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Home made column shift linkage Turbo 350 any one have pics??

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by koolkemp, Mar 30, 2010.

  1. koolkemp
    Joined: May 7, 2004
    Posts: 6,005

    koolkemp
    Member

    I put a 58 Chevy pass column in my 47 Ford, looks like there lotsa room for a column mounted shifter, just wondering if anybody has made up thier own linkage set-up as an alternative to buying one of the aftermarket kits? Thanks and if ya got pics please post em!
     
  2. koolkemp
    Joined: May 7, 2004
    Posts: 6,005

    koolkemp
    Member

  3. baspinall
    Joined: Dec 8, 2009
    Posts: 447

    baspinall
    Member
    from SE PA

    I rigged a B&M shifter cable up once to work on a 57 Nomad.
     
  4. nutajunka
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 1,464

    nutajunka

    53 or 54 chevy shift might work alittle mods.
     

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  5. carcrazyjohn
    Joined: Apr 16, 2008
    Posts: 4,843

    carcrazyjohn
    Member
    from trevose pa

    ebay pics 176.jpg I got slammed for this one ,Its made out of a nut and a bolt ,Its either 5eighths or 3 quarter I pinned it and welded it One side is just a guide and is drilled out ,On the edge of the bolt is a eighth inch peice of steel Which is drilled at the end Two heimans and a shaft work the shifting linkage Which is a flat peice of steel that works upside down ,Has to work the opposite way the shifter moves ,Now for safety I added a neutral safety switch and plan on putting in a stiffer spring for the trans ,I dont plan on banging gears ,Just drive ,This is a floor shifter I made and I hope it can give you an idea.
     
  6. fitzee
    Joined: Feb 26, 2003
    Posts: 2,862

    fitzee
    Member

    On my 63 Studebaker I just did a junk yard hunt for a full size late model GM and took all the brackets,spring and rods from where it mounts to the column down as well as the mount on the trans and the mount off the frame as well. Modified all the rods and mount to fit the Stuebaker.Sorry no picture but it was easier then I thought is was going to be. The Key is to make sure the shifter rod in right. test the length of the rod in both park and first,too long,no park,too short no first.
     
  7. koolkemp
    Joined: May 7, 2004
    Posts: 6,005

    koolkemp
    Member

    I did that years ago on my old 50 Plymouth that had a Nova clip in it...not much in the way junkyards round here guess I will check with a couple of the local pack rats!
     
  8. koolkemp
    Joined: May 7, 2004
    Posts: 6,005

    koolkemp
    Member

    Thats pretty neat looking set up have ya got any other pics?
     
  9. carcrazyjohn
    Joined: Apr 16, 2008
    Posts: 4,843

    carcrazyjohn
    Member
    from trevose pa

    Ill get you some over the weekend .....
     
  10. mj40's
    Joined: Dec 11, 2008
    Posts: 3,303

    mj40's
    Member

    I've used the Lokar column system on two of my rods. Cheap, easy and has tons of adjustment built in.
     
  11. carcrazyjohn
    Joined: Apr 16, 2008
    Posts: 4,843

    carcrazyjohn
    Member
    from trevose pa

    ebay pics 699.jpg Heres the shots with the motor out ,And like I sais I pinned the nuts from underneath by drilling and tapping them ,Cut the headoff and spot welded and then welded all the way around ,The shifting lever is two heims and a peice of tubing I threaded ,A peice of steel welded to bolt edge .I ran multiple beads and I did all that for under 30 ,Just alot of thinking .......

    ebay pics 702.jpg

    ebay pics 701.jpg

    ebay pics 703.jpg
     
  12. draggin'GTO
    Joined: Jul 7, 2003
    Posts: 1,792

    draggin'GTO
    Member

    I also used some universal Lokar column shift linkage made for GM auto transmissions, I want to keep the original 2-speed auto column shifter that came in my '64 Pontiac Tempest. The factory shift linkage that is supported by a pivot bracket on the frame and the trans selector shaft won't work, the selector shaft on the 4L70E (electronically-controlled cousin to the 700R4) is located about 1-1/4" further back on the trans compared the the TH400 and original ST300 2-speed. The Lokar kit cost me about $50 and was well-worth it.

    Back when I first installed a TH400 in the car to replace the original Super-Turbine 300 2-speed I did a few mods to the steering column so the shift linkage would travel far enough to grab low gear on the 3-speed TH400.

    I took the steering column apart and filed a slot in the outer column at the bottom and in one of the inner pieces near the top to allow the extra shift lever travel I needed. I also modified the shifter detent that bolts to the bottom of the column by fabricating and welding on an extension that gives the lower lever another step in the detent.

    [​IMG]

    Welding the fabricated mild steel step to the cast factory shifter detent seemed to go okay. I just used a little 308 stainless rod with a TIG welder and they joined together just fine. The weld did spit and pop a little during the process but it's lasted for over 30K miles so far and shows no signs of cracking.

    [​IMG]

    The Lokar kit comes with a nice billet aluminum lever that slips over a splined bushing that bolts onto the shift selctor shaft. The splines fit together very tightly and the lever gets locked in place with a clamp bolt, very high-quality fit and finish on these parts.

    The lever is slotted so you can adjust the amount of selector shaft travel. I used the position that's located the farthest out to limit the length of lever travel, I only want to select Overdrive, 3rd and 2nd. I see no need to be able to grab low gear. The trans will kick down if I need low gear while accelerating and the trans will start off in low by itself if the selector is in 3rd or Overdrive.

    [​IMG]

    The factory 2-speed shift indicator pointer will be in the correct position for Park, Reverse and Neutral and will be in the Drive position for running in Overdrive. For 3rd gear it will be directly between the Drive and Low positions on the shift indicator, to engage 2nd I will have to pull the lever back and utilize the added shift detent that was welded on.

    [​IMG]

    The Lokar kit comes with a 21"-long piece of 5/16" stainless rod that you bend and cut to length for your particular application. It comes threaded 5/16-24 on one end for a heim joint, the other end gets cut off and a piece that screws into the other heim joint slips over the rod and gets secured with a pair of 1/4-28 set screws.

    The 5/16" rod is very hard to bend cold, you need to clamp it in a large bench vise (using aluminum soft jaws) and push or pull it using all of your weight to bend it. I have my 6" vise bolted to the corner of a 48" X 36" X 1/2" thick steel welding table and I was able to lift the corner of it off the ground while bending the rod, so it's definitely plenty stiff and won't give any while shifting gears.

    Getting the rod bent in the correct configuration takes a lot of time, constantly checking and bending it and later on trimming it until it's not hitting the firewall, engine or trans in all of the different positions of travel. I must have bolted this thing on and taken it back off 20 or 30 times before it was right.

    [​IMG]

    The kit instructions tell you to file a couple of flats after marking their locations. I had a friend mill the flats perfectly level in relation to one another and properly located center to center so the 2 set screws (with blue Loctite) would be best able to positively secure the heim joint.

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Tcoupe
    Joined: Nov 14, 2003
    Posts: 312

    Tcoupe
    Member

    Here is what I did on my 53 Chevy. The support at the lower end of the column is actually an upper support from a manual transmission, the arm is off of a 70's Chevy truck as well as the detent plate. The arm slips over a piece of steel rod and is then pinned in to place, I slipped a piece of polished aluminum tube over that for looks. The detent plate was held on with a hose clamp and everything was lined up and adjusted, then I welded the plate to the column. The spring in between the arm and the lower support keeps the arm tight against the detent plate. The linkage to the trans is a steel rod with female threaded ball joints.
     

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