So,after getting all the work done that I was describing in the previous post I ended back right where I started.Hooked things all up and had everything all adjusted correctly and put the shift lever into 1st. It went right in ,then 2nd 3rd and 4th ,all good I go back to 1st and it locks up ! I re adjust it numerous times and no change .I know it's not in the transmission because this one that is in the car is not the one that this problem started with.This one is one I had in one of my old Barracudas and worked just fine.It came from this gem that I sold in 2006.
I pulled it out because the buyer wanted to make it an automatic. I included all he needed to make the car an automatic and kept the 4 speed stuff to use for some future project . This future project turned out to be this repair . So,after coming to the conclusion that the shifter is defective and needs to be rebuilt I called up my friend who owns the auto parts store in town.We go back well over 40 years and back in the early 80's he hooked me up with a guy to rebuilt this very same shifter when I set up my little 65 Valiant 2 door with a 4 speed. Yesterday I walk into the parts store and there he is! The guy who did this job 40 years ago and he's still active.He's 78 years old now and says he'd be happy to rebuild both shifters I have so I'll have a good one in the car and a good spare .So,I ran home ,pulled out the shifter and packed them both up ,stuck them in the saddle bag of my old Moto Guzzi and rode over to his house.I go down into his basement shop and there are 4 speeds all over the place ! Must have been 15 or 20 of them all apart and being rebuilt . All clean and bead blasted .The guy is a master .He has a look and tells me he'll have them for me next week.I think this problem is finally nearing it's end as I pull away from his house on my bike and head out for an afternoon of riding. This is how the restoration of my little wagon is beginning .Once the car is made operational again the body work begins .Today I ride and after I ride I pull off all 4 wheels and check the brakes .May as well get this out of the way while it's up in the air on jack stands. Tomorrow I go to a car show /swap meet to see what I can find for this project . Should be a good day and after I get home I power wash the wagon so I can start working clean. Ran an ad on Craigslist yesterday to sell this nice wood lathe I got from another friend .I'm trying to sell it to help bankroll the wagon project.We'll see where this goes.I'm hoping to get 500 bucks from it to buy body work supplies.
This is how it all begins . It usually starts with some sort of issue and leads to a big project. Once it starts it rolls along and becomes a fun project no matter how frustrating it is at first. Bikes , cars , houses , it's all the same .I dive in and start swimming .
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