Installing ab AOD in my 50 Ford. Would like to stay away from a floor shift conversion. Since the AOD's have a mild detent arm in the tranny I'm wondering if I can simply hook up the original three speed column shifter to the tranny without a column detent set up.
Don't know if this will work or not, Walt, but check it out. Hope you're doing well. https://www.limeworksspeedshop.com/Retro-Shifter-and-Linkage-Kit-Only-p/ss-linkage.htm
Yes you can. Just a length of 3/8" rod and a couple of heim joints will get it done. Just be aware that you can bump the lever and pop the trans into another gear fairly easily.
Thanks Rock. I have looked at that set up for the 40 Ford thinking it could be converted. It is an option FrozenMerc: I know that I can join the AOD shift lever to the column shift as you indicated but, as you point out, the question I have is whether the shift bar inside the tranny will hold it in gear, not allowing it to jump from one gear to another. Or will I have to make a detent set up on the column to hold it in a gear.
The detent in the tranny will hold it in gear, even on the roughest of roads. However, there is nothing to prevent you from knocking it into another gear when you take that corner too fast, and have to make an emergency lunge for the hot coffee about to sail into your wifes lap....
Straight shift column converted to work an automatic?....... It’s a hack job. It’s hokey. It’s dangerous. I’ve seen folks pinned against a garage wall and that was a malfunction of factory stuff. Folks have been killed, kids have been playing in cars and “took a trip”..... Yes it’s been done but....... The easy button is a good quality floor shifter will all the safety stuff built in. Then you can get rid of that column lever and mount a Moon Tach.
I’m not one of those safety nuts by any means. As far as a death wish..... It’s not about the driver it’s about who is standing in front of it or behind it. To me a car with an automatic transmission that can start and run in D or R is too much of a risk. If you do this at least use some kind of safety switch so it will not start in gear.
Could a shift detent plate be used 92f150 I’m about to add a gm OD auto shift detent to a 56 Chevy auto column.
Pull the pants off the Trans and increase the pressure of the Detent spring [so the feel is FIRM] The easiest method is to buy another spring [$30-$40] and cut the end loops off it. Then "piggy back" it on top of the original spring. cut here [blue] and double layer it.
Not an overdrive transmission but I put the automatic column in my ‘51 Ford and ran a C4 with no issues. The gears were a little off but no problems at all and I used to play in it all the time.
Kerrynzl: I did have a stronger spring installed and that is a good suggestion. F-ONE: The AOD has a neutral safty switch built into the tranny. Anthony: Thanks for that info. I will check it out. What I was looking for.
Completely different application but it might give you some ideas for fabricating a detent plate. To adapt the column shift on my 50 Desoto to shift a Mopar 727, I used a pin mounted at the end of the column shift rod and a flat plate hard mounted to the steering box. I indexed the holes in the plate to the transmission's detents. The shift lever was already spring loaded so I took advantage of that. Basically pull back on the lever to disengage the pin, move the lever to the desired gear, release the lever to re-engage the pin and lock it to the selected gear.
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