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Technical Speeding up the shifting with a 3 on the tree

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by junkyardjeff, Oct 23, 2020.

  1. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    My Mercury has the 3 on the tree and I was wondering if there is anything that can be done to it so it could be shifted quicker,its been many years since I last had a vehicle with a 3 on the tree and there is no way this one can be shifted very quickly. If I can not get the o/d working it just might get a 4 speed.
     
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  2. When a kid in high school, I had a '40 Ford with 3 speed column shift. I tightened everything up, installed new grommets and could speed shift that puppy like Grumpy Jenkins. Just make sure everything is adjusted correctly and all parts are good with no slop. Of course the transmission has to be in somewhat good condition.
     
  3. KoolKat-57
    Joined: Feb 22, 2010
    Posts: 3,073

    KoolKat-57
    Member
    from Dublin, OH

    My '57 Pontiac is a 3 on the tree and the transmission is what was called a selector type.
    I can shift well enough to catch second gear rubber but it is not something I want to do on a regular basis.
    The linkage is long from the column to the trans, and I have taken nearly all the play out of it, that made a big difference in how quickly I can shift.
    I have also changed to Redline MTL gear lube in the transmission.
    Also the bushings on the column selector were replaced
    Hope this helps.
    KK
     
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  4. Marty Strode
    Joined: Apr 28, 2011
    Posts: 8,796

    Marty Strode
    Member

    To shorten the throw at the column and quicken the shift, you can make shorter arms at the transmission. I had the opposite problem on my 40 pickup. When mating the early Ford column to a Chevy 3 speed, the shift was far too quick, like 2-1/2" from low to reverse. So I made longer arms at the trans, and now the sweep is just the way I wanted it. IMG_2184.JPG
     
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  5. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    This one feels sloppy in the shifter so it looks like the column will have to come apart but I will adjust it first and go from there.
     
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  6. Cosmo49
    Joined: Jan 15, 2007
    Posts: 1,551

    Cosmo49
    Member

    I too made shorter arms, works well after I spent at least a day on it creating my own rods from the column to the transmission shifter arms.
     
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  7. Bob Lowry
    Joined: Jan 19, 2020
    Posts: 1,488

    Bob Lowry

    And in some cases you can either move the rod up on the arm to a higher hole, or perhaps drill another
    higher up on the arm closer to the pivot point. Geometry at it's finest.
     
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  8. What year - application ? I've sold some NOS assembly's before as I've gotten stock. There are NOS column parts as well available to rebuild your whole column.
     
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  9. lippy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2006
    Posts: 6,825

    lippy
    Member
    from Ks

    I don't understand why you would want to speed shift a car with a column shift. Lippy
     
  10. In addition to the column parts, linkages and grommets being in good condition, adjusted correctly and well lubed, transmission type and condition also matters. Worn shifting forks or internals could affect being able to shift faster without getting hung up between two gears. Going automatic or 4 speed may be the route for fast shifts.
     
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  11. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    I really do not want to speed shift it but it just seems like it takes too much time to shift and if I had to take off quick its not going to shift quick enough,it just seems like it requires too much to shift it. I think this car has been sitting for over 30 years so maybe the column needs to come out and everything greased up.
     
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  12. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    65 Mercury Montclair which should be the same as a 65 Galaxie.
     
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  13. How many will 'fess up to busting a knuckle on the rear-view mirror or windshield while trying to speed shift from first to second with a three-on-the-tree!?.Don't ask how I know about this.:(
     
  14. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    It could be just the way it is but its been many years since I really drove one with a 3 speed on the column.
     
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  15. Tow Truck Tom
    Joined: Jul 3, 2018
    Posts: 1,879

    Tow Truck Tom
    Member
    from Clayton DE

    My youth involved several three speed column shifters, plus a lot of driving customer cars unsupervised. As I had a lead foot, I found, as I am sure have many others, that the column 'fork' can be easily jammed with a forceful arm.

    So if looking to spend less time moving the lever, be aware of the condition * slop * of the bushings and springs at the firewall.

    However since you state that the action seems to take too much time I would want to pull the box and get bearings and synchros put in. Have you mentioned mileage? The job of pulling a three speed, in that car, is simple. As a carry in and carry out, at a good trans shop should reasonable; provided that the owner is not a game player.
     
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  16. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,795

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Can’t remember the Mercury over the Ford but the mid 50’s didn’t use the rod on the top like the Ford. I thought the used a sliding mechanism and like you say it probably has never been touched since new and need a good cleaning and lube.
     
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  17. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    It looks like it has a place to put a pin in the mechanism to adjust so that is where I will start first.
     
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  18. In addition to taking all the slack out of the column and linkage, switching to a good quality 75W-90 synthetic gear lube will make it much easier to shift the transmission.
    Bob
     
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  19. I think they came out with a kit to fix column shift cars. IIRC it was called a floor shifter.
     
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  20. If you really study all of the "monkey motion" that's going on between your hand on the shift lever and the shift arms on the transmission you'll find it kind of amazing that they work as well as they do! :confused: But you'll also find lots of areas where a little bit of "acceptable" wear and a lack of lubrication can make the whole assembly rather sloppy and vague.

    With some patience there's probably some creative re-engineering that can be done do improve the feel of most any column shifter. Things like tightening up clearances, replacing rubber bushings with plastic or bronze and making sure everything is properly cleaned and lubed. But then you may also find that it takes a little more concentration to change gears when driving like a normal person. :rolleyes: Consider it to be the price you pay for precision. ;)
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2020
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  21. dwollam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2012
    Posts: 2,319

    dwollam
    Member

    About 1965 my Dad had a wicked '56 Ford Vicky with a nutted up 352, 3 spd O/D and a 4.09 Dana rear. He took another set of shift rods and laid them along side the originals and welded them together to stiffen things up. The rods had too much flex previously, made the speed shifts way better. Car would do a standing start in high gear at 5 grand and smoke the tires 'til they blew up if ya wanted to go that long.

    Dave
     
  22. Got a 57 347 Pontiac with 3 speed that was originally a three on the tree in my 27 Modified. I fitted a floor shifter but was unhappy with it. Couldn't find a decent one this side of the Atlantic so I had some shift arms laser cut and made a twin stick shifter using rod end joints.

    The lever with the practice grenade is 2nd and 3rd. The one with the grip off my old K frame S&W is 1st and reverse. The car is light so just use 2nd and 3rd all the time. Fast shifts....

    IMG_20200920_100425891_MP.jpeg

    Sent from my moto g(8) power using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  23. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    Were they made for o/d trans.
     
  24. brjnelson
    Joined: Oct 13, 2002
    Posts: 605

    brjnelson
    Member

    My dad had a friend that was very fast with a 3 on the tree, the guy would not let anyone look inside at what he did, but he did turn the steering column 180 and had the shifter on the door side. Dad thought the motion of pulling back and down for 1 - 2nd was faster with the reverse pattern.
     
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  25. Sad to say but Ford had a really terrible manual column shifter by '65. Ford changed from the external-style column linkage in '63 IIRC to an internal type and they shifted really clunky. Generally the shift collar gets worn as it's a cast aluminum part, not the steel of the earlier units. While these worked fine for the now-predominate auto trans, they wore out fairly quickly in a manual application. The upside is repair parts are available, but it will never shift as well as the pre-63 column linkage did. Slow and deliberate shifting is the key for these.

    I had seen floor shifter kits for a OD trans 'back in the day', but they're as rare as hens teeth now. I've seen a few home-brewed setups that worked well if you feel up to fabbing your own brackets and shift rods. And you might research '55-57 T-Bird linkage as the OD trans was available in those and they were floor shifts. IIRC these had the shifter mounted to the floor, not the trans and used shift rods that dodged the OD solenoid.
     
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  26. Mike51Merc
    Joined: Dec 5, 2008
    Posts: 3,856

    Mike51Merc
    Member

    Just beware the column shifters aren't very strong, so if you get too aggressive you'll find yourself pulling the steering column out which is no fun. I never broke mine, but my dad told me stories about breaking the shifter in his Merc a couple of times.
     
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  27. railcarmover
    Joined: Apr 30, 2017
    Posts: 777

    railcarmover

    We used go 'skitching' (hanging on the bumper or door handles sliding on your sneakers,hard pack snow) with my buddies '63 Chrysler Newport...push button automatic,he's hover three fingers above the buttons when he was half fulla miller pony beers,ready to rock..

    I've got syncro 39 transmissions to build for my banger..but theres nothing thats says old school like a loud motor and slow shifting a spur gear transmission..
     
  28. gatz
    Joined: Jun 2, 2011
    Posts: 1,817

    gatz
    Member

    Many years ago a good friend had a 64 Ford with column shift & 289.
    3 of us had just dropped off some “refreshments” to some younguns and were on a dirt road with a banked curve coming up. ( we all knew the road)
    Jim says “ I'M GONNA BE A FLAT-TRACK DRIVER! “ and slams the poor Ford from 3rd to 2nd coming into the curve doin' about 50.
    The shift lever immediately comes out of its socket and held firmly in his fist, goes flying into the windshield.
    The other guy and I double over, laughing till tears flow.
    Jim says “ now what the hell am I gonna do?”

    I scrounged around in the glovebox and found a screwdriver that kinda fit the void in the column and we got back OK.
    Jim and the Ford not so much; they were hurtin' for quite a while.
     
  29. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    Adjusted the linkage at the column and its better,noticed some slop in the collar and there is some rubber in where the linkage attaches to the column so time to rebuild.
     
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  30. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    When I adjust the linkage to where it activates the reverse light switch it will not shift so there is a bunch of slop,next step is to see if I can get the o/d working and if I can then I will rebuild the column and tighten up the linkage. Does anyone know if the car collar is the same as the pick ups.
     
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