1967 Shifter Loose

[jameschodges]

I have a loose shifter on my 67 Lincoln and am not sure how to tighten. Any help is appreciated.

[Dan Szwarc]

I have a loose shifter on my 67 Lincoln and am not sure how to tighten. Any help is appreciated.

Not 100% sure what you mean by "loose". Do you mean that the transmission detents are mushy and the shifter doesn't feel firm and is too easy to move through the gears?

If so, replace the pivot bushings for the shifter bell crank in the engine bay and verify the spring is installed between them. The column has NO springs, tension, or detents related to the shifter. Everything you feel is from the transmission shift lever at the transmission. There's a miriad of links and parts between the column and the lever itself, and if bushings or connections get loose, the whole thing starts to feel like mashed potatoes.

Please stick your head into the engine bay and inspect the linkages. Follow them from the column to the transmission. It will help you understand how it works.

The bushings are available from Lincoln Land and other Lincoln sellers (See the Usual Suspects thread).

[TonyC]

From what I saw in his video clip (which I was able to watch after downloading it), it's not the typical bushing looseness we deal with on our cars. His shifter is literally flopping around on the column, like it's about to break off. There may be a fastener or two that somehow turned up missing; but I've never seen that symptom on these cars, so I don't know what to tell him.

Hopefully somebody here has had that experience and can advise. I can also tell from his clip that he has the tilt option, which answers the next logical question (tilt column vs. fixed column). Maybe Nick can give him pointers from his tilt-column rebuild, if he's seen that before. If not, hopefully somebody else. Otherwise, I may have to research my '67 shop manual again for a possible answer.

---Tony

[Dan Szwarc]

Looks like busted bearings and such. Rebuild it.

Good luck finding parts. This is a path not taken by many if any.

[Dan Szwarc]

Try this thread for some tips:
https://www.thelincolnforum.net/phpbb3/ ... hp?t=52640

[TonyC]

And this thread for even more tips, relevant to your specific year and model: https://www.thelincolnforum.net/phpbb3/ ... hp?t=52699

Watching the video again a few times, it really looks like some fasteners (screws, bolts, nuts, dowels, etc.) have gone MIA. It would be nice not to have to do this, but you may have to remove the whole column to address that problem. I strongly advise studying the section in Chapter 3 of the shop manual that pertains to the tilt column, as well as the two thread links Dan and I gave you, to prepare yourself for that surgery. I am not one to say it's beyond repair unless examination reveals a critical component to be broken; but I'm sure Nick would attest that it isn't the most fun job. But it is doable.

If your car is not your primary means of transpo, then you have an advantage of not being pressed for time.

---Tony