Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1969 CAMARO, steering wheel puller, 1969 camaro

Question
DEAR SIR
I HAVE A STOCK 1969 CAMARO WITH A 350 ENGINE. 350 TURBO AUTOMATIC, 10 BOLT REAR. I HAD IT OUT A COUPLE WEEKS FOR A DRIVE AND WHILE DRIVING IT I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITHE THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR. YESTERDAY WHEN I TRIED TO TAKE IT OUT IT WON'T GO IN DRIVE. I ONLY HAVE PARK AND REVERSE. THE GEAR SLECTER WON'T LET IT GO INTO DRIVE. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND THE LINKAGE SEEMS OK. NOTHING DISCONNECTED OR BROKEN. I ASSUME IT IS IN THE TRANS ITSELF. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS WHAT TO LOOK FOR
THANKS
JOE

Answer
I'm not exactly clear on what you are reporting here.  I'm going to assume that your problem is that you can't get the selector lever to go where you try to put it. If I've made the wrong guess (I mean if the selector lever moves OK but the transmission doesn't respond), then the following is useless.

If my guess is right (you can't get the selector lever to move beyond "R"), then your problem is very likely in the steering column, probably right at the top, just below the steering wheel.  To prove this to yourself, disconnect the shift rod at the bottom of the steering column (the one that goes back to the transmission and actually does the shifting) and see if you can move it through all the positions by manually pushing/pulling on it.  All the way forward is "P", then you should get one click per gear all the way down to "L" (or whatever that low gear position is labeled on your car).   If that goes OK, you know your transmission is OK, and the column is the cause of your problem.

If you want to tackle this problem yourself, you are going to need a steering wheel puller, and you should probably have the shop manual for the car to tell you how to proceed.  My guess is that something has come loose in there, and probably you are going to find a broken part in the shift detent assembly, so I think you are probably going to have to find another steering column or else get someone with welding experience to repair whatever is broken.  The easy fix is to replace the steering column.  Since 69 was the changeover year,  I don't know if your car has the key in the steering column or on the dash, but if it is in the steering column, this could all be a failure in the anti-theft hardware in there.  Also, if this is the case, the column is going to be harder to change, especially if you want to keep your same keys.   If that is the case, I think you are going to need a mechanic who is willing to tackle the problem for you, one with experience with these early anti-theft columns.

You can still drive the car, but you'll have to get out and manually move the rod to get into drive once you get backed out of wherever it is parked. I'm not suggesting you live with the situation, but in order to take it somewhere to have someone look at it for you, you don't need to hire a tow truck!

If I guessed all this wrong, and your lever moves fine, but the transmission doesn't go into gear, the problem is internal to the transmission (or else the bell crank is slipping on the the shift shaft) - and I think you need a tranny guy to take a look at it.

Good Luck - I hope this is some help/

Dick.