LA318 into 48 Ply SD: Shifting lever clearance.

After installing a 318/904 combo into my 48 Ply Sedan, will there be enough clearance to use the original column mount shifting lever with a new "fabricated" shifting rod to control the 904 trans?? The steering column/box in these 48's intrude quite a bit into the area needed by the new engine. I've solved the exhaust manifold problem by swapping it out, but the shifting lever has me concerned. Anyone with experience with this kind of swap, info would be appreciated!!! Thanks in advance; C***, alias littlemo...

 

Once when there was no room on the right side I moved the shift arm so it pointed to the left side of the column and then used a push/pull cable to connect it to the trans.
You could also use a Z bar and rod linkage off the left side too, if you did not have or like a cable, just a little more geometry to figure out.

 

Not sure how the lever could be relocated to the left side of the column and retain the oridinal shifting rod location inside the cab. I'm wanting the interior to "look" as original as possible. (tried to upload pics but "upload" keeps failing; sorry.)

 

The shifter tube I did was directly on top of the column, I took the pin out of the 2-3 shift arm and rotated about 180 degrees and re-pinned it. If your shift tube is on the
right side or internal to the column, you could cut the arm off and fabricate a new arm that "wrapped" around to the left side. Also try to keep all the cable/rods and levers at 90 degrees to each other at the mid point of their travel.

 

I never actually hooked mine up, but I did mock this deal up years ago and I do remember enough clearance to make it a go. I gotta say that I ended up using a Genie shifter though. Eventually went with a Tremac 5 speed...

 

Thanks guys, that's the kind of info I was looking for. Anyone have pics of the actual linkage ***embly and how it hooks up ? I recieved "nada" when I bought the trans.

 

i would like to pictures too.
sounds like my ******...hell he even took the kick down!

 

Hey Mo, use the stock column and a lokar cable kit. it is pretty easy that way.

 

I will definitely check out the Lokar cable kits. I'm like damagedduck though, would still like to have some pics of how "it's supposed to be!!" C***, alias littlemo...

 

The "push-pull" cable like Lokars might work if I cut off the shifting rod (pic#1) and relocate the shifting lever (pic#2) ?? C***, alias littlemo... Add: sorry, still can"t get the pics to upload; I'll continue to work at it !!