Hello all,
I trying to unravel the MANY mysteries of my cars history, a friend (chevy guy) and I were looking through my car and noticed it had a cross shaft fame bracket. Actually the brake proportion valve as wire tied to this bracket and brake lines are just hanging there. Got to love hacks!
Anyway, we noticed this bracket and assumed it was an original colum shift car because his chevelle was a colum shift car and it had this same bracket. Looking into it further, I noticed that my steering colum did not have the usual "ears" from the shifter arm that usually come with colum shift cars. Ok maybe they just changed the colum right? But in the engine compartment at the end of the steering colum, there is the "arm" that the linkage hooks up to.
I have seen a few pictures of car with console shifters and have this same colum shift linkage installed. Is this the case? Do all console cars have this linkage to lock out the shifter when the key is removed?

Thanks for any help,
Dave

 

Dave,
What year is the car?
My 71 is a floor shift console car, it has the rod that goes up to the steering column, this engages the steering wheel lock and I believe the neutral safety switch on 71 and older models.

 

Hi Kevin,
My car is a 71 as well.

Thanks,
Dave

 

Hey Dave,

I didn't read your question very well.

Yes, the shifter is locked when the key is removed.

 

Every Olds built since the 1969 model year has the cross shaft (technical term: equalizer) no matter whether it's a floor shift or column shift car. The feds required the shifter to lock with the steering column and this is how GM did it. Also, starting with the 1971 model year, even floor-shift cars use the neutral safety/backup light switch mounted at the base of the steering column, requiring this backdrive linkage to be in place. Often it was removed when headers were installed or the trans was serviced and then never reinstalled.

 

By the way, nice car Kevin! I'm not big on green but you car is VERY nice!

 

Thanks guys this helps with the mystery. I think my buddy's chevelle (69) has the neutral safety switch in the console shifter.

 

As it should. 1969 Oldsmobiles also used the NSS in the console, despite still having the backdrive linkage: