Re: 1956 400 with manual transmission

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2014/11/12 15:20:33

West, I think the only way to estimate that would have to be based on both 400s and Patricians. They share a common Utica plant engine code and the code for flywheel-equipped engines is unique (Prefix DD for standard shift, D for Ultramatic). So the highest known Utica number for the standard shift engine code minus 1000 would be a good estimate. You could then take a percentage of that number based on relative production of Patricians and 400s to get an estimate of the number you want. Maybe someone has already studied this but I'm not aware of it.

I suspect that very, very few were built and I haven't any idea how many survive but we know that some of them today were not originally built that way, no doubt dealer or subsequent owner conversions. The Utica engine code is the clue.

PS- looking at TSB 56T-20 of May 3, 1956, it would appear that the first standard shift engine for the 5680 chassis had yet to be built as of that late date, only about 6 weeks of production remaining.