3 or 4 speed how to ID

[Delawarelife]

looking @ a late 318/ 2 barrel florr shift duster. factory floor shift scrap car, very little left... no shifter stuff. no fender tag. anyway to make sure its a 4 speed trans ?
thanks.

 

[caferacerx]

a 3-speed will have "2" shift levers on the side of the trans case R-1 & 2-3
a 4-speed will have "3" shift levers 1-2 & 3-4 plus one for reverse

 

[dgc333]

If its a 4 spd car it will likely have the overdrive version of the A833.

Without getting under the car you can tell if its a 4spd by the motion of the shifter. A 3spd will only have gates for the R-1 and 2-3. The 4spd will have another position that is over closer to the driver side and up towards the dash for reverse, it will/should have a heavy spring that you will have to push against to get it into reverse, this is to prevent accidental shifting into reverse when trying to down shift to 1st.