QuestionI'm having a problem with my shift lever. When I shift from 1st to second gear, the shift lever hits the dashboard. Could you tell me how I can adjust this? Shift is on the column. Car is not made in Canada. Its a Quality, six cylinder, Silverstreak, 4 door sedan. Thank you.
AnswerThe column shift was a new "invention" in 1939, and they had teething problems on all brands of cars, especially as the various parts in the linkage wore.
The procedure in adjusting it is fairly involved, but if you are going to do it, you should first inspect every moving part in the linkage for wear, and build up any worn parts by brazing in new metal and then drilling new holes to take as much of the "lost motion" out of the shift mechanism as you can. You'll find that there are rods that fit into holes in the linkage, and the holes will be worn egg-shaped, and the rods will have grooves worn in them. Very likely, the Bellville springs have been lost over the years, causing more play in the joints. A Belleville spring looks like a very thin flat washer, except that it is made of spring steel, and is curved such that it presses against the facing surfaces so as to minimize the play. You can make new ones out of sheet spring steel, or you can find them in a good hardware store.
To adjust the linkage, place the transmission in neutral and then disconnect the rods that run back to the transmission. Place the shift lever in the correct neutral position, and support it in that position so it cannot move. Now, adjust each of the rod linkages so that the transmission connections fall together without having to move the levers forward or backward, and fasten all the joints with as little play as you can manage. Lubricate all the joints.
Now, the shift linkage is about as good as you can make it - hopefully it won't hit the dashboard anymore.
Dick
