3 on the tree question

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ThePeople'sCar

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Hello from OH. I'm new to this site--linked here from Moparts.

I've got a 72 Dart Custom, /6, column shift. 38K original miles. Spot free (except for the flat spot in the driver's seat from some old man's butt). She's beautiful.

Looking for some advice...I bought the car w/ no brakes. I figured it was low on fluid or had air in the lines, no big deal. Turns out it was the master cylinder. Still, no big deal. Until I discovered why it shifted poorly (yes I drove it, okay it had SOME brakes after about 4 pumps). I'm guessing about 21 years ago (some time before the registration last expired) the master cylinder dumped brake fluid all over the steering column and, it being a column shift, the shift linkage. Over the years, the brake fluid rotted out the bushings in the linkage. I suppose the linkage would be easy enough to find in a junkyard, but I'd prefer NOS. Any referrals? Anybody ever messed with this linkage?

Thanks
 
Being a 72 I take it were talking about an auto 3 on the tree and not a manual right?

R/T specialties may have the bushings.
 
Since it's a /6 i assume it's a 3-speed,my Duster was a /6 3-speed on the column and i stil have the trans. and the linkage if you want it drop me a PM and send a pic. of what you need.:smile:
 
Checked R/T Specialties, nope. Rock Auto, bupkis.

Just curious...anybody know of a column-to-floor shifter conversion for the A230 in a Dart? I've checked Lokar and Hurst and have come up with nothing.
 
ThePeople'sCar said:
Scamp, that's great! I'll send sou a pic tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Ok i'll let you know when i get it.

Adam,i think they made 3-speed on the column cars up to 72.
I heard of 72 Duster's with 3 on the trees also.
 
Mine valiant was a 3 on the tree and its a '68, and i got a kit from hurst to drop it to the floor. Check out the photo garage, i have a pic there. Although its not that good of one
 
Was the Hurst kit an easy swap?

Me and a buddy of mine with a '53 F100 just spent two days "installing" a Lokar floor shifter on his FMX tranny. Had to remove the valve body to just get the linkage in. What an unholy mess. Tranny fluid tastes bad.
 
Gear oil, gasoline, antifreeze, brake fluid, now tranny fluid, hell, I'm just a coupla swigs of washer fluid away from writing a guest article for Mopar Action: "A Taste of Chrysler..."

Except, the tranny fluid was from a Ford! D'oh! :sad8:
 
i wish i could tell ya if it was easy, but i had it done when i first got into cars, so it was way over my head. i took it to my local mechanic and he did it. it didnt look like it took too much work,i prolly could do it now myself, besides the cutting and welding, i dont know how to mess with that. But it fit perfectly, and it shifts so much better, i love it.
 
Most of the three speed trannies I have seen on old mopars do not have provisions for mounting the shifter to the tailshaft of the tranny. The generic kits like the Husrt Indy and Mastercraft (correct name??) come with a bracket that either use the mounting bolts that hold the tailshaft to the main body of the tranny or have a clamp on bracket.

The most difficult part of putting a one of these floor shifters in an A-body is geting the shifter rods to fit (they are straight in the kit but need to be bent into quite an elborate shape).

Even with the three speed (like the 4 spds) you are going to have to cut a hole in the floor that goes from the center of the hump down to the floor and about 20" long. The shifter when mounted is actually inside the car compared to the profile of the original floor. You will need to either purchase the factory style floor hump extension to cover the hole and shifter from Sherman, Year One, Paddock, etc. or find a doner car or if you are handy with sheet metal fabricate one. The other itm you will need is a new carpet. Because of this large hump extension the existing carpet will no longer fit.

I went through this on my 68 Barracuda but installed a 4spd.
 
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