VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 46 shift linkage

I just got a 46 chevy fleetmaster. Cool old car, won't shift into 2nd gear. Seems like the shift linkage hits the clutch linkage. The more I play with adjusting stuff, the worse things get.... What the heck!

I have a trans and linkage from a 53 but they look totally different........hmmmm any advice?

Welcome to Chevy Chatter Breezy ! OK , I'm sorry but you left yourself open for that one ! lol I'm JUST KIDDING ! But First things First...Where is it your trying to make the adjustments at...? If worse comes to worse I'll get under my car and check out the situation....Kevin

Sorry...Forgot to ask if you've still got the "vacuum shift" on your car...

No vacuum lines, so just mechanical I assume. But its got one little tiny lever and one big lever. tried adjusting the tops of the rods that thread up and down before connecting to the levers on the column. Reverse is hard but works, 2 however will not go...with the clutch engaged, the linkage hits before you get the shifter all the way up to 2nd. This doesn't shift like the 3spd column shifts I'm used to. I'm used to seeing two large levers..... pull the shifter towards you and it activates one lever, push shifter back towards dash and it activates the other lever. The big lever seems to flip all gears, but the little lever makes it flip the other gears when you pull the shifter towards you.... so the main (large lever) linkage hits the clutch when you pull upward,

I had another question out of curiosity...how did you get it home...?

I've got a 48 Fleetmaster Summer before last. It still had the vacuum shifter on it, but, it didn't work right. I've since put a conversion kit on the car and eliminated the vacuum unit. First the two levers - the tiny one tells the transmission whether to go into 1st/reverse or 2nd/3rd when you move the big lever. The large lever at the bottom of the steering column is interlocked to the smaller operating lever underneath it, and, rocks it back and forth when you move the shift lever from the 1st/reverse position to the 2nd/3rd position. From your discription of your problem, someone may have tried to reuse the original rod and transmission crank arm when they removed the vacuum unit on your car. The conversion kit uses a longer crank arm on the tranny and a longer bent rod off the larger operating lever to both give you more mechanical advantage and clear everything so it works correctly. Look at Chevys of the 40's online catalog to see a picture of the conversion kit. There's also one of the kits listed on Ebay currently. I got mine on Ebay.

Hope this helps:
Oldengineer

You might consider putting the vacuum unit on the car. A good vacuum shifting unit is hard to beat.

To get it home, wind it up high (not too high) in first, then go right to 3rd....

Thanks for the good suggestions! I will check out the conversion kit on chevy's of the 40s. Would they also carry the vacuum shift kit?
Usually I would not be apt to keep the old 216/3spd but it runs very well and at the risk of sounding trite..... just ticks along like an old "sewing machine". The guy I bought it from thought it needed a new carb, turns out someone had put a plastic "in line" filter back by the gas tank and it was cracked....I put a new fuel line in and a filter under the hood and she purrs like a dream. He tells me he put an oil pan gasket on and noticed that cylinders 3-6 were changed to insert bearings...... sounds kind of half [bleeped] if you ask me but I will drive it until a time when it needs to be redone and redo all of them.

A word from the wise...If it's running purrrfect leave it be...!
You will learn to appreciate and love that 'o 216...I kid you not...!
As for the Vacuum Shift Kit , your on your own , you'll find used one's on Ebay but be prepared pay as there in demand...
As for the insert bearings ...well it's my opinion that's not a bad idea at all...gotta do what you gotta do..and it works just fine .
Good to hear you have the filter situation all worked out ...oh the stories "Chatter" could tell you...lol
Try another adjustment on the tranny...don't sweat it ...we'll be here all day...Good Luck , Kevin

Thanks Kevin. I looked on chevy's of the 40's and saw the "conversion kit" $150 for a stick???@!@!!! LMAO! I think I will keep my eyes peeled for a vacuum shift. The rod that's on mine looks like the one in the conversion kit and not the one that's sold as an original replacement.

So more about me, I usually mess with old trucks. The only car I've had was a 1955 buick. I currently have the 46 and a 52 International truck (I've learned a lot of fabrication and patience for parts for that thing) I'm a big fan of diesels and like to put them in everything. The original plan on the 46 was a Benz 5cyl turbo diesel....

You can find that "stick" on ebay for about $30 bucks...the last two vacuum shift "by it now" deals I've seen were $299 and weren't in the best of shape...I'd work with the "stick" for now...it's the conversion kit "stick" you want...if it looks like the C. of the'40's item , you have the correct item .

I was a "corn binder" kinda guy myself years ago...had a scout and even a school bus...lol Scout's w/diesel are a HOT ticket!

Go with "oldengineer" on the adjustments and see what works...

Just a heads up. The stick is not the only piece you need. The crank arm that goes on the tranny is also longer than the stock piece is. If you have the conversion kit arm on your tranny, some of them had two holes in them, and, you might try switching the shift rod to the other hole to see if that fixes your clearance problem. If you can't tell which crank arm you have, let me know, and I'll crawl under my 48 and measure its length for you. Yeah, the vacuum shift units are expensive on Ebay - I had people PM me and want to buy mine when I took it off the car. Took me a while to score one of the conversion kits on Ebay at a decent price too, people keep wanting prices close to Chevys of the 40's for them. Finally got one for $25. If you need the longer crank arm, let me know, I think I've got one in my collection of spare parts.

Regards:
Oldengineer

Shoot...I just got done working on my car and forgot to look down there...I have no vacuum shift either...I should take a photo for you , if you can't get it right...But then I have to try to remember how to post a picture lol

Yeah, pictures would be a great help. One wrinkle with my 48 - the two operating levers at the bottom of the steering column aren't made like the ones I've seen on other 40's model Chevys. I tried setting up my gear shift mechanism by the book, and, still had problems. I finally ended up bending the lower operating lever a bit to get the two levers to stay interlocked properly. The typical lower lever appears to be a U shaped rod with a tab welded to it. The one on my car is a stamped piece with a short shaft welded to it. The stamped part has a flat metal cam that rides in the upper lever's sector. May be aftermarket parts for all I know. Anyway, after some judicious trial and error bending of the cam, my gearshift now works correctly.

Regards:
Oldengineer

My tranny was acting up so I took off the vacuum assisted shift canister and now I'm in need of the conversion but those things are too much($) for me. so prolly will look at one and fab my own.

You can find them on ebay...might still be one on there now...they said it was for a buick , though...looked the same...As for trying to fab one...? It's got some crazy bends...! And it's threaded on one end . Probably wouldn't be a problem if you had one and were just trying to duplicate it...but from a photo or such...good luck...

If you decide to get one off Ebay, look the photos of the kit over carefully and compare with the picture that Chevys of the 40 has. I saw one of these kits on Ebay a while back that was supposed to fit our Chevys,but, the rod was straight. No way its going to clear everything. Another source - see if there's any parts cars close to you. It was a common conversion back in the day, and, you might score one at a decent price.

Regards:
Oldengineer

Thanks everyone. The rod on mine looks correct so I'm going to check the lever on the side of the trans. Could the rod have gotten bent somehow maybe..... I'd like to throw a floor shifter in and be done with it but it doesn't appear that they make 1 for these cars. I will get some pictures posted soon.

Never heard of a floor shift conversion , unless your going to use a completely different transmission ( but I guess anything's possible lol )...and start adding new holes in your floor...It's doubtful that the rod has picked up any new bends , at least while it was under the car...Look forward to your photo's...We love them around here..! Kevin

Welcome to Chevy Chatter!!

On my 48 with the conversion shift assy, had the same problem with it not engaging 2nd gear. After much talking to myself and adjusting the rod, with eng off and me in car putting tranny in second gear, than using clutch, the gearshift lever would move ever so slightly downward, throwing tranny out of 2nd gear. What was happening was that with tranny in 2nd and than using clutch, the t/o arm adjusting bolt was hitting the gearshift arm and kicking it out of 2nd gear. Just heated up the arm and increased the lower bend in arm to give it more clearance, than readjusted arm and viola!! no more problem.

Just a thought here.

Jim.

Hmm,floor shift would be nice but I'd settle for easier shifting,does any body here have pictures of the conversion,that they would share,thanks Randy

I am thinking about a floor shift conversion for my other 48 Chevy as I consider using an electric power steering mechanism that connects between the steering wheel and box, that should make the use of the column gear change mechanism impossible to use
Does anyone know of a venter who should supply a good floor shift conversion assembly??

Jianis

JDV,

That is EXACTLY what happens to mine! So you made the bend in the rod deeper? like a more acute triangle and less obtuse?

I have not found a single floor shift setup for this set up....Hurst makes on that goes on the tail of the later 3spd, with the two large levers but nothing for this style. I will try bending that rod more though.....didn't want to do that at first and end up making things worse, but with a documented success I feel better about trying that.

If you want a floor shift...Install a 38 Or a 39 Chevy floor shift transmission...it should fit...ED

I thought about going that route to,I can get my hands on a 3spd truck 39-40 If what I read in my repair manual there basicaly the same except the car is on the side and truck is on top,I remember a few years back when I worked at a scrap yard,someone came in with prolly 20 to 30 tranys,they must have been old they were shaped like a box and had a bowtie stamped in them,and you could still work the shifter.there gone now

Saw on ebay today a steering column advertised that included all the linkage for the transmission. The item number is 270932683682 and the cost was $45.00. Don't know if your shifting issues are resolved? I have worked on and off with adjusting my linkage (1941 without vacuum assist)to get my car to shift into second without grinding. Finally, gave up and just double clutch. This seems to take care of the problem about 90% of the time. I think I may have a well worn transmission sync. gear. Good luck, Mike

Mike: You just cleared up a mystery for me. I took a look at the column you mentioned on Ebay, and, the shifter operating levers at the bottom of the column are different than the ones on my 48. The ones in the listing match those I've typically seen on other 40's Chevys and a couple of parts cars I found. Then I ran into another Ebay listing for the bottom column bearing tube, U bolt, and lower shift operating lever off of a 48. The lower operating lever in the picture shown matches the one on my 48. I had thought my car had aftermarket stuff on it, but, apparently Chevrolet changed the lever design or, used a couple of different suppliers.

Regards & Thanks;
Oldengineer
48 Fleetmaster Town Sedan

still no luck with the linkage, if anything I've made it worse..... I hear a 350 combo calling my name....

Is the clutch linkage still hitting the shifting arm when placed in 2nd gear??

Yes. And when I tried to adjust it out of the way....I end up with nothing but 3rd gear..... She doesn't take off well from stop lights in third!

Why don't you send me your phone # via e-mail at jimvodraska@yahoo.com or pm here and I will call you and we can set up a time where you and I, both with tape measures, and under our cars and discuss the problem together. It seems that we can rectify the problem. Sound feasible?? Would like to try before you rod your car.

Jim.

Jim,

Bent the rod as instructed.... seems to work! YAY. Now that I've actually gotten a full "H" shifted, I have a new problem, I guess whatever was left of the bushing in the lower part of the shifter rod must be gone (under the hood where the rod is bolted to the column and connects to the linkage). Now as I am moving through gears, the "finger" that selects which set of gears the shifter is moving no longer stays in place because the main shift lever has a lot of side to side play.... Oh boy always something.... anyone have a good source for a bushing??

Chevys of the 40's and The Filling Station has them. They're not expensive.

Regards:
Oldengineer

Good news and bad news eh??

Per oldengineer, you can get them after market. I got mine from Chevs of the 40's, but it was no good. Was made too small for the bushing housing, so waited until a NOS came up on ebay and bought that one. The NOS comes with the metal bushing already attached to the metal tube. Don't know if the FS unit is closer match or wether the 40's have corrected the problem.

Jim.

Well I used a little "old engineering" myself....I tack welded a little extension to the end of the "finger". Drove down the road, hit all gears, 1st to 3rd...... was a sweet feeling....now I know the speedometer doesn't work! HA HA HA

That's basically how I fixed mine as well. My 48 has the lower operating lever that's made out bent flat steel with a pin welded to it. I just bent the tang on it up slightly, and, it now stays interlocked with the upper lever OK. Glad you got it working. Mine still occasionally jumps out of third gear at speed, but, I'm working on that as well. Just fixed her transmission mount, the rubber had turned into mush.

Regards:
Oldengineer

Glad to hear you got all three gears. Its so nice when you get something working again. Does the trans work well then? Love that gear whine :)

Congrats on your victory.

seems to work well.... has a good whine....seems to be wound up at about 45-50....

My 48 is stock, and, 55 seems to be her max comfortable cruising speed. Her engine is in good shape, but, any faster than 55, I start getting feelings of impending doom. My car has aftermarket 15" wheels on her, which are a little smaller than the original 16's, and, limit her speed a bit.

Regards:
Oldengineer