my mechanic cant fix my car, can you guys help? *shifter and linkage*

okay so my 58 ford has been at my mechanic for THREE WEEKS.

i called him about twice, and my dad called him once, and he went down there today finally.

well he said he'd have to special order a cable throttle and pedal setup for it, which would cost about 200 bucks, and he cant even figure out my shifting linkage. i got a B&M shifter from a local car store thinking it would work, if not maybe he can fab up something, but he said he cant get it.

so now im stuck with either spending my college money ive saved up on him fixing all this and taking another two-three weeks to do this, or...

have you guys help me out with a solution. and i want to take this route. some of you know im only 18 with little experience, and i hate that, but right now i need my car before college starts. and i just have to finish these two things.

so are there any two speed shifters anyone is using for a fordomatic transmission that they got from a car store or something??? something that i can go out today and buy, rather than ordering it? and the cable linkage setup as well, i have a pep boys, autozone, and a carquest all within a 3 mile radius of me, what can i get from them?
and how hard is it for me and my dad to rig it up? cuz we cant weld... if it involves welding then we gotta find someone else to do it for us :-/

help would be great, thanks guys...

 

well he said he'd have to special order a cable throttle and pedal setup for it, which would cost about 200 bucks,

get a new mechanic.

 

i saw this on ebay... its in los angeles and im in bakersfield, so hell i could drive there if i needed to if i wanted it that bad. but could i use this maybe rather than the floor shifter? its off a 55 victoria though, my fordomatic came out of a 57 ford fairlane

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1955...002QQitemZ120290278217QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

I'm not to sure about the shifter, but try hitting Brian's Smog Check & Automotive. Great mechanic with good prices. He fixed my 63 Nova wagons stumbling problems after 3 shops said they didn't know what was wrong.

 

A Hurst Indy shifter will run you about 50 bucks. It won't be Fairlane (fordomatic) specific but its about as universal as it gets.
Buy one and figure it out for yourself. You won't learn a damned thing from your mechanic, you might get pregnant, but you won't learn a damned thing.

Really its not rocket science at all. Give it a whirl, you can figure it out.

 

Back in the 60's, in my area, guys would use regular flat stock to make an extended transmission lever. They would slice a hole in the transmission tunnel, run the flat stock up through, and bend the end into a right angle. This way, you would have a toe shifter. The only problem was there was no reverse or park lock-out. This idea worked on the old powerglide transmissions.

What's wrong with the throttle linkage?

 

do they make 2 speed hurst indy shifters? if not, could i just use the 3 speed one? it is fordomatic and its technically a 3 speed if i start out in low drive, then to 2nd, then to drive.

as for the carb linkage, will ANY universal cable setup work really? does anyone recomomend something different?

 

the throttle linkage problem is this.
i had an old inline 6 in mine, so the pedal is in the way of the 292 v8 throttle linkage setup.
but.... i can use the little rod off of the v8 linkage, and it goes from the pedal to the carb perfectly, there arent any threads at the end though so i cant lock it in the place.

plus there's no kickdown lever if i did that option...

 

You really need the Y block piece that bolts to the intake for the throttle link
and the trans kickdown. All the y block auto had them. As for shifter, a Pinto or
Mustang Type are cheap and work good. You need to find a good junkyard.
I guess you don't have a stock column shifter?

 

Sounds like you need to find a mechanic that knows how to work on old cars

 

My mechanic is me, and YOUR mechanic probably can fix it, he just doesn't want to. Get that Y-block piece that mounts to the intake, and become your new mechanic.

 

I just don't get it. You have a stock 2 speed auto in a 58 Ford? Must be a Y-Block. What's wrong with using the Stock shift rod? It's one piece of lincage. Should be a direct hook up. To go from 6 cyl to V8 just get stock V8 pieces and bolt them in. It shouldn't take a welder to get any of this done. I currently own 2-57 Fords 1-58 and 1-59 All that stuff inerchanges with just nuts and bolts. If your Wallet is Shallow don't use aftermarket parts, keep it simple and get it done. If I can help you with info let me know.
The Wizzard

 

I checked with Autozone trying to find out if a cheap floor shifter was still available for 2 speed powerglides. After calling a couple of stores, one was found that had been on the shelves for years. I honestly don't remember, but i'm thinking Mr Gasket. (There's no name on the shifter) The shifter mounts to the floorboard instead of the tranny. Cost about $45. STAY AWAY from cheap shifters like this!!! It has no indents..... way too much play..... cheap flimsy linkage. When I take off, realize i'm in first gear and try to upshift, it goes straight to reverse. So I end up having to pull over and try to find drive again. This usually takes at least three or four tries. It will be in the trash if anybody wants it!!!

I'm just saying spend a little more and do it right the first time. If not, you'll have nothing but trouble. Like said before..... it's not rocket science. Do it yourself.

 

probably cheaper just to drop it in the mail...

 

Got a you-pull-it yard handy? Go pull the whole works, throttle linkage, pedal, brackets, off some car there. Then pull a shifter off one. Shouldn't be that hard to find a three-speed setup that can be adapted to your trans.. maybe you'll find someone put an aftermarket shifter in a car and can scarf that.

 

^^^^Great advice^^^^

...& chill out a bit. College will still happen without that '58 Ford in the parking lot.

JH

 

You will never learn anything about cars by paying someone else too much $$ to fix it.

Take the car back home,do your research,and fix it yourself. Converting to a cable-type throttle linkage is easy and super cheap from parts sourced from the junkyard.

As far as the shifter goes,toss a want ad on here for the correct parts to make it work and you will find yourself ahead in no time.

 

:[ i just got home from running errands and i bought that mr. gasket shifter, i got the reciept still, 70 bucks, but i mean... it looks reliable and sturdy. plus i saw on yblocksforever a thread about a guy using that one?

but yea as for the other comments i got, i DO HAVE the stock y block linkage that bolts to the manifold. i gave it to my mechanic to. he said it hits the firewall and is trying to come up with a cable linkage.

figures im this close to finishing the project and the two last things i have to do will take the longest and hardest

 

alot of later model car used a cable type accelerator hook up, just go to a junk car or pull your part and get the pedal cable and all brackets off another car and adapt it over to your car. If you need to shorten the cable cut it on the pedal end and get a cable clamp from the help section at Auto zone , the clamp will let the cable slid through it and have a screw that you tighten to hold the cable. It doesn't require any welding just alittle backyard engineering and if you are going to college you can handle it just don't get excited and give up just walk away and take a break and it will get better RED

 

Get a die and cut threads on the end. That's the easy part. Get some steel rod (they sell it at home depot and lowes) and bend it as a kickdown (bend it around what's in the way).

 

The Hurst indy has no detents and doesn't care how many spots your tranny has. The Mr gasket that you got is probably about the same thing.

A throtle cable for an S-10 V-6 will probably work just fine if you go the cable route. You can also get a pretty inexpensive set up from Summit raceing. PM me for the phoine number. I very sendom wait more than 3 or 4 days for pieces from them. Beats the hell out of the 2 years your mechanic has had your car.

It shouldn't take you more than a day or two to figure either one of your problems out, just look at it and THIMK.

 

i know my mechanic should be me but i dont have all the tools that you guys are lucky enough to have. nor the experience, im 18 with two jobs, school, it just isnt that easy. i tried and tried on this carb linkage and shifter setup and i couldnt get it, so my last resort was taking it to him.
so yea im going to now try to finish this up with me and my dad... i just need some advice from you 'old car dudes' to help me out

 

thanks man ill try going to a junkyard tomorrow to look for the throttle cable from an s-10

 

The Ford throttle rod end is not supposed to have threads.

There's a bent, blue spring steel sheet metal keeper that holds throttle rod and throttle arm together.
You hold the keeper aligned with the holes in the throttle arm, slide the throttle rod through the first hole in the keeper, through the throttle arm then through the last hole in the keeper.
Lock it in place by rolling the right angle piece down onto the throttle rod where it snaps into place.

Any 'real' parts house will have the keepers in stock.
Look in the Dorman assortment of parts.
In fact, you used to be able to get a little plastic and steel can full of the things for just a few bucks.

Skip the floor shifter, connect the Ford O Matic column shift and be done with it.

You don't need the cable throttle either.
The stock one is entirely adequate.

Try to find a stock Ford to look at and looking from here, I'd say give up on your mechanic.
Apparently hot rods and old Fords are beyond his capabilities....

 

I can relate. Most of the time I just keep my Mouth shut but every now and then the Voice inside my Head says "Once upon a time you didn't know much either". Now instead of telling them How to do it I just try to point them down the simplest road. I find a little pleasure in that.
The Wizzard

 

I work at Memory Lane Collector Dismantlers in Wilmington,Ca and we have a 1957 Fairlane with a 292/Fordamatic combo
I think we may have what you need to get your back on the road.

 

sent you a PM right now. but those levers look different on that tranny, wonder if it would matter

 

okay guys so a semi-major breakthrough MAYBE for me today.....

i brought my car home from the mechanic, he DIDNT CHARGE ME cuz he felt bad he couldnt fix it for me. so.... when i got at my grandmas i took this one bar that i posted a 'wanted ad' for, and i think it may work.... i think i need some rubber washers and a roach clip. but.... would THIS DEFINATLEY work for a column shifter??

 

and this is a pic of my pedal setup hitting the yblock throttle linkage setup.... i think i know a way around this, but not to sure.... it involves not using this whole setup though....

 

Not using the "whole setup" will prevent your Ford-O-matic from going into first gear when you step on the gas. A linkage from that assembly extends down to the transmission (not sure if you have this part ). It's not really a problem in normal driving. Of course, you can always put it into first from the shifter.

It looks like you could get the car driveable by fabing a linkage (Home Depot 3/16 rod) with two short right angle bends on either end. These will have to be made to accept the the retaining clip mentioned earlier. This link will connect to the carb and the present trottle link sticking up. The other linkage bits you have in the picture will not be used. Make sure the new linkage operates smoothly from idle position to wide open.

You'll need a throttle return spring (preferably two). These are available at NAPA or where ever you get car parts (in fact, you can find a bunch of them on the cheapy, quick fix parts isle of most parts stores ). Attach the springs to the linkage and another anchor point so the carb closes when you take your foot off the pedal.

Again, this should get the car operational. But, you won't have first gear on heavy acceleration. Just 2nd and 3rd as normal.

Hope this helps!