<VV> Fwd: quick shift question - Answers on shift towers - Part 2

[Sethracer at aol.com]

and/or does the 61-64 trick of using the 61-64 3 speed shift tower
on  the 61-64 4 speed to get a shorter throw work with the 65-69 3 speed
on a  65-59 4 speed?



Sort of yes. 
1) The shifter fulcrum point - the ball on the shift lever, the  position of 
which determines the actual ratio of shift ball travel to shifter  in-out 
travel, is stationary on the late shifter. I have never been able to  "move" it to 
another vertical location on the lever.   
2) The cast housing of the 1965 3-speed shifter is definitely taller  than 
the 4-speed. The 3-speed shift lever (usually identified by the  flaked off 
rusting black paint, and round shape, versus the 4-speed chrome and  flat sides of 
the 4-speed shifter.
3) The 1965 3-speed transmission was a totally different transmission  than 
the 4-speed - as well as totally different than the 66-69 3-speed. The  66-69 
3-speed, an all syncho box was almost the same as the four speed, with a  few 
gears and parts removed. The 1965 3-speed was a much smaller box than the  
1966. The powers that be at Chevy used a certain ratio of shift ball travel to  
gear travel in the 3-speed and a different one in the 4-speed (just like in  
1961-64. For 1966, however, the 3 and 4 speeds are identical, at least in gear  
travel, or close enough that chevy decided to use one ratio for 3 and 4  
speeds. So, I believe, mechanically the 66-69 3 and 4 speed shifters are all  the 
same. Only the 65 3-speed has the "faster" design. The  3-speed shifter is not 
as "fast" as the aftermarket "quick" conversions,  but it can be adjusted to 
cling tightly to the floor, with the fore-aft  movement still allowed. The 
aftermarket quick-shift are always bolted solid to  the floor. Although, on first 
glance, that might be desired, I have found that  torque-induced engine 
movement, combined with less than rock-solid motor  mounts can cause hard shifting, 
missed gears and even popping out of  gear. 


I  would like to shorten the shift throw on my 66 Monza Turbo..Rick  Loving

Find a complete 65 -three speed shift housing/lever assembly. Warning,  the 
500s, the usual locations for those shifters, often had rubber floor mats.  
These resulted in more floor rust on many cars. The housings on all Corvair  car 
shifters are aluminum castings and very subject to corrosion. 3-speeds are  no 
better than 4-speeds in this regard.
 
I just completed a 65 autocross/track car, the one I had at Portland. I  
installed a 65 3-speed shifter into it, also adding one of Ray Sedmans  aluminum 
couplers. I had a brand new (NOS) housing and the shift lever  was in pretty 
good (if ugly) shape. I used the current shim pack from Clarks  Corvair to 
adjust the floor clearance to a minimum, installed "captured"  bronze bushings in 
both ends of the shift tube, lubed the shifter shaft and  assembled the whole 
mess. I have never shifted a Corvair with a more positive  shifter than this 
car. The throw of the shifter is shorter than the 4-speed  and the side to side 
movement is barely discernible, but not clamped solid. In  some ways it shifts 
better than my new Corvette. (It is kinda missing a couple  of extra gears, 
though!) As Jim Duane mentioned, the Corsa Chromed  cover tends to hover on any 
housing other than the original 4-speed. I have no  idea what they used on 
any 65 3-speed Corsas - (Nor why they would actually  build one, for that 
matter) On mine, I went to the accordian style Monza boot,  because one was sitting 
nearby when I was woring on the car. But since I have  no rug in the front, 
that boot kind of hovers as well. Perhaps an  aftermarket leather boot could be 
adapted. But this is a race car  anyway!
- Seth Emerson