Ford Column Shift Questions

[jaybee]

I have a few questions about Ford steering columns with automatic transmissions and column shift.

First, are there any older column shift Fords with a 7 detent shift pattern like many of the GM automatic overdrive transmissions? 700-R4, 200-4R, 4L80, etc. Some late models have a P-R-N-D-M-2-1, but I don't know that any of them would be column shift, and even if they were I presume the column is built differently.

Secondly, As I do a Google search there seems to be several different lockout plates available, but I don't see any of them in the 1970-71 range. Are they different from the later lockout plates, which seem to be listed as 1973-77, or the earlier plate, which seems to be listed as being variously with model years as early as 1961 on the low end and 1968 on the top end, but not consistently even though they seem to look almost alike. I'm talking about plates that look like this:
Ford column shift lockout plate

And then there's this style. I see these listed, but I can't quite figure out what they're used for and I can't find an exploded view showing this part.
Ford automatic shifter detent

It seems like the style up top could be built to match a 7 detent pattern. The hard part would be figuring out the geometry. Best way might be to mark the face of the column-mounted shift indicator, because it would have the same degree swing as the column shift lever. Then a little head scratching to figure out where you want the notch to be wider or narrower.

[enjenjo]

This can get complicated fast. In the first place Ford changed the spacing on the shifter detents some time about 1980. Prior to that the spacing on the shift quadrant was wider on park to reverse than it was between reverse and the other detents. After that the detents were spaced more evenly.  So I doubt that an early column will work with a late transmission without modification.

I have hand filed the column detents on Gm columns to use a 700R4 with an earlier Gm column You can likely do the same with a Ford column.

Working from the other direction you can modify the lever on the transmission by relocating the shift rod hole to make it more compatible with the column you are using. To do this you put the column in park and use a scribe taped to the shift rod to scribe an arc on the transmission lever while it is in park. Then put the column in low and scribe another arc on the transmission shift lever while it is in low. Where the two arcs intersect is the new location for the shift rod pivot point. Then file the column detent to match.

The other alternative is to delete the ability to manually select low gear and repeat the lever modification using second gear on the transmission instead of low. My 2004 Ford Escape has no low gear position on the column shift.

[jaybee]

I could see taking the top of the column apart multiple times in order to get it right. Of course, you wouldn't reinstall the wheel and horn until you knew the transmission shifted properly. An adjustable transmission shift arm might help the motion at the trans match the column, too.