I was reading through the archives here and it seems that the column shifter detent plate is no longer avalible. I need to replace mine as it is pretty worn. Does anyone know if a later model plate will work ? Also, on a COM trans, is the shift lever ajustable on the side of the transmission ?

**Note to Number Dummy: Thank you very much for helping me find the auto shifter indicator and pointer for my 66 ! Green Sales had them in stock!

 

If memory serves me correctly, the ones all the way up to 69 will fit, but the handle will stop at the first drive slot and not in the second position like the 65-66's. You can file it out to match the 66 and use it. The later ones 70-up won't fit.

What I find is that the detent plate is fine, but the part of the handle that locks in the detent plate is worn. The plate is hardended steel, but the handle is soft. If it slips out of park, I suspect that's what may be hapening.

I have saved a handle by having some weld built up on the worn part of the handle and filing it down to original size. Have someone weld it with a gas shielded welder, or there will be too much slag and it won't be strong enough. I had a machine shop do the welding and I did the filing. It came out very tight.

I wish I had some pics to explain it better.

 

The cause why detents fail: Over the years, ppl yank the shift lever out of Park, that causes the detent's "shift gate" between Park and Reverse to either wear down or snap off.

Rule of thumb: Apply the hand brake first, then put the shift lever into Park.

Putting the transmission into Park first, allows for some movement-the vehicle may roll an inch or too, and that one inch can make a BIG difference, especially if the vehicle is parked on a grade.

The parking pawl inside the transmission can jamb if the vehicle rolls one inch while in Park without the hand brake being set.

So the shift lever has to be yanked out of Park, and that can cause the parking pawl and/or the detent's gate to snap off.
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The shift lever has an extension that fits into the individual gates. This piece wears due to age. Replacements are not easy to find, so what to do?

Weld up the extension, then file it back to standard shape. Hard chroming the weld, then filing it down is even better.

1962/66 T-Birds with "swing away" steering columns ate the shift lever extensions up, and replacements were impossible to find. The method above was tried...and it worked!

C5TZ-7A216-A .. Detent ~ 1965/66 F100/350 352 with COM / 1965/66 F100/350 with 240/300 C4.

C7TZ-7A216-A .. Detent ~ 1967 F100/350 all applications

C7TZ-7A216-A .. Detent ~ 1968/69 F100/350 all applications-Use before serial number D96,001

C9TZ-7A216-B .. Detent ~ 1969/71 F100/350 all applications-Use after serial number D96,001

D2TZ-7A216-A .. Detent ~ 1972 F100/350 all applications

Green Sales: ZERO

 

I bought the last three Green had about eight years ago to rebuild some COM columns....I have one left somewhere.. Prob ally threw it out when i moved ac cross country.

Might be a decent part to have laser cut as a replacement and sell for a gazillion bucks each....

Garbz

 

I would give a $100.00 for one right now myself so, you may be on to something. : )