GM Steering Column Shift Differences?
 

Ok .... I know this is a stupid question, but there has to be one in every forum .......

I've got a slow moving '52 Chevy truck project. Currently it has a 350/turbo 350 combo, and I want to change to a 4 speed auto trans. I currently have a column mounted shifter, and I want to use a column mounted shifter in the future.

I'll need to swap the three speed column for a four speed column.

But, other than that 4th gear, is there really any difference between the columns? Are the "detents" the same between the two columns? Would it work if I used the three speed column with the four speed trans, other than not being able to downshift all the way to the first gear?

Is "P-R-N-D-3-2" the same as "P-R-N-3-2-1" as far as actually moving the shift linkage?

No more dumb questions ..... tonight!

I believe the detents are in your transmission and nothing in the column. You can just switch the indicator glass to what you need.

I don't know much on early columns, but late columns (late 60s, early 70s, like the GM tilt columns we all use) have a shift quadrant in them. Even if you do not care to get down to first gear, you may need to play around with the linkage's ratios to get the quadrant (if your column has such a thing) to line up with the correct places with the transmissions detentes.

If you are using a GM column, you can pull a 4speed shift quadrant out of a junk yard car.