Hello all - my name is Gar - I'm new here. '65 Acadian Beaumont / 230-6 / Powerglide column shift. I've just installed a new turn signal switch in the car, and all went well - signals are working fine. Then when I simply went to put the top end back together, the signal housing would not drop low enough for me to make the necessary 3/4 to 1 inch clockwise turn to lock the signal housing unit in place ( ?? ) I'm having a real problem getting the column top end back together. The signal switch housing will not sit low enough, and now the ( 2-speed powerglide ) shifter is stuck solid in Park. What have I done wrong here? I followed the shop manual procedure to the letter and don't recall anything shifting to cause this reassembly problem. I really need your help here because I'm completely stuck. It's the only thing keeping me off the road so I'm a little desperate here... Can any of you tell me what to do to get it back together ? Thanks, Gar
Welcome here. Hopefully someone will have some good advice.
I know when I did the switch on my 65 Acadian Canso it took about 4 tries to get that crazy housing to twist and lock in place. It was a floor shift car so I didn't have to deal with the shifter as well.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Thanks Carl. This has to be something simple - I've maybe moved something a little the wrong way or ? I'm REALLY wanting the answer here because once I button that top column up properly, the car is finished and ready to roll !
Yes, I've slacked off the switch and can lock the housing in place, but then it's the switch that won't drop low enough to screw in place. I've checked the wires for clearance. I put it together as an experiment, and the steering wheel when tightened down jams solid against the signal housing and doesn't turn at all. Obviously the housing is not down far enough where it should be - and the locked-up shifter makes me think the shifter bowl is off-lineup as well. I'm at the point now where I'd settle for push-button turns signals and a coat hanger sticking out of the floor for a shifter....I need to talk to "somebody" on what the H is wrong here...
I know on my 64 I had a real time getting it back together. Stuip question, You have the right signal switch as ther are a few different but close ones?
-- Edited by Brian on Sunday 10th of May 2015 12:32:26 AM
Carl - I got it sorted out by taking your advice and re-installing the old switch...it fits perfectly. On inspection, the new switch is close, but not close enough. It has a slightly extra depth that caused everything to sit wrong. Now I'm armed with the info to move ahead. Thanks very much for your replies, your info has made a difference here. : )
Brian - thanks kindly for taking the time to upload the exploded column view. You guys are great... I found my problem and now I can deal with it ( poor-fitting replacement switch ). Cheers, Gar
Excellent, great that you at least have it figured out, even if it's not fixed yet.
I bought an NOS unit for mine, there was lots of them on ebay. It cost about 20-30 bucks more but now that you post about your's not fitting, I'm glad I did.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Carl - it could still be my own mistake somehow with the fitting up of the repro switch, but since the original fits back in just fine I have my doubts about that. Not fixed yet? Well, kind of fixed. I chewed up the switch a bit in attempting to fit it so I couldn't return it - but to get my hundred bucks worth out of it and get my signals working so I can drive the car - I drew on my redneck talents and mounted the switch externally. I left the horn wire intact in the old switch and just tied it into the new connector. I covered the ugliness of the switch with a cloth covering and tucked the loom up nicely and secured it. Doesn't look any worse than those "Sig-Flare" aftermarket setups you see on the '49 to '54 Fords. In my own time, I can get another switch and do it right later. I'll go NOS next time though.
