Floor shift conversion

My niece truck is a 77 f150 with a 3 speed on the column.

The shifter has broken, locking the trans in first.

Shes 17, working part time. Cost and ease are of the utmost concern.

Used to be that indy, mr gasket, and others mafe universal conversion kits to go from column to floor. I think this is the solution, as most of the columb parts are nla from what ive seen.

Only one im finding now is 400 bucks. And a hurst competition setup.

What do you guys have? Any links to the mr gasket? One in the box from tbe 80s that you never used? A source for all tbe column shift parts?

Im grasping at straws here on tvis one due to the 17 year old girl budget constant. Looking for adcice and options. I will say that i haven't torn into it hard yet. Just a cursory look at her place of employment.

Wouldn't the cheapest thing be to fix the column shifter? I don't think there's that many parts to it. Maybe hit up ebay or a classic Ford truck forum in search of the broken/worn piece(s)?

Found this with google, maybe it'll help: Ford truck shifter parts

This might help too: The Manual 3-spd Steering Column Explored

EDIT: couldn't find the linkages for a '77 but this one from a '72 is probably pretty similar:

yes the items needed are no more than a rubber Gromett and if they have been worn a thin washer Of sorts to take up the slack on the coloum . the holes where the linkages fit up my also be worn and enlongated but should not be much of an Issue a simple Brass sleeve to fill the gap may be needed. I know you can see this in your Head as you read this.

If you wish to change to a floor Shifter I have the Complete set up Including the D7(1977)Top loader Over drive Transmission. I am sorry to say I cannot give this to you for Free And any other time I would do Just That, "cause Dude Much Love Here.

Heres the deal, I am WAY Behind Paying Jeremy for the Fiero, I am going to the Swap meet Saturday at Commerce (Atl. Dragway) I have Been asking 450.00 for the Tranny with Shifter, I have another Tranny Without the Shifter I want 350 for. You work out some thing with Jeremy for about(ABOUT) that much and It's yours. Sorry I can't do Better But I need to Get To the Challenge. I know that sounds Cold (It does to me)but you work out something with Him and It Is yours. I don't care about the Details. and I will let you Have it, and will drive to the State line to Help. Peace!

Are the days of the mr gasket $40 floor shift converson shifter from western auto gone?

Patrick wrote: Are the days of the mr gasket $40 floor shift converson shifter from western auto gone?

about 10 years and 300 bucks ago, But hey SWAP MEET. I will look this saturday, OR 'Come on Down, Admitdley trying to Help Myself here but that is what Horse trading is, I figured DB may have something Jeremey can't live with out.

Hurst 3 speed floor shift, $233 from Summit Racing: link

Whoops, that doesn't include the install kit which is another $155 so you're talking close to $400. second link

If the tranny is caught between Gears , Likely during the 1 to 2 Shift it can be UN Hung Buy forceing the shift arms back to Netural and then with easy shifting CAN be driven There was a story here awile back of a Grandma that would Hit the Ground Reach under the car and Knock it to Netural then Continue down the road. it's from Wear and Slack in the Linkage Usualy at the coloum arm.Very Common In Old 3 speed coloum shifters Momma's Duster did it regularly and her Dart to. You Need to pull the coloum to fix it(just for room)

So, looks like column parts are mostly available. And rebuild the column is far cheaper than floor shift conversion.

Anyone with good google skills able to find me a link to a thorough rebuild of a mid 70s f150 column? Tbat way i have an idea of how to actually do it.

I bet if you reach under the truck and wiggle the shift levers on the trans, you can pop it out of first gear. Then it will work fine for a little while, there is to much slop in the linkage so the trans is in a gear and the linkage is in another gear or something like that. Had a similar issue with a Vega years ago. The linkage would jam up and you would be stuck in whatever gear the trans was in. I bet the floor shift conversion is the better option, if one can be found.

ebay - used setup for $55

They made a kajillion of these things, didn't they?

BITD I had a '69 E200 with a very loose 3-on-tree shifter. It would hang in first unless the lever was pulled toward the steering wheel while being moved from 1st to N. When the lever was exactly halfway between R and 1, it would cleanly follow the N down to the 2-3 path.

I could select 1st and let go of the lever, but when it was time for the 1-2, I had to pull the lever toward the steering wheel to take out the bushing slop to get it out of 1 and into N.

Headed back down today to see if i can unbind the linkage and do some more diagnostics. Hoping its something simple i missed, and that the parts are available.

I had a late 70's Dodge PU that used to hang up from 1st to 2nd if you didn't push it through just right. It was a PITA to get out and wiggle the rods under the hood until it would unjam. In the late 80's I swapped it over to a floor shift, it was super easy, some kind of a universal kit and didn't cost much. Maybe try JC Whitney or catalog for Ford PU rebuilds.

If cost is the deciding factor and you want utterly reliable the easy answer is twin sticks. One lever hooked up to the R-1 arm on the transmission and another hooked to the 2-3 arm. It takes a little getting used to, but it's an afternoon project, and it's popular in the circle track stuff because it always works.

Hard to make one for this price.

Figured out that the pin that holds the shift lever to the column broke, mangling the collar on the column. Thanks to you guys, i was able to source the collar, pin, bushings, bearings, etc.

Looks like a full column rebuild is in our near future. All parts were 80 bucks shipped. So, cheap enough.

Thanks for the help y'all.

In reply to Dusterbd13:

Excellent! Glad to hear you're on the right track.