Converting 3 speed back to column
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Converting 3 speed back to column
I'm looking at a 71 F100 SWB that has some modifications to it. The original 3 spd column shift has been moved to the floor. The owner says the original 289 (wasn't an option, not sure what was originally in it) was replaced with a 351 Windsor, which I'll have to check when I go drive it. It has rust in the front fender, a floorboard hole, and rust in the bed. THe bumper is bent, but it seems to be otherwise good shape. Basically, I'm interested in moving the shift back to the column, and I was wondering what would be involved. Also, any ideas as to value? It has nice alloys on it, and he's asking $1500. I was thinking of offering him $900.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
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From: Alton, MO
Before you attempt to either purchase or convert back to column shift check the cab mounts very well. Get on your back under the truck. Bottom of the core support is another good spot on these for rust. Don't look at what needs fixed look at what you are actually getting. When you look at it that way you will surprised how quickly the repairs add up. Just fixing the floor properly will almost require pulling the cab.
Many of these trucks were converted to floor shift to avoid fixing the cab mounts. As the cab sinks it binds the shift linkage. Instead of fixing the cab they just move the shifter to the floor. Pics would really help for an idea of price but then again any running truck has to be worth $1000. Assuming you are actually getting a truck. If you post the VIN someone here can help with decoding so you know what the truck originally came with.
Many of these trucks were converted to floor shift to avoid fixing the cab mounts. As the cab sinks it binds the shift linkage. Instead of fixing the cab they just move the shifter to the floor. Pics would really help for an idea of price but then again any running truck has to be worth $1000. Assuming you are actually getting a truck. If you post the VIN someone here can help with decoding so you know what the truck originally came with.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
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From: Simi Valley, CA
Many of these trucks were converted to floor shift because the shift collars broke, a very common problem. Peeps went to autoparts stores 
none available. If they'd gone to a Ford Dealer, they coulda bought one brand new thru 2009.
There is a bridge made as part of the pot metal shift collar that connects it to the shift tube. The bridge begins to crack, eventually snaps off...the shift lever flops around.
D5TZ-7228-B (replaced CODZ-7228-B) .. 3 Speed M/T Shift Collar / Obsoleted: 2010 / 100's available NOS from Ford Dealers/obsolete parts vendors.
Applications: 1960/65 Falcon/Comet / 1961/77 F100/250 / 1966/77 Bronco.
none available. If they'd gone to a Ford Dealer, they coulda bought one brand new thru 2009.There is a bridge made as part of the pot metal shift collar that connects it to the shift tube. The bridge begins to crack, eventually snaps off...the shift lever flops around.
D5TZ-7228-B (replaced CODZ-7228-B) .. 3 Speed M/T Shift Collar / Obsoleted: 2010 / 100's available NOS from Ford Dealers/obsolete parts vendors.
Applications: 1960/65 Falcon/Comet / 1961/77 F100/250 / 1966/77 Bronco.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,867
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From: Alton, MO
Many of these trucks were converted to floor shift because the shift collars broke, a very common problem. Peeps went to autoparts stores none available. If they'd gone to a Ford Dealer, they coulda bought one brand new thru 2009.
There is a bridge made as part of the pot metal shift collar that connects it to the shift tube. The bridge begins to crack, eventually snaps off...the shift lever flops around.
D5TZ-7228-B (replaced CODZ-7228-B) .. 3 Speed M/T Shift Collar / Obsoleted: 2010 / 100's available NOS from Ford Dealers/obsolete parts vendors.
Applications: 1960/65 Falcon/Comet / 1961/77 F100/250 / 1966/77 Bronco.
none available. If they'd gone to a Ford Dealer, they coulda bought one brand new thru 2009.There is a bridge made as part of the pot metal shift collar that connects it to the shift tube. The bridge begins to crack, eventually snaps off...the shift lever flops around.
D5TZ-7228-B (replaced CODZ-7228-B) .. 3 Speed M/T Shift Collar / Obsoleted: 2010 / 100's available NOS from Ford Dealers/obsolete parts vendors.
Applications: 1960/65 Falcon/Comet / 1961/77 F100/250 / 1966/77 Bronco.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
I'm looking at a 71 F100 SWB that has some modifications to it. The original 3 spd column shift has been moved to the floor. The owner says the original 289 (wasn't an option, not sure what was originally in it) was replaced with a 351 Windsor, which I'll have to check when I go drive it. It has rust in the front fender, a floorboard hole, and rust in the bed. THe bumper is bent, but it seems to be otherwise good shape. Basically, I'm interested in moving the shift back to the column, and I was wondering what would be involved. Also, any ideas as to value? It has nice alloys on it, and he's asking $1500. I was thinking of offering him $900.
John
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
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From: Simi Valley, CA
You are really jogging the brain here. I had 1 that the little tab on the top of the shift tube had broken off. That in turn caused the hole in the tube to waller out. We would also block the cab up with 2x4's when the cab/floor was out of them. How I survived driving in those days I will never know. 2x4's were cheaper than fixing the floor or buying a floor shifter.
Having that tab fall off is nothing new, but it can be welded back on, since it can be 'fished out' from the inside of the column.
The shift collars are made of base (pot) metal. Once the bridge snaps, there's no fixum, cuz itsy bitsy pieces of it fall down inside the column.
So you are left with the outer part of the collar, the remains of the inner bridge and its itsy bitsy pieces.
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Junior User
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I'm going to take a look at it anyway just to see what it is. If he's really got a 351 in it, and it isn't a chopped up install, maybe it's worth $1000 or $1200. I'll take some pictures of it and post up after I go look Saturday. Thanks for the suggestions about the cab mounts and collar. Basically what I'm hearing is that if they've pulled parts of the linkage, it's going to stay a column shift?
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Posting Guru
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From: Alton, MO
They have pulled parts to make it a floor shift. Floor shift requires different linkage. Do you know what you are looking at? In other words do you know the weak points of these trucks?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2011
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From: Kenner,La.
column shift
SGG93,
Unless you can find a complete set up some where I think the floor shift will be the best for now. Can you tell what brand of shifter it has? If it is a Hurst keep it like that, It will out last the truck.
Kenny Nunez
Unless you can find a complete set up some where I think the floor shift will be the best for now. Can you tell what brand of shifter it has? If it is a Hurst keep it like that, It will out last the truck.
Kenny Nunez
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
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From: Alton, MO
Good. Didn't want you running in head first not knowing when there are many here who could be of help.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,209
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From: Black Hills of SD
I've just never found very many short bed bumps anywhere I've lived. If the bed is pretty decent and the front sheetmetal is straight, $1500 isn't crazy money. If the side seams in the bed are rusted out, I'd pass, those are a major pain to fix right. If the rest of it is stock and original, I'd rather have the typical cab mount issues to fix than a pieced together project truck of someone else's.
Another option you might consider is to keep the floor shift but replace the tranny with a 3 + OD toploader. Then you would have overdrive. Those trannys usually run around $100 or so used with shifter and it would be a fairly easy swap. I just got one for free yesterday, just have to pull it.
It might have been a 302 originally. Look that engine swap over good, it will tell you what kind of work was done. Did they put the fan shroud back on? Are the spark plug wires and all the other wires neat and tidy?, heater hoses connected and routed properly? Any of those type of details out of place and it was probably a Gomer who did the work. Pass.
Another option you might consider is to keep the floor shift but replace the tranny with a 3 + OD toploader. Then you would have overdrive. Those trannys usually run around $100 or so used with shifter and it would be a fairly easy swap. I just got one for free yesterday, just have to pull it.
It might have been a 302 originally. Look that engine swap over good, it will tell you what kind of work was done. Did they put the fan shroud back on? Are the spark plug wires and all the other wires neat and tidy?, heater hoses connected and routed properly? Any of those type of details out of place and it was probably a Gomer who did the work. Pass.
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That's what I'm thinking. I've got to check a few things with the swap. Gotta wonder why it has a 351 (if it really does, need to check that too) in the first place. That and the floor shift swap almost points to the beginning of a street truck project. I've done a bit of motor work and one full build, so I'll have to take a look and see how clean it's all back together. There's quite a few bumpsides around here, people still use them for work trucks because nobody has any money. There's a decent number of shortbeds and even the occasional flareside. I looked at a flareside back in january that was a really nice truck, just too much rust and too much money. I've got leads on 2 bumps and a dent for sale around here right now, they're all V8 3 speed trucks for less than 2k. Just need to check them out. I guess it seems odd, but I actually like column shifts. Feels natural and it's a little bit different. Just from the craigslist pics, this one looks pretty honest, so I'll check it out. Anybody had anyluck picking up complete columns and linkage?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,209
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From: Black Hills of SD
Columns are out there. 7-8 years ago I could find almost anything and had quite a hoard of parts. Had to move and got rid of all that stuff and now hardly a day goes by you don't see a mashed bump or two in it's net for the final ride. They are disappearing fast around here.
Columns are tricky business on bumps. There are variations in almost every year and I have never seen a 3 speed on the column with power steering except for one with the Bendix box and it was a owner conversion. I had all the stuff, including the Bendix steering box and 3 on the tree column, to put a T-85N 3 speed with overdrive into the 69 crew cab I used to drive. Part of the stuff I got rid of when I left Tejas.
That column is probably fixable if it hasn't been butchered.
Columns are tricky business on bumps. There are variations in almost every year and I have never seen a 3 speed on the column with power steering except for one with the Bendix box and it was a owner conversion. I had all the stuff, including the Bendix steering box and 3 on the tree column, to put a T-85N 3 speed with overdrive into the 69 crew cab I used to drive. Part of the stuff I got rid of when I left Tejas.
That column is probably fixable if it hasn't been butchered.
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Rust in the back of both the fenders, the driver quarter on the bed, both floors are toast, light rust in the bottom of the doors, light surface rust underhood, fan shroud broken, driver front cabmount was GONE. Shift collar on the column was still there, the lever was gone. Interior door panels were crappy repos, the hole for the shifter was done with a hacksaw, really rough. It was a hurst though. The radio was gone. Back bumper dented, said it got backed into a post. Seat cover over the seats, didn't bother to look. The engine in it was actually a 351. Supposed to be out of a Mach 1. Started up and ran really strong, sounded like a lot of compression. All that being said, I passed on it.