Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1970 ford mustang mach 1 tranny ques., mustang mach 1, ford mustang mach 1

Question
My mustang has an automatic transmission and is having trouble staying in park on any kind of incline. What causes this and is it expensive to fix ?  Thanks Paul   please send me an email with your response

Answer
This is a very common problem in all Ford products of that era, in fact many people have been badly injured or even killed by the car jumping into reverse when it is parked with the engine running - don't do that!  The problem is a worn shift quadrant detent mechanism in the shift lever system - the parts will have to be replaced with new parts, which should be available from Mustang specialists - do a Google search for Mustang Shift Detent - it should bring up the vendors who have the parts. It does require special tools to get at the part to replace it, so I'd advise finding a mechanic who knows Mustangs and is willing to do the job.  If you live in the Southern California area, I can recommend a shop, but if you live elsewhere, I advise you to join the local chapter of the Mustang club and ask the other members - someone will know of a shop that is knowledgeable about these cars.

Dick