Floorshift Backdrive
 

72 Lemans with TH400 and Rally shifter. Added Dougs headers and as you know the back drive linkage to the column isn't going to fit over the header. Some will say leave it out, but I'd like the neutral safety switch and back up lights to work as designed. So my question - before I take all the time and effort to fabricate, is there an aftermarket solution available that I can use? What have others done?
Thanks!

I haven't been impressed with Dougs headers, and that's one of the reasons. It's not much effort to just move a tube here or there and make that stuff work, so why they come this way is puzzling.

I just went through this on my wife's 69 Z with Doug's headers, I ended up moving the #7 header tube and kept the back drive linkage.

My father removed the back drive linkage on his 69 GTO back when he bought it new, first thing he did was headers. Had to remove the linkage for the dinky headers he ran at that time. It hasn't had the back drive on it in almost 50 years now. What's funny though, he has everything in the box, and now almost 50 years later the car has monster 2" hooker super comps with tubes that snake everywhere. I just checked the backdrive linkage on it the other day,,,,,the stuff just drops right in, lol. So it's going back on. Also a 400 turbo with rally shifter.
Just shows that header companies can make this stuff work with a little effort. If Hooker can do it with 2" tubes then Dougs can do it with 1 3/4" :shrug: I run 2" hookers on my BBC chevelle too, and backdrive linkage drops right in.

Anyway, my advice is to do what I did on my wifes Z. Get in there and reroute the tube. Takes a little cutting, welding, maybe some heat and persuasion, and a couple pieces of mandrel tubing bends to fab in place, but it's doable. Or send the Doug's back and use a different brand.

The crossshaft on my 93 K3500 dually shoveorleaveit has some serious offset due to the front driveshaft interference. If I were faced with making my linkage work on an A or F body, I would probably at least look at the chevy truck crossshaft for a modification. It's doubtful it's a direct fit, but possible parts of it could be used to build a shaft to clear headers.

I've reworked the backdrive linkage that was previously cancelled by the previous owner, on a 69 Bird. It was cancelled because of headers.

I like to have everything working as it should on an old car and had to modify the system a bit to work, but it wasn't that bad. Now the neutral switch and back up lamps work, like they should. Very rewarding.

I feel for ya. I struggled with this for a touch - 72 Lemans, TH350, column shift car. As a column shift car, I had no options if I wanted to put the car in drive. I threaded one side of the pivot shaft with a die so that I could use a combo of nuts and washers to space the pivot shaft away from the header (Hooker). It worked, but wasn't ideal. I eventually dumped it for a B&M shifter that has the NSS and reverse lights integrated into the shifter instead of on the column. In fact, I just got in from further modding the main lever on that shifter - I had to shorten it even more to miss hitting my dash (bench seat, shifter on floor). I wish now for your sake I would've taken a pic or two.

I have used a Flaming River external NSS/Reverse light switch that mounts to the tranny pan and operates a detent switch. But with that you can get one or the other, not both. That would be a less irritating solution.

Never had an issue with linkage interference.....close but it works....had to relocate the brake proportioning valve slightly

71 gto and dougs

I'm running Doug's headers on my 69 GTO and had the same issue, also had it with earlier hooker headers. There was a factory option to install the neutral/safety switch on the floor shifter itself. I installed this a few years ago to pass inspection at the track. The only thing you lose by going this route is the shifter isn't locked in park position when the key is turned off.

There's an aftermarket kit that mounts the reverse lights and park switch to the side of the stock auto shifter. Simple to do and invisible.

Thanks for all the feed back guys. I think I'll leave it out for now and when my new garage and lift are done I'll do some fab and wiggle to get it all in synch. Mchell, I don't suppose you have a pic of your set up do you?

I removed mine years ago after installing some cheap headers, I too would benefit from some pictures of the components, I know I still have them just don't recall what they all look like.I will be reinstalling it when the engine and RARE manifolds go in.

This might help:

Shiftworks makes the kit to move it to the shifter:

http://shiftworks.com/gto-68-75.htm

But you still don't get the shifter lock, not a big deal though.

.

I have a 4 speed 1976.
Thanks