356A New Shifting Problems

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Max Imber
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356A New Shifting Problems

#1 Post by Max Imber »

I was driving the Convertible D the other day and my shift pattern suddenly became "ambiguous." I.e. there is no longer a distinct "H" pattern and the shifter no longer needs to be depressed to get into reverse. My shift lever will flop in any direction including all the way to the left where reverse is. All gears engage fine after finding them (including reverse) but it is a concerning issue as it would now be very easy to accidentally shift into reverse instead of first at a stop light!

Transmission is original to the car. Any ideas as to what would suddenly cause this?

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Jacques Lefriant
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#2 Post by Jacques Lefriant »

Maybe the bolt that pinches the rod came loose.
 

Dick Weiss
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#3 Post by Dick Weiss »

Uncover the rear end of the tunnel-to-seat bulkhead to look @ the "monkey-motion" linkage to the trans. nose.
Also, the original coupling has/had rubber in it unless it's been replaced w/the version having plastic bushings
which have a habit of eventually falling apart like the later clevis/coupling on the -741 and 900 transmission series.

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Vic Skirmants
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#4 Post by Vic Skirmants »

Ignore Dick's post; you don't have that type of linkage.

James Watters
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#5 Post by James Watters »

Cup under shifter possibly. Sounds like a problem I had a few years ago.
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Martin Benade
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#6 Post by Martin Benade »

I think it does have the monkey motion stuff, just not the rubber or plastic bushings.
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Jim Liberty
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#7 Post by Jim Liberty »

Plastic cup under shifter (I suspect not, but possible), pinch bolt at the end of the shift rod in back, under the access cover, in front of rear seats, lock screw at the trans nose (Square head 7/8mm. with safety wire), also under the rear cover. Those are the simple problems to fix. ..............Jim.
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Jim Karaba
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#8 Post by Jim Karaba »

I believe Vic is right. If I recall, the monkey motion linkage ended in '57 with the beginning of the T-2's.

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Martin Benade
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#9 Post by Martin Benade »

My have spent an hour or two adjusting some kind of hinged thing with two balls on it under the rear cover on my friend's Convert D, is that not a monkey motion part? As far as I know that was present until the B came out.
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Brad Ripley
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#10 Post by Brad Ripley »

Some illustrations might help
Attachments
Shift Linkage, Thru A.jpg

Dick Weiss
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#11 Post by Dick Weiss »

There isn't a plastic bushing on the end of the early shifter lever; Its ball has just a pin thru it to fit the slot in the metal cup.
However, I once modified a plastic cup to suit the sloppy metal cup on the tunnel rod end--much better and shifting action w/o slop. (on a '60 Cab)

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Vic Skirmants
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#12 Post by Vic Skirmants »

Dick, you're still talking about the wrong year. Max's car is a conv D; that's an A.

Dick Weiss
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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#13 Post by Dick Weiss »

Yes , Vic;

I agree it's an A & it still has the "monkey motion" action.
I just disagreed w/the mention that it was eliminated in '57 before the -741 trans was introduced for the early '59/'60 T5.

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Re: 356A New Shifting Problems

#14 Post by Dick Weiss »

I digress; I forgot to separate my message about the differences of the trans. nose shift rod connection between the monkey-motion 'A' unit and the 'B' clevis unit.

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