Does anyone have a suggestion how to hook up the plastic rod that connects the gear shift lever to the shift indicator light under the console. I replaced my shift linkage and shifter bushings from underneath the car while installing an AOD and must have let the little plastic rod get unhooked. Anyone ever been able to reconnect this without total removal of the console? Any suggestions, solutions or advice will be welcomed. Did this ever happen to any of you?
COMMUNITY
1968 GT/CS & HCS
2007+ GT/CS
1966-1967 HCS
-
Welcome to the CaliforniaSpecial.com forums! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all our site features, please take a moment to join our community! It's fast, simple and absolutely free.If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.Please Note: If you are an existing member and your password no longer works, click here to reset it.
1968 shift indicator plastic rod in console unhooked
- Thread starter murf104
- Start date
franklinair
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2007
- Messages
- 4,744
Marty's correct. You have to detach the console to get to the plastic rod. 
Neil
Neil
Do you thinkk that the entire console needs to be removed, radio, etc, or in your opinion is there enough room to remove just the four screws that mount it to the floor and lift just enough to try and get the rod back in place. Is seat removal needed to get the screws in and out as in a 65 - 66 Mustang. When I put the interior in it was in a logical order and all went well, but sometimes taking one part out of the middle can better be done if one knows the tricks. Anyone had just the console out without disturbing too many other things? Obviously it was my fault that it came loose while replacing the shifter bushings, nothing wrong with the rod, or at least not until I fooled with the shifter.
franklinair
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2007
- Messages
- 4,744
The 4 Phillips head screws are visible & accessible between the front seats & the console. As to whether it's worth the aggravation & possibly breaking something in the process, I would just bite the bullet and remove the front seats (4 nuts per seat thru the lower floorpan), and have a nice open work area. Also, I'd remove the console enough to see why/how the rod came loose. It's supposed to be held in place by a "clipping" action when inserted into the hole on the shift lever and the indicator portion. They become brittle over the years and are susceptible to breaking.
If it were my car, I'd remove the seats, remove the console, inspect the rod for condition before re-inserting it, (change the indicator bulb while exposed- no sense having it burn out- no telling how old it is), and take the opportunity to make sure everything looks OK while you have everything exposed. It's probably a few hours job, not strenuous, and clean work. (I much prefer this type of job compared to O/H'ing a front suspension or pulling a C4 transmission!!)
Wish I was close by- I'd give you a hand.
Neil
If it were my car, I'd remove the seats, remove the console, inspect the rod for condition before re-inserting it, (change the indicator bulb while exposed- no sense having it burn out- no telling how old it is), and take the opportunity to make sure everything looks OK while you have everything exposed. It's probably a few hours job, not strenuous, and clean work. (I much prefer this type of job compared to O/H'ing a front suspension or pulling a C4 transmission!!)
Wish I was close by- I'd give you a hand.
Neil
somethingspecial
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2005
- Messages
- 1,795
I may be wrong, but couldn't you just remove the shift knob, remove the two screws under the rear ashtray and the two screws visible inside the roll up door and remove the console top? This should give access to the shift rod you talk about. Again, I may be wrong. If I am wrong, I didn't write this, it was the one armed man. Mike
Mosesatm
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2005
- Messages
- 9,181
Your console is 40 years old and is extremely brittle so please don't bend or twist it in any way. Doing so will most likely snap the base.
franklinair
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2007
- Messages
- 4,744
When dealing with 40 year old plastic & vinyl, it's wiser to err on the side of caution. Over the years when delving into a project, I've found it more beneficial to "clear the deck". Rather than trying to work in and around things I've actually found that an open area is easier to work in, less complicated, and less susceptible to extraneous accidental damage.
Neil
Neil
franklinair
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2007
- Messages
- 4,744
I won't have mine back from the paint shop til the end of this week. Then I'm going to address the interior upgrade (including console). I'll take photos of before, during & after if you can wait..
Neil
Neil
Thanks, and I can wait until you get yours back f rom the paint shop. The AOD swap turned out to be just so SWEET, and that is when the little plastic rod became unhooked. It is no big deal to not have that little light but we all know how things like that bug us. What ever it takes to fix it will be done but like everyone always looking for an easier way IF there is one. Thanks to all of you for your ideas and I will wait for Neils images. It is very cold here right now and with the Xmas holidays approaching all of the garage projects are in a holding pattern. And Happy Holidays to all of you who are reading this!
when you get to the console on your car look it over for a "better" way to get the shift indicator rod back in place. Thanks
franklinair
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2007
- Messages
- 4,744
For some reason, I cannot post photos. Jon is looking into the problem for me. Hope to get things squared away soon. I've got the console (uninstalled) so I can get good photos for you showing all the pieces.
Neil
Neil
Thanks to all of you who posted a reply. Today the Illinois weather was better than it had been of late, so turned on the furnace in the garage and went to work on this project. A long story made short is that I tried everyway mentioned to sneak in and get that little plastic rod pushed back in the hole but ended up taking out the entire console to get the job done. No hard work involved, just a job that eats up a lot of time. All is well now and the little light indicates the proper gear. The AOD conversion works great and that little detail of the shift indicator light is the finishing touch.
hookedtrout
Well-known member
You forgot one little detail...the next time someone asks this same question, you will have all the answers.
Sure is nice to know that there is someone here to answer each of our wild and out of the way questions.
We certainly are the collective undisputed GT/CS and HCS authority, there's a ton of knowledge in this little place we call home.
Cory
Sure is nice to know that there is someone here to answer each of our wild and out of the way questions.
We certainly are the collective undisputed GT/CS and HCS authority, there's a ton of knowledge in this little place we call home.
Cory
That's right Cory. The one redeeming thing about having a tough problem is after your done with it being able to help someone else to a quicker or better answer. Confession time the reason I knew that there was no other way the hook up the shifter indicator rod was that I was putting a console in and forgot to hook it up. I tried everything, but in the end ended up taking it out and starting over. You can bet I'll never forget that again. Marty
