VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Trucks and Vans Column Shift shift box spring

I've rebuilt two shift boxes for the restoration of a '53 3100 P/U. After remanufacturing/repairing everything but two of the screws on the shift box, I'm up against a roadblock. I scavanged the material for the rebuild from four used and supposedly rebuilt boxes and I planned to use springs from these boxes. Inspecting them, I found one broken spring, one incorrect hardware store coil spring and two badly worn springs. So, I really need a source of these springs. Custom spring mfgs. can't do a few springs for a reasonable price. Any wisdom out there???

You can spend the rest of your life fiddlin' with those column shifters & linkages on truck 3 speeds....
..... Or you can fix it right once & for all.....

http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/sm420.htm

I fully understand your point, BUT I want to try keeping this one original. I've spent a rediculous amount of time machining new shafts, rebuilding the arms and producing better than factory tolerances. Did a great job, but now I stuck for lack of springs. So, I still need a source if it exists.

MT, That thingiee looks substantial, but how would you get it mounted on a steering column and remain original?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Well Mack....
All of the AD trucks had the 4 speed offered as an option....
I upgrade everything to the trouble free 4 speeds & they are technically still original.

yeah, I'v had ny share of them myself. Tough beyond words!
The only thing I have left of trucks is a manual 5 speed overdrive aluminum cased job out of an 88 GMC 2500, and a 55 235 engine, clutch and flywheel that someone split the manifold on. When I find that old stuff it seems to follow me home.

OK, I get it. Anyone in their right mind would use a 4-speed w/a floor shifter. This automatically leaves me out-the right mind part! I thought maybe that the lack of enthusiam for the column shift system would leave some NOS parts out there for the shift boxes. Or that someone in the past may have ordered a run of springs in the hopes of selling them to get his money back. Or any other scenario that would get me a couple of as-new springs.

Not sure if you are refering to the springs in the lower shift box or in the upper shifter lever itself.

If you can I.D. the springs you need from this diagram ....
I will dig around & see what I can come up with.

I need the spring inside of the shift box attached to the bottom end of the column inside of the engine compartment. A coil spring with a straight leg on one end and a hook on the other. 4.017 on the diagram. The wear damage occurs on the end with the straight leg where the last coil wears against the side of the 1st-Rev lever. And Thanks!