Wrecking yard mechanics

[Bobacuda]

Rebuilding our ‘67 Barracuda has presented lots of surprises and challenges - many created by the previous owner and his wrecking yard mechanic friends.

The latest gaffe I get to fix is the re-engineered automatic floor shift lower rod (see photo). For some reason, they cut it, shortened it (about 1 1/4”) and did a welding job on it my old Ag teacher would call “cat ****.”

It is now too short to put the trans in neutral or park (photo shows park positions).
So I either have to find a new lower rod or try my luck at making it longer. The gift that keeps on giving…

 

[1WildRT]

while I agree the welds are complete crap I think the length may be closer then you think.... If the shift lever is in park and therefore angled forward the arm of the bell crank should also be angled forward... It currently appears to be close to 90 degrees.... 90 degrees should occur in the neutral/drive area... You might have an issue with the upper rod or the shifter too....

 

[Kern Dog]

The bracket on the transmission itself could be the problem. They are merely levers like an idler or Pitman arm. A longer lever will have longer range for the same fore-aft movement of the shift rod.

 

[1WildRT]

The bracket on the transmission itself could be the problem. They are merely levers like an idler or Pitman arm. A longer lever will have longer range for the same fore-aft movement of the shift rod.

True, and the lever/linkage being used is definitely wrong.. The snap together nylon bushings as seen in the posted picture didn't show up till around 74-75....

 

[pishta]

When I got my 65, there was a "reverse action" shift lever going straight to the sector shaft arm and it had a pivot at the floorboard. It was a shitty setup, and unsafe. Throw it in R at 30? No problem! It would just stall the motor. Never found P at speed thank goodness. Finding D was just push it all the way FORWARD and pull it back 2 ticks. Installed my Pro-Matic 2 shortly after.