Motor position/column shift help

[Steve Van Gent]

Here is a broad question; I want to add aftermarket chrome column to my truck this year, and move my K&N floor cable shifter to a column shift I have several questions. Let me give brief history of my truck...

Today, I have a 350 TPI in truck married to a 700R4. I have the motor set in the rear most engine mounts. I say this as I believe that our motors can sit in either the forward position or the further back position...I only think this as there are two sets of holes in frame for motor mounts, in my kids '70 I mounted motor in front hole set and motor sat very nicely in engine bay with plenty of rear clearance around distributor. My 65 motor sits in rear holes and has absolutely NO clearance between distrib and firewall.

This brings me up to now...I am concerned with using the factory shift linkage from new column to 700R4, thinking it will not fit or shift nicely if in fact my motor and trans are in wrong place. As such, I am thinking I may want to use a cable to connect column to trans instead of linkage. I must buy either regardless of which I chose.


So here is my question; Which should I use (linkage or cable), where do I buy, and am I the only idiot that has motor too close to firewall?

[padresag]

actually the motor is where is should be. regarding the shift linkage to the column it would be just a matter of you making it line up and adjusting it to fit. sometimes things have to be tweaked a bit.
ron

[Captainfab]

If your engine is in the original V8 location, the factory auto trans shifter parts should work. On my '66 Suburban with a 454, I moved then engine forward 2". For the trans shift, I just welded a arm onto the U shaped bracket on the trans and then just fabricated a rod to connect that to the column. I believe Lokar makes a kit similar but of course with more bling. You could also adapt a column mounted cable shift assembly similar to that used on the '96+ trucks and vans.

[racecougar]

I've set this 5.3L as far back as possible without cutting the firewall. A little bend in the Lokar shift rod was all it took to connect the column to the 4L60E. A rod will very likely work for you.