A/T Shift Lever Reassembly Spring Tips?

[kevinshi]

Hey folks -

Any tips for reassembly of my A/T Shift Lever? There is a spring loaded pin that has to be loaded (pressed down) to make room for the lever... that is looking to be a bugger of a job... perhaps one of you that has already done this has a tip?

I worry I am about to scratch the heck out of my beautifully painted shift collar...

Also has anyone out there solved the sloppy shifter issue? The hole in the pot metal of the shift color gets worn open... making the lever action pretty sloppy... I am thinking that perhaps I can get an insert/bushing... then bore out the pot metal to allow the insert bushing?

Thanks!

[Joe Travers]

Also has anyone out there solved the sloppy shifter issue? The hole in the pot metal of the shift color gets worn open... making the lever action pretty sloppy... I am thinking that perhaps I can get an insert/bushing... then bore out the pot metal to allow the insert bushing?

I wonder if you can fill the mount w/ hard epoxy, drill and sand to get it restored correctly? I removed the mount from the collar in a truck that had been converted to floor shifter. Filled the hole w/ epoxy, sanded and repainted. Wasn't noticeable.

Joe

[kevinshi]

I thought about epoxy. I worry I won't be able to get the holes redrilled precisely enough (directly across from one another.)

But I guess I sort of have that problem with bushings as well... and effectively what you suggest is fabrication of a permanent bushing via epoxy.

The fact you suggest this makes me think that perhaps that is worth a try (at least I wasn't the only one with this crazy idea!). I have a couple of these collars on hand (from everyone else nuking their column shifters!) so I can actually try a few different approaches and see what happens...

I also wonder whether a press/spring pin was a poor choice from the onset. Just seems like you are asking for exactly this kind of wear with a spring pin. If I ever get my hands on a NOS collar these I think I will use a solid pin... not sure exactly how I would keep it from wiggling out (maybe some locktight at the middle in the shift lever?).

[poboyjo65]

Might be easier to alter one of these;
https://www.macsautoparts.com/1962-65-f ... -NEALw_wcB

I think the only difference is where the gear pointer slot needs to be bigger for the comet,maybe you have a pic to compare.

I would probably try the one for a truck first,just because I'm a tightwad. ;
https://www.macsautoparts.com/1965-77-f ... HqEALw_wcB

[Jims65cyclone]

The cheaper one for the truck says it fits 62 - 65 Falcon. Sounds like it would work.

Jim

[kevinshi]

Yea I am super picky on this one. I want the original lighted gear selection indicator. As far as I can tell no one is making a reproduction of these that has the little light. The best on offer is a pointer (without a light).

I now have in mind using a steel binding screw with loctite on the inner threads.

I think the original design expected the press pin to rotate in the collar holes. That is why those holes are all getting so sloppy (the pin is literally wearing the holes bigger). I have in mind changing the design: I want to fix/freeze the pin (in my case a binding screw) so that the pin does not move... forcing the shift lever to rotate around the pin. This would put the wear/tear onto the inside of the gear lever... which is both more robust than the holes in the collar and can be easily lubricated to avoid much damage...

In the meantime does anyone have any advice for how to get that spring loaded without chewing up my fingers and/or the collar in the process?

[poboyjo65]

cant blame you for wanting a lighted pointer & didnt mean to give it up. What I meant was wouldn't it be easier to make your old lighted pointer work in a new truck collar rather than trying to fix the shift lever hole on the old one? someone was talking about doing that quite some time back.seems like they mentioned widening the slot for the 65 lighted pointer. at least what ever you do to the pointer wont have extreme pressure on it like the shift lever does or 50+ years of use. maybe epoxy the pointer from inside out of sight?

hard to say how to make a 65 pointer work on a new truck collar without all of it on hand,I cant remember how the pointer attaches ,,,is there a reason why this cant be done? but sooner or later your old collar will wear out @ the pin hole beyond repair since it is pot metal.

I use to wear these collars out,break them,or wear out that pin hole on the old trucks & learned not to get in ,crank it & slam it down in drive but rather ease it down ,they last a whole lot longer that way.

[Joe Travers]

I use to wear these collars out,break them,or wear out that pin hole on the old trucks & learned not to get in ,crank it & slam it down in drive but rather ease it down ,they last a whole lot longer that way.

The roll pin in my Cyclone collar wore a groove in the mount that left a bunch of slop on a shift. My wife busted her knuckles on the dashboard trying to shift into second gear and still reminds me when I ask her if she wants to drive my '63. I said, 'hey babe, it's floor shift'. She said, 'I DON'T CARE!!!'

Joe

[Lou's Comet]

..........
In the meantime does anyone have any advice for how to get that spring loaded without chewing up my fingers and/or the collar in the process?

Can you compress the spring in a vise. Tie it with a zip tie or mechanics wire. Then once the compressed spring is in place cut and remove the zip tie/wire? Not sure of your clearances.

Lou