Hi, I was hoping someone could tell me the shift pattern (where the gears are located) on a 1955 Customline with the 272 ci Y-block and 3-on-the-tree manual tranny.

Is first gear when you pull the shifter toward your body and up, with second below that, third away from your body and up, with reverse being below that?

Or is first toward your body and down, with second away and up and third below that?

I'm sorry if this is a little confusing but any help will be very much appreciated!

 

The shift pattern is in the form of the letter H turned sideways
Neutral is where you have a lot of travel when you lift the shift lever and lower it.
If you were to turn the H one quarter turn clockwise,
First is; pick the lever up and pull it toward you.
2nd, return the lever to neutral position , let the lever drop down and push the lever away from you.
3rd, bring the lever all the way past neutral and down toward you
reverse is, lift the lever and push it away from you.


First xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Reverse
--------------n
--------------- e
-------------- u
---------------t
---------------r
---------------a
---------------L
Third xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Second

 

Your second guess is correct.

First gear toward your body, and down. Reverse is up from First. Otherwise it would be too easy to accidently cause gear clash if reverse was down from third.

 

Thanks guys!