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Old May 12, 2006 | 10:29 PM
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Can someone with an 81 tell me if they can shift their auto transmission out of park when keys are out of ignition and steering locked?Noticed I can and wonder if something is wrong or did GM screw up?

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Old May 12, 2006 | 10:40 PM
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I dont have an 81 but I dont think your supposed to be able to do that.
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Old May 13, 2006 | 02:58 AM
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Originally Posted by LittleJake
I dont have an 81 but I dont think your supposed to be able to do that.

Yup...something is wrong
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Old May 13, 2006 | 07:55 AM
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I think something is broke, mine will not shift out of park without the key on
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Old May 13, 2006 | 08:21 AM
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Chatted with other 81 owners... apparently this is normal for that year.
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Old May 13, 2006 | 08:39 AM
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From 1969 through 1976, locking the Corvette steering column also locked the shifter as well. This required a cable from the transmission that attached to a lever on the lower end of the steering column (out underhood under the brake booster.) The cable signaled the steering column that the automatic shifter was in PARK or that the manual shifter was in REVERSE.

Federal law only required that either the steering wheel or the shifter had to lock.

In 1977 the steering column was changed to include a small finger lever that had to be tripped in order to turn the ignition key to OFF-LOCK and lock the steering wheel. Corvettes stopped locking the shifter at that time.

Jim
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