I know the tranny in my 68 cutlass was converted to a TH400 tranny, but the column only has P,N,D,1. Or at least that's all it shifts to? It does shift 3 times in D, so it's def a 3 speed tranny? How do I get it so I can shift it manually in all 3 gears for racing?

 

You MAY be able to access first manually if you tweak the linkage adjustment, but the right answer is that you need to change the column to one with a three speed shift quadrant. This is a contoured piece of metal inside the column that the shift lever rides against to control the gear position detents. Alternately, convert to a floor shifter.

 

well it has console shifter already but I believe it's the standard floor column that came with the car for the powerglide 2 speed although I'm not sure. Year one sells a kit that looks like it changes the shifter over to dual gate but I'm not sure. So by changing the shifter column, I'll be able to access all three gears manually? The kit says it includes shifter detent, cable installation kit, and console lens. Or would it be better to doline a hurst shifter column or something?

 

OK, I'm confused. Is this car currently a floor shift or a column shift? Is the shifter currently set up for two speeds or three. And it was not a Powerglide, it was a Jetaway (AKA Super Turbine 300). Olds didn't use the Powerglide. The Jetaway was also a two speed but is was a completely different trans.

We've had this discussion here before. The catalog is misleading. The Y1 kit does NOT convert it to a dual gate.

What do you mean by "shifter column"? There's either a floor shift or a column shift. Which do you have?

If you are talking about the kit to convert a two speed floor shifter to a three speed, yes that will work. FYI, the three speed was a factory option and all 67-69 consoles and shifters are the same. You may find a factory used one for much less than the Y1 price. Also, the Y1 kits are made by Shiftworks. You can buy their products from other places. Shop around.

 

the shifter is currently on the floor. It's a floor shift but only allows you to shift two speeds. Ok so you have to just change the floor shifter to a three speed floor shifter column? I'll check out that kit you suggested. Do you have to do anything on the tranny?

 

My confusion is your use of the term "shifter column".

If you are simply referring to the floor shifter, yes, all you need to do is change it to one from a three speed. Again, the 67-69 shifters are identical, so find a used one. The PNRDSL lens is available repro if you can't find one and screws to the underside of the console top plate. That's all you have to do. There are no changes needed at the trans.