The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline convert 3 spd column to floor 49' 3100

Hi....I am new to the forum. I am beginning to restore my grandfathers 3100 and would like to know if anyone knows a company/website that offers the floor shift conversion kit. All of the universals I found only date back to 55' applications. Any information would be helpful.

Thanks.

I'm going the other way around, converting a 4 speed floor shifter to column shift. If your intrested in swapping parts maybe we could exchange some items.

welcome to the garage to both of ya!

sounds like coach wants to make the 3 speed a floor shift .... that's not "restoring" granddads truck, it's modifying it, and it's a puzzle why you'd want that particular modification, but the trans is pretty much the same as the later years, so any aftermarket shifter could be pretty easily adapted to it - if you can bend up a rod for it that'll clear the seat and the gas tank

OTOH, if you want to make the change because the column shifter isn't working right anymore, look around the shop and you'll find lots of discussion about fixing that up

Bill

Well restoring it with the modification of a floor shift. I do not particularly like the column shift. It jams up. I know I can fix that, however a floor shift is more desirable.

what ever you prefer, but don't count on it being desireable to anyone else
the column shift "jamming" is very easy to fix, back yard engineering a floor shift, not quite so

Bill

COACH- go to www.nationalchevyassoc.com/7105_1

They have a floor shift conversion for the 49-54 cars. I would think it would work on trucks, you'd just need a longer shifter.

Another idea would be to use a 55 and newer 3 speed. You'd need to convert to an open driveline, but still an option.

Thanks Whitedog. I appreciate you answer to help me rather than a condescending comment like other replies I received. I came on here to seek help with my classic truck, not get opinions by people on their high horse thinking they are so much better than the rest because the know more about these vehicle. They weren't born with the knowledge they had to learn somewhere. All I am doing is trying to learn about my truck and what I can and cannot do to it. Good luck in all your endeavers.

Thanks again.

This may just be my own opinion as one of the lippiest guys around here but...
Duuude you can do what ever TF (not task force) you want to your truck and get help from the knowledgeable guy's here....but coping that attitude will get you welcome in another forum faster than the time it takes to hit second gear
I'd suggest HotRods R us or you could try the HAMB but they're a lot rougher bunch than you'll find in here.

I'd suggest hitting reverse first pulling over and smoking a bowl while you make an attempt to take in your surroundings and figure out WTF your doing here in the first place.
If its cheap access to something you don't know and want it NOW there's no doubt a bar just down the road with all kinds of opinions that might enable your mindset to be justified...

sorry to offend coach, by telling you what your options are and what folks around here think the term "restoration" means .... as I said what ever you prefer .... saying I'm acting "better than the rest" is pretty much a reflection on your self image, not on my image of you, but thanks for clearing that up

Bill

Sorry to offend.. was just looking for help.. new to fixing up my truck.

Coach,

Just a suggestion, you may want to try the easy fix to your column shifter first before you launch into the more difficult floor shifter scenario. Could be that once it is working well, you may like it just fine.

Kurt

For what its worth, I just overhauled the column shifter box last night. Took all of an hour, minus a couple runs to the hardware store for kerosene, a new tin bucket, washers and cotter pins.

Here's my post including the basic parts you'll need assuming your column shifter is complete from the knob to the trans. Once you crack the box open it's amazingly simple.

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=843275#Post843275

I don't have any of the bushings replaced yet and its a thousand times better with just the old gummy grease cleaned out.

BLUEMEANIE,

Not to hijack, but thanks for posting this. I am thinking about diving into mine (57 3100) soon and this will help a lot.

Can this work be done with the column in place? Or do you recommend pulling it before cleaning out the shifter box? I will need new bushings and likely the rest of the parts too.

EDIT...and the kerosene was for cleaning the old grease out, yes?

Thanks again,

Jim

Fourbrads,

I answered your post here so as not to hijack -
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=843369&#Post843369

Coach, I have a aftermarket shifter I removed from a 54 last year and can help you out.

Russ_B_10, what's the pattern on those mated to what used to be a 3ott?

R 2
l-l
1 3

Yes Bluemeanie, that was the shift pattern.

I perfer the column shift but am willing to help Coachw34 out with his question. Poor Guy, I can see where he is comming from and now it looks like we ran him off after only a couple of days.

^ Agreed.

I've thought about getting one of those floor shift kits for fun, its an easy change over since the floor panel swaps out with a couple bolts.

I don't know about the rest of you but I have been given nothing but "good" ideas on this site and once in a while get a little "whipping" when I say or do anything wrong. If someone tells me something I know this group is only trying to help me. I'm 61 years young and know a pretty good bit but I do mess up once in a while. Believe me they will help. My opinion.

I think the column shift is unique and is one of the signature items of an old truck. To me, they're part of the charm. Why anyone would want to change it to the floor is beyond me, but that's just my own opinion. When I got my truck, someone had done just that and it looked awful. I took the floor shifter out and threw it in the trash. I got some help from fellow bolters here to help me find the right column shift, arms, and shifter box for my truck.

Personally, I think a guy can do whatever he wants to his truck. There's no Old Truck Bible out there that tells someone what they can and can't do. If it's alright for guys to put small blocks and Ford 9" rearends in a truck, why not a floor shift?

I don't know if the op is still here, but I'll go ahead... Several weeks ago I was contemplating the same mod. Thanks to some good advice here, I decided to swap in an SM420. Overall, I'm happier than I was with the 3 speed. Not only do I have a floor shift, I also have granny low for parades and I'm synchronized in my main forward gears. $100 and a day's work...it was well worth it. Just something for you to consider, Coach.

I bought the floor shifter from National Chevy Assocation and they told me that the only thing would be a longer shift lever. I got it and the bracket That bolts to the side of the transmission was too short. I have a 49 chevy 3100 The transmission for my truck is 2 inches longer than the one for the car. I sent it back.