Transmission / Overdrive: Transmission shift linkage to shifter?

[Bullet]

I had a 700r4 tranny put in my 1964 Cruiser, behind the Studebaker 289. When I got the car back the mechanic told me the steering column shifter needed to be rebuilt as it was sloppy. That was an understatement. I can find park, and some other gears, but the lever inside the car can moves a lot and it is extremely hard to tell if I am in OD, D or1 or 2. Yes when driving, but not at all when sitting to get started. It was this way a little bit on the old B-W tranny that was in there, but is a lot worse now. By sloppy I mean that you can move the lever inside the car 3-4 inches before anything will happen with moving the transmission gears. My questions are this:

1. Can the steering column sift mechanism, I am assuming down by the starter, be rebuilt?

2. I also, am assuming that he used the original connectors between the BW tranny and the 700R, and that could be the issue, or there is sloppiness in the mounting holes/rubber grommets in the steering wheel connection point

3 other?

I remember seeing Mike V post a picture of a linkage connector that he had used for his conversions and Dick S said he used the same one, but am unable to find the thread on that. Lost in the disappearing posts?

Thanks in advance for thoughts and ideas on this.

Call me grounded.

Mark

[StudeRich]

Since you now have SEVEN Gear Positions on your Trans.
I do not see how a Five Position Shift Column, Detent Housing and Dial could EVER work, even after you replace the worn shifting Tube and Bell under the S/Wheel.

There simply is not enough Range on a Studebaker Automatic Shift setup to allow that.

[Bullet]

Others have done it tho Rich without replacing the Studebaker steering column. I purchased a detent cable from Myer's Studebaker along with all the other parts to do the install. This has been the only thing causing me headaches.

From your comments it sounds like the shifting/bell are worn and need rework or rebuilt.


Mark

[Treblig]

I also put a 700R4 in my daughter's 59 Silver Hawk. You can use the Stude steering column and shift lever (the one at the bottom of the column). Although the Silver Hawk only had 5 positions on the column detents it shouldn't matter because you can attach the rod to the trans lever in the location that compensates for the distance the Stude column lever travels. I also bought a Chevy shift indicator that looks very similar to the Stude indicator. I'll install the GM indicator in a few weeks. I plan to modify the detents inside the column to match the GM detents. The Stude column has PLENTY of travel to include the 6/7 GM trans shift positions. You have to realize that the lever on the transmission is a "LEVER". On any lever the closer the shift rod is to the trans stud the less sweep you have. The further the shift rod is from the shift stud the more sweep you have. It a simple matter of attaching the shift rod to the correct location on the trans shift lever so that it matches the amount of movement/travel on the column shift lever.
When I installed the transmission I rigged up a temporary shift rod and got 6 of the GM trans shift positions right off the bat. Now that I have the car at home I plan to redo the shift rod (using heavier rods) and get it perfect. I'll be posting everything here on my Silver Hawk thread:

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?88034-Silver-Hawk-Major-Modifications&highlight=treblig

By the way...the majority of "slop" in the shift mechanism is probably in the upper column. The detents get badly worn over the years and allow the column (hand) shift lever to get very sloppy. When I took my column apart I found all the slop in the detents. The lower part (lower column lever) was is excellent shape and didn't need any rebuilding.

Treblig

[StudeRich]

/Cut/From your comments it sounds like the shifting/bell are worn and need rework or rebuilt.
Mark

Yes Mark, the hole in the shifter Tube that the gearshift Lever engages into may also have a lot of wear, but disassembly should tell what is due for replacement.

[Bullet]

Thank you Trebliq. I found the picture below for a dial indicator, as I call it.I bought this item from JEGS, a little expensive, especially since I was going to modify it. It cost $18.99 (JEGS p/n 898-FR20010NOK). I was able to easily cut it down to match the Studebaker chrome housing and it slipped right in. The letters are silk screened on, so you do need to be careful of the scratching the letters in the cutting down process and for me it had all the correct letters I needed for the GM 700 tranny. "P" was lost in cutting down, but that was a minor issue to me.

Mark

[Treblig]

Thank you Trebliq. I found the picture below for a dial indicator, as I call it.I bought this item from JEGS, a little expensive, especially since I was going to modify it. It cost $18.99 (JEGS p/n 898-FR20010NOK). I was able to easily cut it down to match the Studebaker chrome housing and it slipped right in. The letters are silk screened on, so you do need to be careful of the scratching the letters in the cutting down process and for me it had all the correct letters I needed for the GM 700 tranny. "P" was lost in cutting down, but that was a minor issue to me.

Mark

There you go!! If you think and research it long enough you can usually find a simple solution!!! I'm in the process of building a new (home made) detent piece that will fit into the Stude upper column. This car (Silver Hawk) is for my daughter so I need for her to be able to see what gear the car in actually "in". It's a little trouble to make the new detent piece but it also fun!!

Treblig