1957 3 Speed Column Shift adjustment

[thenatural2]

Hi all. I'm putting my 57 Cameo back together and my column shifter is making my fangs and fingernails get longer. It will shift into first, but when attempting to put it into reverse, the column shifter lever moves into the straight up-and-down position but doesn't pull the shift arm into reverse...or even nuetral for that matter. In the straight up and down position, the bolts on the clamp that connect upper to lower shift shaft hit the stearing column. It won't pull 2nd or 3rd at all, but just freely moves up or down. What the heck am I missing? Side note: It's a '67 overdrive transmission and I fabricated the transmission shift levers some, but all gears shift/ work fine when manipulated from the engine side of the column. Thanks in advace.

[mr48chev]

Have you got the wrong bolts perhaps or maybe have them in backwards as to how they want to go?

[thenatural2]

Hey, thanks. It's not the bolts, they're in correctly. I'm pretty sure the bolts hitting the column is a symptom of the problem and not the problem itself. They only hit when the shift arm is straight up and down (shift knob pointing at the ceiling), which shouldn't occor in any gear. I've got an assembly manual for those years, and it's inconclusive. Thanks again.

[mr48chev]

I don't remember how that setup is fastened to the column or how it adjusts but what would happen if you adjusted both shift rods so that the levers dropped a bit dropping the shift lever clockwise maybe one hour on the clock? Those are usually sitting at about 2 o'clock in reverse and 4 o'clock in low or 3rd. on most rigs.

[thenatural2]

Good thought. Makes sense. It's got to either be that, or something inside the shift mechanism is broke... which I've never heard of... ever. I'll go down and try that now and hollar if that's the ticket. Thanks again.

[thenatural2]

Got it. There's one. Uh huh, one tooth in the shift mechanism. It had jumped out of its cradle. Four flathead screws to remove cover (and no springs flew out!) and clean out old grease; simple fix and now I have gears. If I only had a driveline... Thanks for getting the gears in my head turnin.

[_Ogre]

there are plastic bushings at all the linkage movement points
change them first