oldsmobilty

Can a 71 column shift be converted to a floor shift with correct parts?

joe_padavano

Of course it can. All the factory did to build a floor shift car was install different parts in the same basic car.

You need a floor shift steering column, or at least a replacement shift bowl (the part of the column where the shifter pokes out of). Replacing the shift bowl requires disassembling the column, and most shift bowls you'll find come with the rest of the column attached, so it's usually easier to just swap the whole column.

Obviously you'll also need the floor shifter (factory or aftermarket). The factory floor shifter uses a cable, which requires the correct bracket to anchor the cable to the trans pan and the correct shift arm on the trans selector lever. Note that 1969-up cars have a federally mandated shifter lock that locks the shifter with the steering column. GM incorporated this by using the same linkage and rods from the trans to the steering column as were used for a column shift car, so you already have these pieces. For 1971-up, floor shift cars used this backdrive linkage to operate the neutral safety switch and backup light switch on the steering column, same as for column shift cars.

If you use a factory console and floor shifter, there is a connector in the dash harness where the console harness plugs into.

The only other substantive change is the speedo, which needs to be replaced with a floor shift version that does not have the PRNDSL indicator on it. Of course, that is a cosmetic change only, with no functional implications.

oldsmobilty

Thanks Joe I should have clarified my question better although you answered it. I have a floor shift column that was disassembled when I bought it and I have a tilt column shift. My plan is to have a tilt floor shift. I just wanted info before I tore it apart and ran into any surprises. Thanks again.

joe_padavano

That's not going to work. The shift bowl from a non-tilt column does not interchange with the shift bowl from a tilt column. You need the shift bowl from a floor shift tilt column to do what you want to do.

oldsmobilty

Thanks again I didn't think it would. The guy that I purchased the tilt from told me it could be done but I knew I should try here before attempting it. I'll just save it for a column shift car.