Transmission in sighs!!!!

[GPster]

Had to play,sorry Crosley. This may be something that will find a response from members with some history (I didn't say old). '53 Chevy powerglides had a Park-neutral -drive-low-reverse shift pattern. Anyone have any ideas of a floor-shift conversion that might work with this type of pattern? Now you have the question. You can stop reading unless you're curious. This is the reason and I'm just weighing my options.  My project is a '51 chevy truck cab on a '53 Chevy car chassis with stock running gear. The car steering column fits nicely in the depression on the botton of the truck dash but needs to be dropped about an 1 1/2" to leave room for the column-shift linkage for the transmission. The truck cab retains it's stock seat so that I can sit up-right and see out of all the windows (which is also one of the reasons it won't be chopped). The car steering column is not at as steep an angle as the truck column so the bottom of the steering wheel comes closer to the seat than it would on the truck. Even though the truck "three-on-the tree" linkage uses that 1 1/2"  and gets by it does put a cramp on the car linkage (and driver). I could go to a smaller steering wheel but that would increase the steering effort  and I'm not interested in getting that realm more complicated. A floor-shift conversion might make this project seem un-cluttered and simple. I have to make a floor for this cab with a tunnel any-ways so it would help if I had decided on the need of a floor-shift or not.  My memories of the '60s does not put a heavy enphasis on automatic transmissions so an after-market conversion might be no-existant, particularly for a 2 speed auto behind a 6. Just weighing my options. I still have all the stock car linkage. I may put another hole in the dash above the steering column depression for the shift linkage shaft. There is a brace on the back-side of the dash that is a stiffener for the column-mount that will need holes in it too. BUT the stock linkage has a monstrocity of hardware (and a neutral safety switch) sitting on top of the column near the steering box. This contraption  is not as athetically pleasing as the clean column would be because there won't be any fenders to spoil the look. It's amazing how differant thing look when you get them off a pillar (jack-stands) and you get them into the vision of the real world (not through Bi-Focals). GPster

[Sean]

GPster, I think B&M, and Hurst both offer several of their shifters in Reverse pattern. I believe reverse pattern PG's are pretty popular with the racing crowd, so it shouldn't be much trouble finding a used one.

[ragdol]

'63 Riviera has a floor shifter with that pattern.I'm sure the bone yard near here has one. Larry.

[GPster]

I like the ideas so far. Sometimes I think so hard about all the angles and problems I miss some of the simple solutions. Because of Crosley's posts I was sceptical about using a shifter that had detents that would over-ride the ones in the transmission but J C Whitney lists one that by there reasoning will cover Powerglides from '51 - '73 and a large assortment of other manufacturers,types and years for $63.00. But a '63 Buick Riveria does not fall into their cross-referrance (if that means anything). That is somewhat surprising because there's supposed to be a lot of Buick parts that will fit into a Powerglide to strengthen it. Most of the reversed pattern powerglide shifters and the stock-car applications are for the alumninum case powerglides that was used when the 6s shared the same bell housing bolt pattern as the V8s. Mine is the early cast-iron powerglide. Maybe I can use my Pinto shifter? GPster

[GPster]

'63 Riviera has a floor shifter with that pattern.I'm sure the bone yard near here has one. Larry.

Do you make it there very often? I'm sure the uplostery and housin would be overkill but check on the shifter and see if it has a neutral-safety switch on it. And what they want for it.  The copper head haven't gone dormant yet and anything around here that old in a yard we don't rummage in til after the first frost.  Just thinking about saving some money over the one size fits everything J C Whitney shifter. Still working on ideas but it would be easier to get all the stuff off the top of the column before I rebuild the cowl. GPster

[ragdol]

Up here in Wisconsin we don't have the snakes, just mosquitos.I'm going up north for the holiday, but will try to get out there next week. Also, a conversion floor shifter to replace a florr shifter doesn't make a lot of sense. Probably why the Riv isn't listed. Larry.

[GPster]

Up here in Wisconsin we don't have the snakes, just mosquitos.I'm going up north for the holiday, but will try to get out there next week. Also, a conversion floor shifter to replace a florr shifter doesn't make a lot of sense. Probably why the Riv isn't listed. Larry.

I agree with your observation. I was looking at the entire Buick line because I thought that the shift-pattern for the Rivearawouldn't be a one only. Re-checking the applications I had mis-read. they show Buick from '60 - '86. The timing is wonderful. It seems everyone is going to celebrate the holiday HERE. GPster

[GPster]

Another insight. What appears to be the shifter arm on this transmission is only a bellcrank. The real(?) shifter lever on this transmission comes out of the lower/rear of the caseand the control shaft coming out of the case is in=line with the output shaft of the tranny. My Motor Manual ends at '61 so '53 is the first year covered so it's not very concise although it does state that there are differances from the '54 transmission. This thing may be closer to the earlier Powerglides ('51 and newer). I see no conection with this bellcrank other than to change the motion of the shift rod. The "kick-down" linkage is on the gas-pedal linkage.  Maybe I could also be looking at a floor-shifter that has a cable (cobble). Ideas? My mind is kind of blank here (also). Corvair didn't have a "Park" position, Edsel would probably require a change in steering columns and the dash in this truck cab is too crammed to house a Chrysler Powerflite push-button. I keep reminding myself not to be forgotten. GPster

[GPster]

Ragdol, Don't waste any time looking for a Riviera. Got into my stash (of parts I thought I'd use on the Jeepster) and got out my Pinto.swap meet shifter, * (can I say that here?) good thing I did,it was bent. Because it had 3 foreward gears I'll just file a little depression in low and use it for reverse. Then Powerglide low will be second and dive will be drive. I'll just file the reverse out of the Pinto detent and file a notch for reverse. That way I can use the Pinto neutral safety swich and I'll just eliminate the back-up lights. If I keep it up I won't have many parts left for the Jeepster, this truck got it's tranny cooler too. Oh well now that I can drive I can go to swap meets again. Anyone know when Springfield, Ohio in the fall is? If it would be the first weekend in October I could do it coming and going from Debb's BBQ. GPster

[trackster]

Springfield, OH was last weekend.  Lots of cars for sale, lots of overpriced parts, etc.

[enjenjo]

Springfield, OH was last weekend.  Lots of cars for sale, lots of overpriced parts, etc.

There is another one in November.

[GPster]

Oh yea, I didn't get the shifter installed  so it's high (on top of my tool box) and dry. GPster