After ten years or so on a home-made floor bracket I went back to the column shift.
With the wheels chocked, sit in the driver's seat and the column shifter in neutral. THE POSITION OF THE SHIFT LEVER SHOULD BE HORIZONTAL, NO IFS, BUTS, OR MAYBES. The shifter should easily glide back and forth within the neutral gate without obstruction. Lightly tape the shifter in the horizontal position.
In the engine compartment loosen the adjusting rods . You may need to do this to CREATE THE HORIZONTAL SHIFT ARM IN STEP ONE.
Underneath the truck at the transmission ensure that each shifter is in it's neutral position by shifting the arms by hand one at a time.
Shifter in neutral, transmission in neutral you return to the engine compartment to adjust rods of free play.
IF YOU HAVE PIVOT POINTS WITH WORN OR OVALIZED PIVOT POINTS...you need to visit a vendor for replacing these worn bushings, they are cheap, do it anyway.
That is the basics as I know it from a previous generation of shift column. My column shifter is easy shifting and shifts easily and surely as I have made several modifications that I won't go into here as I have a '49 column shifter with home-made, bent and threaded rods going to a '69 3sp+od transmission.
You can do it and it will shift well, it does take time.
Good luck!
~ Cosmo
1949 Chevy Half Ton
Rocinante, like Don Quixote, he is awkward, past his prime, and engaged in a task beyond his capacities.
"...my good horse Rocinante, mine eternal and inseparable companion in all my journeys and courses." ...Don Quixote, Cervantes
"If you come to a fork in the road, take it."...Yogi Berra
"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength." ...Eric Hoffer
| 
