Hack job floor shifter conversion rattles and sticks

[Praxiss454]

Hi all,
Took my truck out for a drive today, and as I was at a red light, the gear shifter seemed to pop out w/o actually popping the truck into neutral. So I was unable to shift into a different gear right away. I ended up getting it to work again by attempting to start in whatever gear it was in (2nd I think), and then it let me shift back down to 1st. This isn't the first time this has happened to me.

My truck used to be 3-on-the-tree manual trans, and at some point a PO hacked a hole in the floor and converted it to a 3 speed floor shift. I have a few questions about this setup, hopefully someone here with more experience can answer.

1. What the hell did they do to my truck? (what is this shifter?)
2. Why does it kind of get caught up and unable to shift sometimes? (and how do I fix it)
3. Why does it rattle so much at cruising speed? I basically have to keep one hand on it. There seems to be a lot of slop. How do I fix this?

Here are a couple of pics. Thanks

[PGSigns]

Looks like one of the old cheap floor shifters that were at every auto parts store years ago. Used a couple in the 70's. From what I can see its worn out. Time for a new one.
Jimmy

[geezer#99]

It’s only 400 bucks for a new one or 5 bucks for a drill bit and a cotter key!
Quite a difference, eh.
Nothing wrong with that one. You just need to tighten it up.
Tighten up that centre bolt that goes right thru the shifter. Leave enough slack that the shift arms still move. Then drill a hole thru the nut and bolt and put the cotter key in the hole. Kinda like safety wiring it.
Done deal.
That should help a bunch.
If you need to adjust the linkage rods let us know.

[Praxiss454]

OK I might try to tighten it up first. If I'm going to spend $400 I could probably replace the whole transmission w a 4 speed and be a little better on the highway. Though I don't know if that swap can be made without changing the hump in my floor.

[geezer#99]

Originally Posted by Praxiss454

OK I might try to tighten it up first. If I'm going to spend $400 I could probably replace the whole transmission w a 4 speed and be a little better on the highway. Though I don't know if that swap can be made without changing the hump in my floor.

Depends which 4 speed. The stock granny low one will need a high hump. A Saginaw or Muncie 4 speed won’t. Neither 4 speeds will change highway rpm. They’re all direct or 1 to 1 in high gear. Or you could find an my6 3 speed o/d. Came in 80’s trucks. You need the bell, tranny and shifter togethor. They’re a matched set.
If you go back 3 ott look in the parts board for the rods and linkage arms. Be aware the tranny brackets are different between the synchro and non synchro trans.

[Praxiss454]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

If you go back 3 ott look in the parts board for the rods and linkage arms. Be aware the tranny brackets are different between the synchro and non synchro trans.

It does alright on the freeway at 65 MPH, ~2500 RPM or so. But seems to struggle to get going much faster than that. I'm not doing any cross country trips so this is actually fine.

Regarding 3OTT, I'll probably have to have someone who knows what they're looking at look at my truck setup and tell me what I'll need, unless I can find a good schematic of things. I have the GMC maintenance manual but I don't think it really gives a clear explosion diagram of all the components. But the more I think about this option the more I like taking it back to original like this. Plus its good theft deterrence, no one will know how the hell to drive it.

[Praxiss454]

Or actually it would be kinda cool to take it back to 3 on the tree, even if those are pains in the butt. Never used one.

[Blue666(2)]

That $400 price is a wee bit high. Here is the complete kit with instructions from Jegs. http://www.jegs.com/i/Hurst/530/5010002/10002/-1

Since your mounting brackets are probably still good, you could buy with just the shifter for a lower price. Slightly different model. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/h...6809/overview/

Also, Check out the master parts kits also as they often contain all those small parts & pieces that will drive you crazy trying to find.

[PGSigns]

That shifter is not going to benefit from a tighter center bolt. If you look at how much wear in on the shifter its a bunch. The pic showing the one shift link shows its welded together. The mount has signs of being welded. If your column is still good going back to 3 on the tree is not to bad. All the parts are out there.
Jimmy

[Praxiss454]

Originally Posted by PGSigns

If your column is still good going back to 3 on the tree is not to bad. All the parts are out there.
Jimmy

Yeah, this is the million dollar question now. I don't really know what I'm looking for on the column. Previous owners made some questionable decisions on this truck for sure, but no idea why they went to the floor shifter in the first place. Maybe just convenience.

I'll see if I can get a bunch of pictures posted of my current column.

[Praxiss454]

Here are a couple more of the current setup. I'm not sure I see the welds PGSigns mentions but I'm no expert here. Appreciate any help figuring out what I'd need to do to go back to the column shift.





And then here is what is left of my column shift setup.






And then under the hood:

[geezer#99]

Take another pic of the side of the trans with the shift rods.
You might get lucky and only need the handle and a couple rods.

[PGSigns]

I have all the pieces once you figure out what you need.
Jimmy

[hotrodder]

My 65 still has the column shift and it works good. Kinda cool really, and like Praxxis 454 said no body else will know how to drive it, so no worries about theft.

[Praxiss454]

Okay, it was kind of a pain to get under there, my creeper wheel fell off and it was raining, so these aren't the best shots. But do they give enough more info to tell what I would need to get going on the column shifter? Sorry, I really don't know what I'm looking for and it was tough to get a view. This weekend I can get the truck on ramps and get a better look.

[geezer#99]

You’ll need a pic of the side of the tranny where the shift rods attach.
Could be the arm brackets are still there making it easy to hook up the shift rods Jimmy is gonna give you.

[Praxiss454]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

You’ll need a pic of the side of the tranny where the shift rods attach.

Hey, this is what I thought I DID take a picture of! How's this?

[BabyBlue64]

If you read this thread you'll see what it should look like. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=498243

[PGSigns]

If you want to go back to stock looks like you need the lever and the pin for up top, both the linkage rods and the levers for the side of the trans. It look like it has been a floor shift for a long time. You will need to get the shift tube and the pieces in the bottom freed up and lubed. There is a spring down at bottom that you cant see that keeps the links preloaded and it is just above the upper shift arm. The cup it sits in at the bottom is what sticks from lack of lube and makes the three on the tree not shift good. You can feel it in the handle as it will no have any spring back to it. PB blaster does a good job of getting it all freed up.
Jimmy

[Praxiss454]

Thanks everyone for your help in identifying what I might need. I'll get it on ramps this weekend when I have some time and get a better look myself. I also found where in my maintenance manual that shows the OEM setup a bit.

[61K10]

Looks like the shifting arms are not aligned in the last pic.

[Praxiss454]

Rolled under the truck today, here's another pic of the side, just so you can see what I'm working with.

Something down here is leaking oil, got a nice spot on my driveway. What is the likely culprit back here? Probably should drop the oil pan and put on a new gasket, just wondering if there's something else that is often a problem. Not sure if this is motor oil or transmission oil.

[Praxiss454]

And here's another oily shot, for fun.

[Praxiss454]

Thanks to PGSigns, I have the components I need to convert back to the original 3-on-the-tree. Much appreciated, Jimmy, for the parts and for the tips.

It was too dark out tonight for the pics to show up well, but the shifter rods cleaned up pretty nice with just kerosene and steel wool. The gear shift lever was in kinda rough shape, and whether or not this was a good idea, I hit the rust with 320 grit, and in knocking most of the rust off, I knocked some of the chrome off. It's okay though, it looks well worn.

I sprayed PB Blaster around bottom end of the column where it connects to the shifter rods, and moved things around a bit to help it penetrate. I also (whether or not this was a good idea) sprayed it up top, in the collar where the gear shift lever fits in, and twisted things around a bit. Finally, I sprayed it on the existing aftermarket floor shifter bolts and transmission shift levers to make sure I'll be able to easily break them.

Unsure whether I'm going to treat the shift rods with ospho, clearcoat them, paint them with black engine enamel, or just leave them au natural. Anything more than "do nothing" is going to delay actually assembling everything. Will probably make a game time call tomorrow when it's light out and I can see things more clearly.

I'll post up some pics at some point.

[Cris]

Praxiss454:

I just pulled the three on the tree out of my C10. I haven't quite decided what to do with the Muncie SM318 and all the associated parts. LMK if you are still missing parts, I might be able to help out and I'm sorta local to you.

Cris