shared the same shifter handle?

I recall that the 1961 and 1962 shifter handles were different, weren't they?

TomK
 

1964SuperStocker

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
I think the special 59 police vehicles were 3 on the tree, they had a 348. You’d think if this car had a 3 on the tree, a 58 police car would not have had a 4 speed.
59 factory 4 speeds were rare, I’ve never heard of a documented factory 4 speed 58. Lots of stories of them though.
I read in a drag racing book a while back that the 58' chevys were burning up the track with their 348 3 speeds on the tree and the quick ones had posi- traction.
 

Blk61409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 9
The 58 Chevys with positraction had an emblem on the dash that merely said POSITRACTION.
not sure about the 4 speed shifter. Hopefully I can find my photos of the car and it will tell. No doubt about the dog leg shifter.
 
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