eblood

Hi guys,

I'm stuck in 1st gear with my '65. The shifter seems to be in 3rd but trans seems to be in 1st and it's impossible to change gear. I ve done a short movie maybe you help me finding what's wrong with it...

thank you !!

65GGvert

Put the shifter in neutral and move the levers on the transmission so that they run up and down and see what happens.

wmf62

or, leave the shifter where it is and take a crescent wrench/channel locks/etc on the sides of the linkage arms (or move by hand...) and shift them each to neutral. the shifter should naturally fall into the neutral gate.

looks like a bit of slop in the 3/4 arm linkage hole too.
Bill

eblood

I cant move the shifter.. I'll try to put all the levers to Neutral and see what's going on. If the shifter is causing the troubles should i fixed the issue by underneath or by removing the panel by the interior ?

thanx

R66

It can all be done from underneath the car. Just in case you are not familiar with 4 speed linkage:
With a Cresent wrench or pliers, Move the lever arm on the trans 3-4 shift fork (closest to the front of the trans) to the vertical (neutral) position (straight up and down).
With a Cresent wrench or pliers, move the lever arm on the trans 1-2 shift fork (middle lever) to the vertical (neutral) position (straight up and down).
This should free the shifter to allow it to move to neutral.
While holding each lever, check the alignment of each lever (they have a rectangular slot in them) to the shift fork (they a a rectangular boss) and tighten the nuts while holding the lever vertical. Return the levers to the vertical position.
Make sure the two bolts holding the shifter to the plate on the trans are tight.
It appears you have a lot of wear on the rods at the shift levers. It will probably lock up again unless you repair or replace the rods and adjust the shifter. I'll try to find some instructions on shifter adjustment to send to you.

eblood

Thank you so much for your help... Forum reactiveness is quite impressing, even despite time lag. Keep you posted about progress..

wmf62

thanks... you said it better/clearer than I did...

also, see this link, post #3
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...n-lock-up.html

and
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...uge-lenth.html


Bill

R66

No thanks needed Bill. I went to college and when I got out, I learned I didn't know much more than the book until I learned from the old men on the job that had been doing it for years. Then I worked up to running construction work and still learned from others (but was smart enough to listen to most but not all), but then had to try to pass along the basics to the kids coming up in the trades. Now that I am retired, it is difficult to remember the things I didn't know when I was 18 or 20. I am the least knowledgable on this forum, but I still have to remember when I didn't know S**t and some old man explained it to me in basic terms. Now I enjoy being the OLD MAN with my Grandsons and their cars, but I am still Stupid - stamped on my forehead.
Ron B

wmf62

I can remember things from 60 years ago, but yesterday not so much...; so I now take a LOT of pictures...

there are things I wish I had pictures of, like the rochester fi on my 383 Plymouth, my dodge factory super stock, etc; and just life in general...

thanks again...
Bill

R66

Wonder if the guy got it going???
May be shift forks, etc.
I guess he must have or we would be hearing more.

wmf62

dunno....

Bill

eblood

Hi guys,

it's fixed !!! I got my father visit yesterday, I went under the car and i remove the clips retaining the lever for 1/2 gear. Put the lever in neutral position, afterward i asked to my father to move the shifter, still stuck.. so it means that the issues comes from the shifter or shifter linkage. I got a look closest to the shifter and when it try to put the 1/2 gear , shifter was not triggering the metal plate selecting the left arm. I took a wrench just playing a bit with it, moving manually the shaft and magically my father manage to unlock the shiter..

I dont really know what happened but I know that without your help I wont got it.. We celebrate the fix with a ride of .. 100 meters (still no license plate).

Thank you very much guys !!

PS: I hope my "technical explanation" was clear enough ?!

R66

GREAT Good father and son working together project.
Take some time and search the forum for a thread for adjusting the stock Muncie shifter or Hurst shifter depending on what you have (looks like the stock Muncie shifter in your video). JohnZ had a thread on it, but I couldn't find it. Basically, you remove the shift ears (lugs) or rods from the lugs Then align the shifter to the neutral position using a drill bit or pin through a hole (or half hole) in the shifter housing and 3 plates for the gears. Then make sure the transmission shift ears are in neutral and adjust the rods to align with the holes in the shift ears or the slots in the shift ears to the rectangular bosses on each shift fork shaft. There are videos on the internet for a Hurst, and it is very similar.
I do recommend you replace or repair that 3-4 rod and or the shift ear (lug) as you have quite a bit of slop indicating a lot of wear.
A little bit of money will rebuild the shifter components on the one you have, or you can buy a new one if you want to let go of the $$$$.
Thanks for the update.

eblood

Very appreciated tip R66. I was so glad when issue was fixed up. Its true working on american classic car with my dad is just like a dream for me. He's more oriented italian classis car but i keep talking with him :P

R66

Great. Car guys are car guys. They love what looks best to them, kinda like a girl. Have fun with your car and your Dad. Who knows, he may even come around and forgive us Americans for the invasion of Europe with Corvettes.
Bill and I and the other forum members are here to help. Many have much more knowledge than I do as R66 is our first Corvette, so keep asking.
Ron

wmf62

my corvette 'knowledge' is mostly from the school of life and hard knocks... my 'formal' education is in other things

most of what I give advice or opinion on is things that I have experienced myself, often the hard way

and, I may tend to 'bubba' things or give 'bubba' advice, but again they are things that worked for me and may offend the purists..

Ron and the rest of the forum members are here to help; just ask...

Bill