Hey everyone, I picked up a 65 Chevelle with the 3 on the tree and I'm having some problems with it where it gets stuck in first all the time. Like, constantly. The trusty internet tells me to jump out and jiggle the linkage which has worked but also tells me to look at the motor mounts and bushings in the linkage as possible culprits. I have a 53 Ford with 3 on the tree and it looks a little bit different than the 65 but I think the bushings are totally gone from the Chevelle. I'm waiting on a shop manual but wanted to ask if people know anything about these bushings since Eckler's says they have bushings for every car and truck EXCEPT the 65. Does that mean maybe there were never bushings? Anyone know if I can just use bushings from a different year? Thanks!!
Gadzooks, Paul... This HAMB site only goes up to 1964! Look around the linkage for grommets (or 'bushings'), it needs them so the sound of your engine and transmission won't 'telegraph' running sounds up the steering column.
Ha ha I knew it was a gamble but of course I checked first and saw lots of 65 questions so thought I'd give it a shot. I think you're right on the money because I have noticed lots of vibration and noise in the steering wheel. I'll have a closer look when I get home tonight but I think they've worn right out and are gone.
it's 65, yur fine. Check Napa etc, they may show a Dorman#. Worst case, if you can find at least a remnant of a bushing, a good hardware store may have something that will work.
I bought a late 60s Chevy pickup with three on the tree because every time the guy pulled out it would hang up. Got it for a steal because he got pissed off and took my offer. I went to the dealer and looked at his parts book picture. It was missing a spring, washer and cotter pin. Well it did have the cotter pin. Parts man said he sold a lot of these pieces. I spent 32 cents and went home. But them on the right way and it never jumped for me. With column shift, I would rely on the book.
'50s - '60s GM shift tubes (the part inside the mast jacket) were made of soft steel & wore quickly on the hardened levers. The thrust washer stuff on the base also wears and was seldom adjusted if ever. Coupled with worn linkage bushings it was hard not to justify a floor shift when we had dozens to choose from. On your Chevelle, you can buy just about every piece repop. Quality will be a crapshoot ... On more than one car, I've welded the worn off metal back & filed to shape, then heated & quenched in oil. Works at least as long as the original did.
There needs to be some friction on the levers at the base of the column so the lever doesn't fall down. They get sloppy with age. You also have to carefully shift the H pattern. Hold the lever toward the steering wheel when shifting from 1st to second. Lift it up to the center position before moving it toward the dash and up into second.
This is it, drove and own many a worn out chevys........just think of it as theft protection . On the bottom of the column near the shift arms there should be 2 bolts on either side of the tube. Loosen them (DON'T take them off), spin the collar towards the shift arms (up) a little, tighten the bolts and try it. The big part you must do is to follow the "H" pattern as said above and no speed shifting. My '60 El Camino is tight but will still jamb if speed shifted.
Those 3 on the tree GM arrangements did that almost from new. They made and installed them for too many years on millions of cars and chose not to improve it. As others have stated you might want to change to an after market set up.
I drove the 62 Nova 3 on the tree yesterday and tried to make a fast gear change from 1st to 2nd in a corner and jambed it between gears. Very embarrassing to say the least as the Prius galloped away from me. It only has done it twice and both times I was man handling it. Some sticks are made for firm, fast, authoritative throws. My Nova prefers soft, gentle, rowing actions...and maybe cuddling after.
Yepper 1969, my first car, 61 Impala, 348/3/tree, tore that junk out, found a used Syncro-Loc in the local auto trader and never had to screw with that column shifter again, man that was a fun car after that.
Thanks everyone, super helpful and I will try to get into it this weekend. One more question though-the 53 is far from tight but there is a distinct H pattern to the shifting whereas the I don't really feel that with the Chevelle. Will these adjustments tighten that up? And as long as I have your ear, is there anything I can do to tighten the steering column itself up on the 53? It's loose enough that shifting while turning sometimes flips the signal light off. Thanks!
Oil is rubbers worst enemy, it destroys rubber. And, what are the bushings made of, and then they're in an oily environment. So, they take a beating from wear and deterioration. I imagine almost any other year will work. New bushings (use silicone spray for lube), and adjust the linkage. I kinda like column shifted 3 speeds. You should buy my last remaining Muncie 319 overdrive 3 speed; it'll bolt right in and now you get overdrive. I had 3 of them, down to 2, and I'm keeping 1. There you go. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
They make it just like new. That's been covered in the above posts. Reminds me of a cartoon we had on the shop wall 30 years ago ... greasy ol' mechanic talking to customer - "Sure, we can make it run like new for $100 ... for $300 we can make it run right".
Driving a Chevy 3 on the tree is like learning to tie shoes... you have to loop,swoop, and pull! No straight through shifts allowed. My best friend in High school decided one afternoon that he wanted to trade trucks for the drive home to his house. He lived about 3 miles out of town. I had a 55 1st series Chevy, he had a 67 Ford dually. I took off from the lot and tooled home in his truck and waited... and waited... he had stuck my truck in first gear in the school parking lot, and then proceeded to drive it all the way home in first. He was less than impressed.
Thanks again everyone-I haven't had a chance to get into the steering column but I have been more careful with shifting on have had zero problems since. I drove the Ford and the Chevelle back to back and it's amazing how much better the Ford is even being 12 years older.
I bought a 66 chevelle a few years ago 6 w/3 speed on the column and it would do this occasionally. I replaced the bushings in the shift arms on the trans and it shifted like new. I had to do some searching to find some rubber bushings that would work.
I had a 69 chevy Nova.6 banger with 3 on the tree. Kept it a week before I put a Hurst shifter on the floor.Never had a problem after that. Bruce.
Man, Bruce, you ain't wrong. Many years ago my neice bought a 69 Nova four door for her sons first car, 4 cyl/3speed. I did a tune up and put a motor mount in it, boy that little 4cyl hauled ass with the stick. Didn't have it a month and the kid didn't like being seen in "granny's car and sold it. Sure wish I didn't have so many projects going because I would have loved to put a Muncie in it, that would have really been a fun car.
DDDenny.My 69 nova was a 6 cylinder and a 2 door.My dad help me get it. He said you aren't going to change any thing right? 1st pay check the shifter went in, next check wheels, next check fat tires for the rear. Then I had it painted bright yellow and put a black ford hood scoop on it.She was a sharp car.LOL.Bruce.
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