The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Shifter linkage woes

I put a 1962 261 with a 3 spd and overdrive in my 53 3100 and am now at the point of needing to hook up a column shifter. My truck had a 4 spd so to convert to the 3 spd I bought an AD column shift assembly only to find it requires a bell housing with a pin and bell crank to hook up one of the shift arms. The 62 bellhousing has no pin or stud for that sort of hookup.

What I've done to date:
I looked at a floor shifter but it doesn't appear the shift rods will get past the governor and lock out mechanisms on the OD and no one seems to make a floor shifter for a 3 spd and OD.

I looked at a 58-59 column shift which looks like it may not require the intermediate pin and bell crank but couldn't tell as a quick peek was all I got.

I thought about drilling and tapping a stud in my 261 bell housing but don't know if its even the same size as AD 3 spd bell housings

I don't think I can change bellhousings because my 62 is set up for the hydraulic clutch mechanism and the slave cyl for that mounts on the right side of the bell housing.

I thought I was doing something good with the 261/3spd/OD setup but the law of unintended consequences is giving me a mental wedgie on this one and I'd appreciate any help.
Jerry

I think you need to use the original bell housing for the truck. This will give you a place to mount the bell crank for the shifter rod. The old bell housing should work with the later model clutch fly wheel assembly putting the clutch arm back on the drivers side and remember there is a difference between 12 and 6 volt fly wheels.

The 56 up & 55-2 v-8,s didn,t use the bellcrank.
I,m not shure you can adapt the linkage to your arms.

Wrenchbender, thanks for that information. I will look into the 55.2 and later column shift parts to see what might fit onto my 53 column shifter. Might also be able to put the whole column shifter and shift arms on my 53 column.

ttodd, I appreciate what you are saying and it may be the way I eventually go when all else is found not to work, but I really don't want to get back into R&R of major components until there is no other alternative. I think I'd try drill,tap and running a stud into the newer bellhousing before switching back to the earlier bellhousing and dealing with trying to setup left hand hydraulic clutch slave cyl. etc.

Anyway, thanks guys for taking the time to give this some consideration. It helps to have other views/ideas.
Jerry

jbinwa,

As you crawl around under the rig looking at drill/tap/fabricate options, don't rule out the possibility of merely running a strap or bracket from existing bolts to make a base for your stud or pin.

Stuart

Jerry,
You may be trying to accomplish something that is not necessary. What is the position of the arms on the side cover of the transmission? If both are pointed down you could obtain another shift rod similar to the 1-R shift rod for 2-3 and install it in the same manner as on the TF/60's trucks. It will probably take some bending for it to fit.
If you have the side cover that has the 1-R shift arm pointing down and the 2-3 arm pointing up, it is probably a car transmission which has a similar set up like your stock AD configuration.
If this is the case you could get the truck side cover and install it like I mentioned above.
I just did a 6 to V-8 conversion on a 55 and used this procedure.
I hope this helps, Fred

Yeah, sounds familar.

I have a 261 with a Truck Bellhousing (for foot starter) and a 59 OD in my 41 Sedan.

The shift mechanism is of a late 50s truck.

Took me 2 days of bending (and straithning) rods plus a solid amount of 4-letter words to make it shift. But (at least on the sedan) it can be done without the bellcrank.

After thinking it over I would rather fabricate 2 bellcranks than do this banding excess again.

I can make some pics if this would help.

Frank

P.S. after everything works fine I found out that the shift mechanism doesn´t clear my brand new tube headers.

Back on square 1 :rolleyes: