I have just purchased a 1956 Olds 88 2 door with the 324V8 and the "Jetway"? Transmission. Th car rides drives and shifts very well but when I slide the lever all the way up to select Park the shift lever will not quite engage and feels loose also unless I very carefully pull the lever down to reverse it seems to go past and feel loose. I opened the hood and moved the selector arm at the bottom of the column and all gears select correctly .... so I deduce the problem exists somewhere inside the column with loose or warn components, I have ordered the shop manual but wonder if anyone here has any experience or could share a diagram to point me in the right direction. I am going to pull the steering wheel tonight and take a look ... any assistance would be appreciated

Nigel

 

This is a Jet-a way correct, a Slant pan was a viable in a 88 and the selector would read different. reverse would be at the bottom of the selector and also is park with the key off. But if your linkage is not adjusted correctly you can have the issue you describe with either transmission First off I wouldn't pull the steering wheel at this time but try an adjust the long rod from carburetor to transmission. This adjustment lines the different shift points so the transmission isn't searching for a gear that is adjusted in the wrong place. A little goes a long way adjust so maybe 1/8 turn at a time then try it and see if this helps. I'm not sure which way you need to turn so mark the adjuster with a felt pin so you can always go back to where you started should you get lost.... Let us know if this helps....Tedd