Quote:
Originally Posted by FetchMeAPepsi
IIRC 1st gear isn't synchro'd in 1961. You'll have to wait till you stop to keep from grinding. These boxes aren't made for speed downshifting 
On my 62 I clutch in, shift into 2nd, then pull it into 1st, then clutch out to go. |
You would be correct. The "stock" 3 speed is non-synchro first gear. You *might* get it into gear without grinding while moving, but that would be unusual. There are at least 2 three speed transmissions I know of, the more common non-synchro and there is one which does have synchros on first.
I've replaced all of mine with top-loader 4s so I don't have this problem
as no one I know tries to shift into granny while rolling.
It just takes some getting used to all the quirks of the vehicle. Non-synchro first wasn't ever the big problem for me, I had issues with third wearing out so if I let up on the throttle it would pop out of gear. Had to drive with my hand on the shifter to keep it in third. Which is why I ended up replacing the one in my first truck. Then just swapped out in the other trucks which had 3 speeds.