So I THOUGHT I stumbled on a cost-free quick and easy solution

[Rich69shortfleet]

For almost all the years I've owned my truck, a 69 shortbox fleetside, it has had a smaller aftermarket steering wheel on it. When I got it the original was severely cracked with chunks missing so it had to go and when I installed power steering there was no longer a need for that bus sized wheel. The new wheel looks good and does the job, horn works and everything so no complaints at all.

HOWEVER, with a smaller wheel the automatic trans column shift handle sticks out way past the rim of the wheel. Which makes it easy to bump into the wrong gear or neutral, I know, it has happened. But I never seriously looked into getting a different shift handle. Most aftermarket ones would be all fancy or billet and not fit the the truck's basically stock look anyway.

Well, the other day I was cannibalizing a 65 Chevelle automatic column shift steering column and to get at a couple of parts I had to pull the handle out. It looked pretty generic so I compared it to the one in the truck. The angle would work and it was noticeably shorter than the truck's stocker. I pulled the one out of the truck column and found that the pivot hole and the nubby end of the handle that moves the shift mechanism in the column were all the same dimensions from the pivot hole to the nubby so it should drop right in! Or so I thought.

I found that the Chevelle handle was thicker where it mounts in the shroud, where the roll pin goes through to hold it in place. No biggie, I can just grind off a bit to get it to fit as long as I keep the surfaces parallel to the original.

Holy crap-olly! What the hell kind of material is this handle made out of? It took me the better part of an hour to grind off the .090" of material required to make it fit. I was using my bench grinder with good wheels on it. I'd say I more polished the material off than ground it off. The resulting surfaces looked brightly polished when I was done, no harsh grinding marks were left.

Well, okay, cool, at least I can swap it in and see how it works. Hold on Tex! I also found that the pivot hole for the roll pin was one size too small and needed to be opened up. Well, I had just bought some cobalt drill bits so off to the drill press I go. Mind you, I'm only going from a 7/32" hole to a 15/64" hole. I drilled and drilled and used so much oil and wasted another 45 minutes and only got about half way through. The COBALT drill bit was suffering so I decided to take another direction. I got a small file and made some progress but still the roll pin wouldn't go in smoothly. After wasting yet another hour I got inspiration and pulled out my rotary tool bits and in there I found some diamond encrusted grinding bits. I picked the best one for shape and size and was able to FINALLY hog the hole out enough to allow the arm to easily pivot on the roll pin. Sheesh!

So, many hours later (over two days) I was able to lube the daylights out of it and install it. It fit great, works fine and I accomplished what I was after, a shorter handle that isn't so easy to bump. The shifting leverage is less so shifting takes a little bit more effort but not a big deal. But I started in with the thought I could just drop it in and go and I guess I was fooled by a few hundredths of metal! Still no idea what the heck this thing is made out of but we'd do well to wrap our war machines in this stuff to keep our soldiers safe!

[Greasey Harley]

I like it, looks great.
Worth every second you spent on it.
Chevelle parts will undoubtedly make your truck go faster too!

[LockDoc]

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As far as the harder shifting, spray some PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, or something similar into the steering column, where the shift lever goes in. After you spray it pull the shift lever up toward you and push it back down. Do this 4 or 5 times. Also spray the lower column linkage too. This will help free up any sticking in the shift lever tube and make it shift easier.

LockDoc

[Rich69shortfleet]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

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As far as the harder shifting, spray some PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, or something similar into the steering column, where the shift lever goes in. After you spray it pull the shift lever up toward you and push it back down. Do this 4 or 5 times. Also spray the lower column linkage too. This will help free up any sticking in the shift lever tube and make it shift easier.

LockDoc

It has free movement, I made sure of that with all the grinding and drilling. The extra effort required is just a result of having a shorter shift lever, thus less leverage. Not a big deal at all, actually makes the shifts feel more solid.

Funny thing, the Chevelle shift lever knob style and design actually matches the turn signal lever knob style and design, unlike the original truck shift lever knob.

[berch 69GMC]

Nice work, the opening for my stock handle seems to have enlarged over the years. Leaves a little play. I have replaced the plastic little bushing in there, but is specifically the opening size. I wonder if your change would work for me.

[supercheyenne]

Looks like it's been there the whole time. Good job!

[Andy4639]

Nice job sir!

[71sierragrande]

Looks great. I've never thought of switching the shifter, but it looks like your truck just lost a couple of pounds so it will be quicker :-) Mine moves so free and easy, I could practically dump the handle altogether and just spin the column with my hand.

[Rich69shortfleet]

At least the cost was basically free, unless I count the hours spent. After the first few attempts it became a desire to make it work regardless of what it would take. The surface grinding was just time spent, not really hard. The opening of the pivot hole almost defeated me, but when the roll pin would go most of the way through I just couldn't stop. I was real surprised though that my new cobalt drill bits failed to do the job. I've never been let down by cobalt bits. I once broke off an easy-out in a hole and used a cobalt bit to drill it out. Took a bit, but it sure did the job. Maybe the set I bought recently isn't quite the same as the bits I bought 30 years ago.

I wish I'd thought of the diamond encrusted grinding bit a little earlier in the process though.....