Shifter mods for 700R4 upgrade?

[Galane]

What I really need is the 700R4 shifter quadrant from a post-1982 square body column.

I swapped in a later tilt column that was supposed to have come from a truck with a 700R4 but it obviously did not because I cannot shift down into the 1 position and the other stops aren't quite right. I've already swapped in a new 4 speed shift indicator on the instrument cluster.

The shift quadrants are apparently 100% pure unobtainium, no aftermarket source. LMC truck could sell a lot of them for upgrades.

If someone has a column that for certain came from a truck with 700R4 and could take it apart, along with a TH350 column to compare the quadrants, and take some measurements on how to modify the 3 speed one to match the 4 speed one - that would be very helpful.

I *need* to be able to shift to all gear positions because my 82 GMC is a 1 ton dually flatbed that's going to see some use carrying really heavy loads up and down steep and high mountain roads.

Had this same problem putting a 700R4 into a 1978 Chevy extra heavy duty 1 ton van, but it was able to be used without access to first gear position. The linkage was adjusted so Drive was OK and the rest was close enough for the transmission detent spring to hold it. But it was not correct!

 

[redneck_reed78]

If you aren't in a hurry I am pulling one out of a suburban with a 700r4 but it will be around a month before I get to it. I can take apart the broke one.

 

[Galane]

I need to get the truck going pretty soon. I'm going to see if I can adjust the linkage so it sits in the right position for Drive/Overdrive.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Just adjust it as if it were a TH350, it'll work fine you just won't have manual low everything else works..

 

[Galane]

That's the problem. I NEED manual low for rolling down steep roads with a couple thousand pounds of stuff on the bed.

This is going to be my rig for hauling stuff like metal lathes.

 

[74 Shortbed]

I read someone adding another detent for low gear but can't remember where I saw it though, you could swap the column for a later one with 4 speed, or just convert to floor shift like I'm gonna do on mine.

 

[Galane]

I read someone adding another detent for low gear but can't remember where I saw it though, you could swap the column for a later one with 4 speed, or just convert to floor shift like I'm gonna do on mine.

The tilt column I got was *supposed to be* from a post '82 truck with a 700R4. I didn't pull it myself, and none of the trucks in that yard had instrument clusters, or engines and transmissions, so no way to verify without looking up lots of VINs - course data like transmission type for 1980's vehicles is typically not to be found in the commonly available online information.

A how to modify your 3-speed column shift quadrant for a 700-R4 sticky post would be very nice, since the aftermarket isn't stepping up to supply new ones of that part.

 

[74 Shortbed]

I'll have to do a search for it and see if I can find it again.