[tom406]

Same reason the ZL1's came with exhaust manifolds that didn't match up-they were built to race. I think a console was required with floor shift, and that was just more cost and weight for something the racers would throw out anyway. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Yenko converted his automatic iron COPO's to floor shift himself.) Today we covet things that didn't make a lot of sense back then, i.e. super high horsepower engines in option-loaded, heavier cars and convertibles.