steering column question. - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

whitetrash_elky · 02-01-2009, 04:22 AM

has anyone taken the 3 on the tree column and converted it to work a regular automatic tranny?

BIG CHEVY 3600 · 02-01-2009, 10:38 AM

Anything is possible with these old trucks. A degree in mechanical engineering might help.

whitetrash_elky · 02-01-2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIG CHEVY 3600

Anything is possible with these old trucks. A degree in mechanical engineering might help.

well i guess i'm S.O.L!!!

is there enough lateral movement in the shifter to even pull it off?

B17CRX · 02-01-2009, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetrash_elky

has anyone taken the 3 on the tree column and converted it to work a regular automatic tranny?

Thats not a bad idea, anyone here done it??

**mr48chev** · 02-01-2009, 03:23 PM

I haven't done it but I don't think it would be difficult to do. There is plenty of lateral movement as the arms on the bottom of the column swing through a pretty good arc when you go between first and reverse or second and third. I think the 54 pickups with Automatics had a shifter that wasn't far removed from the column shifters for three speeds.
Looks like a sneaky way to put in an automatic.

The big thing will be getting the lever on the shift rod out of the trans in sync with the lever on the column. One of the goodie vendors used to make and sell a lever for the trans that was adjustable both in location and in travel of the shift rod but a bit of junk yard hunting would probably produce a lever that would suffice.

whitetrash_elky · 02-01-2009, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Looks like a sneaky way to put in an automatic.

thats the idea!

Wrenchbender Ret · 02-01-2009, 04:41 PM

Its been done but is not safe. There is no lockout for park or reverse. It would be awful easy to shift to reverse or park at the wrong time.

dwcsr · 02-01-2009, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wrenchbender Ret

Its been done but is not safe. There is no lockout for park or reverse. It would be awful easy to shift to reverse or park at the wrong time.

That just puts the thrill back into driving.

BIG CHEVY 3600 · 02-01-2009, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwcsr

That just puts the thrill back into driving.

Good point. what about setting it up so that reverse is where second gear was and drive is down where low was? But what about D2 and D3 and Neutral?

OrrieG · 02-01-2009, 11:41 PM

I drove mine for a while with a pretty worn out Camaro floor shifter that would not hold drive or neutral. After shifting from 2nd to reverse the second time I got one that worked. Yes, its pretty thrilling especially to the person behind you!

Sinisterspeed · 02-19-2009, 03:59 PM

There is supposed to be a lock out on floor shifters?

02-01-2009, 04:22 AM	#1
whitetrash_elky Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: bay area Posts: 12	steering column question. has anyone taken the 3 on the tree column and converted it to work a regular automatic tranny?

02-01-2009, 10:38 AM	#2
BIG CHEVY 3600 BIG CHEVY 3600 LONGBOX Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 382	Re: steering column question. Anything is possible with these old trucks. A degree in mechanical engineering might help. __________________ If I were given 8 hours to chop down a large tree, I would spend the first 6 hours sharpening my ax. Abraham Lincoln http://s729.photobucket.com/albums/w...cpZZ3QQtppZZ20

02-01-2009, 03:23 PM	#5
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,710	Re: steering column question. I haven't done it but I don't think it would be difficult to do. There is plenty of lateral movement as the arms on the bottom of the column swing through a pretty good arc when you go between first and reverse or second and third. I think the 54 pickups with Automatics had a shifter that wasn't far removed from the column shifters for three speeds. Looks like a sneaky way to put in an automatic. The big thing will be getting the lever on the shift rod out of the trans in sync with the lever on the column. One of the goodie vendors used to make and sell a lever for the trans that was adjustable both in location and in travel of the shift rod but a bit of junk yard hunting would probably produce a lever that would suffice.

02-01-2009, 04:41 PM	#7
Wrenchbender Ret Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Overland Park, Ks. Posts: 5,229	Re: steering column question. Its been done but is not safe. There is no lockout for park or reverse. It would be awful easy to shift to reverse or park at the wrong time.

02-01-2009, 11:41 PM	#10
OrrieG Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 8,800	Re: steering column question. I drove mine for a while with a pretty worn out Camaro floor shifter that would not hold drive or neutral. After shifting from 2nd to reverse the second time I got one that worked. Yes, its pretty thrilling especially to the person behind you! __________________ 1959 Chevy Short Fleetside w/ 74 4WD drive train (current project) OrrieG Build Thread 1964 Chevelle Malibu w/ 355-350TH (daily driver) Helpful AD and TF Manual Site Old Car Manual Project

02-19-2009, 03:59 PM	#11
Sinisterspeed Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Gales Creek, Oregon Posts: 619	Re: steering column question. There is supposed to be a lock out on floor shifters? __________________ There are two kinds of people, those who finish what they start and so on. 70 GMC Longhorn (A.K.A Money Bucket) 57 Chev 3100 05 Chevy LLY Dmax. 67 Chevy Camaro Dad's Budget Build 55 My Longhorn Build



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