Hello and a few questions from a non mechanic

[jchicago]

Been lurking for a few weeks while I've been shopping for an older truck. Picked up a 66 C/20 last Thursday off of Craigslist.

Just to let you know, I grew up in a car family: father, uncles, brothers all have older cars, or did, or are mechanics. I, on the other hand, not so much. This is my first pre-80's car, figured I'd give it ago (I'm in my mid thirties now, figure I better start making stupid mistakes before I can't blame youth anymore).

So after driving 200 miles north, I bought this truck and learned to drive stick, making it back to Chicagoland in the middle of rush hour traffic on Thursday night. So now for some stupid questions:

The stick shift (3 on the floor, converted from the tree) changes gears horribly (gets stuck between, often I can't get into 1st and R without shaking it violently to get it back in line). So after searching here, found a helpful post on getting it lined up. So crawled under the truck, finding nothing like it looked like on the post. But then noticed how much backwoods hillbilly mechanics were performed on this. The 1-R arm has a little safety pin as a pin holding the linkage, the 3-4 has a bent paperclip. I figure that the thing just needs new bushings and adjusted, and proper pins. But the pattern on the 1-R is reversed:
1-2
R-4
After I rebuild the shifter (or maybe just buy a new Hurst) how can I correct the shift pattern? Wouldn't be so bad, but the throw into 1st is loooong, I basically have to touch my toes.

Second, Am I correct that a longbed from a 1964-66 C/10 is interchangeable with the C/20? Previously was a farm truck and sometime in the last 50 years it got a farmer made bed. Which I already striped down to a flatbed for aesthetics (will rebuid a new flatbed in spring if I don't find a cheap bed).

Third question, is there any Chiltons or Hayes books on these years? Can't find anything. Did find the 1966 Chevy truck option catalog. Which is helpful for when I get ready to rebuild the bench and what not.

Sorry for the long post, and many thanks in advance.

And I know everyone likes to see pictures, so here's my cheap buy.

[ACK]

You want the 1963 Chevy Pickup Truck Shop Service Repair Manual along with the 1966 Supplement. It's available as both paperback and CD. I have the CD, which contains the books in PDF format so it's both Mac and Windows friendly, and it's searchable, which is great.

Have fun with the truck!

[geezer#99]

The box will be the same.
On the shifter the front arm on the tranny is 2nd/3rd. The rear arm is 1st/reverse.
You might need a new shifter to fix yours. Hurst sells a 3 speed mastershift but not an install kit. A universal shifter will be needed.
Take a pic of your shifter for us.

[jchicago]

Thanks guys,

I'll have to climb under it tomorrow for a pic.
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[LowGT]

I say convert it back to column shift! I think there's nothing cooler than shifting the gears on the tree, but that's me.

I bought a 68 c10 that was a straight 6 and 3 spd converted to the floor. It shifted horribly and often when crossing over the middle of the shift pattern it would get stuck in 2nd. It was a no name shifter, I couldn't get it adjusted right, and the shift pattern was weird. If I remember it was:

3_1
2 R

The column seemed to work fine so I found the levers and rods to put it back on the column and adjusted it per a FAQ on this forum and it shifts just fine on the column. I think so many people got the dreaded "stuck in gear" problem from the column shifter and didn't know how to adjust it so they just converted to floor shift.

[jchicago]

Just realized I messed up the gearing. Meant it as 2-3 with the paperclip and a pattern of :
1-2
R-3

But I'm sure you guys figured that out.

I'll have to check out the FAQ on converting it back to the tree.
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[jchicago]

Climbed under it tonight to see if I could get it back aligned, took me a minute this morning trying to get it in reverse to get into my spot at work. With a shop light I was able to see that is stamped "Mister" assuming that the rest of it says "Gasket" somewhere on there. If a Hurst won't work, what other suggestions for a quality replacement? Would like to get something that will clear the bench but also have a shorter throw.

To get this one tightened up to stop getting stuck in between gears, would I tighten the large bolt towards the top? It was pretty corroded, didn't want to break it loose if didn't need to be.

My brother did tighten down the u-bolt that attaches the linkage to the transmission, that looked like the only part that had been adjusted in a few years, so perhaps that was slipping.Drove it around the block and seemed to get in the gears easier. And now, I believe to swap the 1-R positions I would flip the arm that connects the linkage and the transmission from pointing down, to point up (moving the linkage above the u-bolt)?

[61_FL_Apache]

Hey, its never too late to become a gearhead!! THis is a great place to start.. I was in your shifter situation with my 65. The shifter was not that old, but it would get stuck between 1st and 2nd or something else it fell into. The PO told be to just shift real easy and it would be fine. He was right, but it was not correct. I removed the shifter and found it was not sitting very straight with the tranny. It was kinda rigged in there if you know what I mean.. I reinstalled it and got it alligned better and the slop taken out and shifted like a new truck.

Yours may be worn some, so it may need replacing. Its hard to tell from the pics..

Welcome to the club and enjoy your truck!!

[MacsGTO]

Welcome to the club. I'm not 100% but I think that all you will do by flipping the rod is cause worse binding. I'm with LowGT. I like the old school way of three on the tree, of course if I ever get my hands on a genuine auto column I will switch to that in a heartbeat.
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[MARTYZ]

Welcome aboard, if your shift pattern is backwards remove the shift lever off the trans. turn it 180 degrees and put back on. that should correct the pattern and may help with your binding issues. Might require some rod length adjustment.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by MARTYZ

Welcome aboard, if your shift pattern is backwards remove the shift lever off the trans. turn it 180 degrees and put back on. that should correct the pattern and may help with your binding issues. Might require some rod length adjustment.

Listen to this man. Flip the linkage piece the other direction, readjust as needed and enjoy the proper shift pattern and use that new shifter money for something more important.

Your symptoms are classic for someone who installed the shift plate onto the trans shaft upside down.

[geezer#99]

Tighten up that big bolt and nut that goes thru the centre of the shifter then drill a hole thru the nut and bolt and put a cotter key in the hole. It'll never loosen up again.

[jchicago]

Sound good everyone, thanks for the info.

[Ta2Don]

Welcome aboard, Have fun with your truck... As already stated, there is a ton of info and great people on here!!!

[rmvlt1100]

You have a nice starter truck. There fun to rebuild and you can find a lot of info and parts around this forum. If you want there's a nice long bed step side posted here in the for sale section. The only issue it's in Kanasa, but it looks clean.

Here is a link to it:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=558049

Have fun with the build.

[jchicago]

Thanks for the link, but I'll be looking for a fleetside. I'll be doing a static drop and think the long body lines really set it off. But think I'm a ways off for a bed anyway. Need to get some mechanics straightened out: carb rebuilt, handbrake unfrozen, some electrical and misc. things after the shifter. Then springtime (no garage and it's cold up here) rebuild the seat, currently has what appears to be a back seat from a Lumina zip tied to the original bench frame. And pull out the indoor / outdoor carpeting and put in actual carpet made for it. It's certainly a project, but also my daily driver, so little by little.
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[bonacker]

One more thing to consider: the gear oil in the transmission may be low. Easy to check--take out (usually) square headed plug on side of trans. Oil should be level with bottom of plug hole. Use your pinkie to feel for the oil level. Even if it is not low, now you know it is full.

[63burban]

JCHICAGO,
I live just north of Milwaukee and I have a box I would sell plus I have a couple of parts trucks. Give me a call or drop me an email
920-387-0057
wbecker@nconnect.net

[jchicago]

Just sent you an email 63burban,

Thanks