Hot Rods CONVERT MANUAL STEERING COLUMN TO AUTOMATIC

I bought a 1946 Ford Business Coupe and want to do a few things to it. I have thought about a Tilt steering column, but it may be more trouble than it is worth. My original column looks really good, and I want to keep it. The car has a floor shift in it now, but I don't like the way it looks. It has an FMX transmission. I want to convert my manual shift column to an automatic shift. An ideas or suggestions would be very much appreciated.

 

It's a pretty common thing to do. I've done this personally a handful of times.You just gotta see if you're exhaust i's gonna be in the way of your linkage from the column to the Trans. Usually you would weld the 2 arms together and then fabricate the linkage. From that to the transmission.

 

Could a Cable be used instead of regular linkage? Just looking for ways that might make clearance issues less of an issue.

 

Sure thing a cable could work. Just fine. here's one in A
1950 Chevy, I have at work. A little bit different set up, but it could be made to work just the same.

 

That looks really clean too. I will have to wait until I get my headers back on before I can do any real measuring. If I got this right, just have the two shift levers "tied" together and it should work? Appreciate your help.

 

The main disadvantage to using a re-tasked manual column is the lack of any detents corresponding to the shifter positions. The detents at the transmission may or may not be enough to ensure that the lever won't move on its own, say from a road bump or you inadvertently bumping it. Bumping the trans into reverse/park or having it drop into low at speed won't be good. If you're willing to do the fab work, the detents can be added to your column. As an alternative, the first generation Ford Econoline columns are very similar in appearance and can be had with the proper detents. Some mixing of parts would be needed to retain the OEM steering wheel, but it's doable. If you have a 'select shift' trans (P-R-N-D-2-1, likely), look for a '66-67 column as it will have the proper detents. The earlier ones are set up for the Cruisomatic (P-R-N-D2-D1-LO) which will work, but the detent between D1 and D2 is slightly different.

 

Correct about the Detents. In the last one that I made work. Actually made a plate on the column next to the arms with detents in it. So you had to pull up on the column like a regular shifter to get it to work.

 

Detents would be a big plus, but I will have to see how things go getting the conversion done first. Appreciate all the help.

 

I switched from the factory rod type shift linkage to cable linkage on my o/t c10 when I swapped the th350 for a 700r4. Cable worked really well for me and cured a vibrating shift lever too. The cable installation was very adjustable to suit the clearances needed.

 

I don't like large diameter steering columns in old cars because, at least to me. they don't look right. The last car I built I combined a late fifties Studebaker lower column (it was less bulky) with the upper half of a 58 or 59 Pontiac. This gave me turn signals as well as a mechanism that was built in so it would "lock" in park.

 

Check the link in post 4 for how @olscrounger does a manual to auto column with detents.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...column-shifter-to-a-c4.1308872/#post-15110446

 

also check limeworks web site. they make parts for this.

 

Thanks, I just sent them an email asking what they might have.

 

This is the reply I got:
"I do not have anything specific for the FMX, but the parts for the C4 and C6 are pretty universal.
Kit comes with the detent plate and lower support. Detents for P R & N. safety switch in the Park position to prevent starting in gear. You may need to use the shift arm on the FMX trans. Not sure if the one in our kit will work on that trans."

 

I suspect that probably only really works on their column, and the combined price will likely take your breath away...

An off-the-shelf bolt-on solution for your OEM column is probably nonexistent. The previously mentioned Econoline column would likely be the best lo-buck solution but would require some fab work. A '58-62 Ford full-size Cruisomatic column would also work (and likely be easier to find) but would need a bit more work on the D1 detent for a SelectShift trans.

 

Their kit is around $190.00 on sale. Does not include the column of course. My biggest problem with the Kit is I would have to remove my column. I don't want to do that. I haven't even been able to remove my horn ring so far. If the parts were two piece and held together with Allen screws, then that might make a difference.

 

I'll throw one more bit of info out here... The '58-62 column is set up for the FX/MX transmission, closer relatives to your FMX so I suspect any linkage geometry issues would be less.

 

If you want detents, removing the existing column either for replacement or modification will be needed. No way around that...

 

On my 32 I used the 2-3 shift lever on my 46 column to push/pull a rod to the T350 I was using. I cut off the unused lever. I made an aluminum spacer to fit the big hole in the lever. The rod was just a 1/4" steel rod that I bent to reach the trans lever. I used small rod ends on each end to help with alignment.
The trans detents worked well enough, but without an indicator you have to get used to the number of clicks. I did accidentally bump it out of gear once or twice, but that was on me, not the detents.

 

Here is a detent I made for a 51 Ford column to convert to use with an automatic trans.

 

Nice piece of work!

 

i recently converted my 40 merc to automatic column shift using stock column& the lokar universal linkage, i made my own detent for park and driving gears to keep it from going out of driving gears and to keep it in park(not as nice as @chevyfordman though ! ) works real nice, but is there a way to rig up a neutral safety switch without reinventing the wheel ?

 

Can you post pictures of the detent you made?

 

i can tonight when i get home

 

I believe there is a neutral safety switch kit that you can buy for most automatics that mount off of the shift lever on the transmission.

 

I saw some, or one, on the limeworks website.

 

We have used Lokar's trans mounted neutral a couple times; easy to install.

 

Tough to take a pic of the slotted area for the homemade detent, and these close ups make it look crude, but it works , keeps it in park and keeps it in the foward gears and from going into park from reverse, I just notched the tab

 

There is a thread here on the HAMB about converting a 40 ford column shift to automatic i just have a picture

 

Thanks, now I have more ideas to work with.