I know the 4 speed was available in these years but is 78 the only year with 350 & 4 speed?

The four speed manual transmission was available with the 350 engine only in 1978. In 79 it was available with either the 305 or the 267 V8's. In 80-81 it was only available with the 305.

Yes.

My brother just got a 79 elkie. it is a factory 4 speed car since the floor pan had the obvious notch and mounting surface for the shifter boot, pedals for a clutch and z-bar brackets i thought maybe the floor was changed but its the origional one with the spot welded seams and not a mig or stick welded seam. its not a conversion since the vin on the inside passenger side of the rear quarter of the frame has matching vin numbers to the dash and door jam sticker, only the vin says it came with the smallest of the V6 motors. i believe its a 200c.i.

my question is, could one be ordered with the small v6 and 4 speed? or would they have taken one off the assembly line and put the 350/4speed combo in it?

it also came as a non air conditioned car factory, i dunno if that makes a difference.

Hey, The V6 cars got the MM3 3speed manual. All Manual trans G-body`s had the shifter on the floor, No Column shifted Manuals. Doug

Hey, The V6 cars got the MM3 3speed manual. All Manual trans G-body`s had the shifter on the floor, No Column shifted Manuals. Doug


yeah. this one was a floor shift, from what ive seen the floor tunnels were different on the manual tansmissions.

The only way to know for sure if it came from the factory with a 4,sp is to find the build sheet. Besides the transmission every thing else is the same for 3,sp manual and 4,sp, Manual. Hers some production numbers. Doug

1978 El Camino
MM4 4,sp 1775

1979 El Camino
MM4 4,sp 1771

1980 El Camino
MM4 4,sp 544

1981 El Camino
MM$ 4,sp 637

The transmission tunnel should be the same as an automatic one with the exception of the hole and the shifter boot box. I have two (79 and an 81) - both had 305's originally with a Saginaw 4 speed. They look like they were added later as the hole for the shifter in the tunnel is totally hacked open, but they are both factory 4-speed cars with the shifter boot box spot-welded in as you mentioned. Not one of the better "fit and finish" areas of the car . . .