[1969GPSJ]

The car is a resto-mod combination of my original SJ 4-speed car, so originality is not an issue. So I bought a TKX from American Driveline along with a hydraulic clutch system (replacing the z bar on the car). ATM the car is completely stripped down and I am replacing/updating the entire wiring harness along with everything else, so the neutral safety and back-up light switches are not an issue. My question is about the back drive linkage and its interaction with the steering column. Even though the transmission will take care of the neutral safety switch and the backup lights which will be directly wired to the transmission instead of the switch on the column, should the column be locked into reverse (to get the key in and out, etc.) another position? Is it possible that there is a better way to address this concern? This should apply across the board to the GM A body community in general. I just have not seen anything out there suggesting different ways to address this, or if most were replacing an automatic and they all just assume that they should leave it in "park".

[Scarebird]

That is what I did with mine - just left it in park.

Not sure if there is a way to disassemble it and remove the shift tube altogether.

It may make a sneaky kill switch for the starter if you can simply grab the upper bowl and twist it... with a custom jumper harness.

[Joe's Garage]

The factory put the 'neutral safety & backup light' combo switch on top of the column, but manual trans cars only used the backup light circuit.

Your 'neutral safety' switch on a manual trans car is up at the top of the clutch pedal and completes the starter circuit when the clutch is fully depressed. I wouldn't want to change that.

The backup circuit could easily be rerouted to the transmission controlled switch.

And you can just secure the back-drive lever on the steering column, under the hood, in the 'up' position so the key will turn back enough to come out. Wire or a zip lock holding it up.

The remainder of the back-drive linkage will not be needed.

[1969GPSJ]

Thanks Joe. Yep, I knew that the switch on the column took care of both backup light and neutral safety switch functions. I also knew I would not be using the actual back drive linkage with the TKX. After thinking about it, I realized that it had been such a long time since I had pulled my 4-speed car apart that I forgot that the clutch start switch fills the same function as the "neutralizer" switch for automatic trans. cars, even though the wiring schematic is not crystal clear about things other than having an arrow pointing at a wire in the diagram routed to the "B" terminal in the ignition switch with the caption "except std car". Since the TKX has a neutral switch, I will probably put that in the start circuit with the clutch start switch, since most newer cars do that (clutch depressed and transmission in neutral). I will probably fabricate a small bracket to hold the back drive "lever" in the reverse position. I don't trust wire ties for something like that, and using either a wire tie or wire just wouldn't make for a clean install. After thinking about it a little more, I now see why GM had the '69 and later cars require the driver to put (most of) the manual transmission cars into reverse to remove the key, because that way it acted sort of like putting an automatic in "park". So, anyone towing the car would need the key or they would have to disconnect the reverse rod on the transmission or the driveshaft.