Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1954 Chevy Truck 3-speed column shifter, speed column, dogear

Question
I have a 1954 Chevy 3100 with a 235 and 3-speed column shifter. It has been completely restored and running great until I was unable to get the car out of 1st gear. I was driving it, and it became locked in 1st. Clutch is working and it appears that it is related to mechanical connection to gear box. Is there anyway to unfreeze this myself?

Answer
yes very easily fixed and is usually caused by slop in the shifter bushings or wallered dogear slots.

lay on your back under the transmission and notice the two dog ears coming off that your shifter rods go to. These will only move one at a time and one direction at a time (if your are in 1st, you cannot move 2nd or 3rd dogear at all.) Simply determine which is 1st/rev shifter bar (you can cheat and have someone move it inside the cab) and then move it to nuetral (middle) position by your hand under the vehicle. Then move both independantly thru their respective gears. It may be necessary to remove the leakage bars depending on what is jammed up,