Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

by Scott 73 SS Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:00 am

I'm fixing to start my floor pan repair and my shifter installation and I just want to make sure I have all the correct parts when I start. I have an old shifter and another good shifter that I have purchased from a g3gm member. The car has an old b&m shifter in it and nothing is correct about the set up. Im pretty sure it's a turbo 350 tranny....is the pan shape the best way to make sure? It looks like OPGI has the correct bracket and cable nut and I understand that I need a retaining clip. These shifters came out of Monte Carlos......will I have any problems with the cable length verse shifter mounting position? Any insight would be appreciated. Scott

by SSTOOLMAN Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:18 am

I swapped an B&M shifter out for a stock shifter last spring. I have a turbo 400 so the bracket holding the cable is a little different. My B&M shifter cable where it connects to the tranny was not the stock bracket, it was one supplied by B&M. I had to get one of these. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-79-Turbo-350-400-Transmission-Hydra-matic-Column-Shifter-Shift-Bracket-CHEV-/190829452527 otherwise its pretty straight forward. Is your linkage to the steering column still intact? this turns your column for your park/neutral safety switch and back up lights. I would buy a new cable, if you have a old cable it can be stiff and might give you problems. besides that just put your console in and bolt it up.

by Hs1973 Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:37 am

I put a horseshoe shifter from a montecarlo in my chevelle, it fits with a little work. First i had to make a couple of mounting brackets to mount the shifter to the floor. That was pretty easy. Then a Nice hole in the trans tunnel. The Stock Monte cable fit fine lenghtvise. I took the original shifter bracket on the tranny and turned it upside Down, cause the steering column shifter action is opposite, by turning the bracket upside Down makes it work with the cable. I had to make the bracket a little longer so the shifter could go into all gear positions. But other than this everything works fine.

by Hs1973 Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:40 am

Oh and yes, the oil pan shape is the easiest Way to tell what tranny you have. A square pan with a corner that is ( Cut off) is a TH350. But google the different pan shapes.

by 1973montec Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:10 pm

350 square with corner cut off
Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle 35010

400 looks like a boat
Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle 40010

by Scott 73 SS Sat Jan 14, 2017 3:22 pm

Thanks man.......I just jacked it up......I'm fixing to crawl under it.

by Scott 73 SS Sat Jan 14, 2017 3:49 pm

This is what I have is any of it correct? I'm checking to see what OPGI has Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle Img_2023

Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle Img_2024

by wbaker01 Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:29 pm

Not knowing what you have, there's a few parts to make all of this work. You need the part that SSTOOLMan mentioned, this goes on your transmission manual shaft selector and is connected via a rod to your steering column. You also need the bracket that is attached to the left side of the transmission, it almost looks like an L and is held on with 2 transmission bolts. Here's a rough picture of what these parts look like connected up to the transmission (TH400) Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle Unadju43

Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle Unadju43

by SSTOOLMAN Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:44 pm

I did a little looking to refresh my memory on the parts I needed to take mine back to original from the B&M.
At the parts place I found 1973 - 1977 Chevelle) TURBO 350 TRANSMISSION CABLE BRACKET (HOLDS CABLE ON TRANSMISSION) part # AT1015Z
At Ecklers Chevelle I found the Chevelle & Malibu Floor Shifter Cable To Transmission Gear Selector Lever, Automatic Transmission, Turbo Hydra-Matic TH350 Or Turbo Hydra-Matic TH400, 1970-1983 Part 50-249042-1. Also you will need Chevelle Gear Selector Lever Hardware, Automatic Transmission With Center Console, 1968-1977 Part#
50-255735-1
I am guessing your steering column rear half is rotated all the way counter clockwise that would put it into the park position where the wheel lock is ingaged when you remove the key. If this is the case becarefull you can start the engine when it is in gear.
If you want to make this work you will have to acquire the linkage from the trans gear selector bracket to the tit on the steering column in the engine compartment. I have all the pieces for mine but haven't put it all in yet.

by fasrnur Sun Jan 15, 2017 5:56 pm

I didn't convert mine from an after market shifter to a stock one, but rather from a column shift to a Hurst floor shifter. For the first time since I got the shifter,(over 40 years ago) and after being in 2 other cars before this one, it now functions like a stock one would. I kept all the linkage that column shifter had so that I now have a neutral safety switch, a gear indicator for what gear I'm in, and back up lights.
I would guess if you want all of these functions too, you'll have to find them to make it work correctly. Otherwise your car will start in any gear and that can be fun at times. I once started mine in gear at the drag strip and almost hit the car in front of me. That would not have been good. lol
Good luck on your project Scott

Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle Bench10

Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle Bench10

by Scott 73 SS Sun Jan 15, 2017 8:29 pm

Did the 73 SS cars come with column shifters? My sterring column is a column shift column. I think it's factory but how does one know.

by fasrnur Sun Jan 15, 2017 10:15 pm

Our 73 SS was a bench seat Column shift car. So, yes they did.

by Mcarlo77 Mon Jan 16, 2017 12:59 am

Stranger yet...I pulled parts out of a factory '73 SS El Camino with swivel buckets and a column shift.

by Scott 73 SS Mon Jan 16, 2017 3:12 pm

OPGI has a nice cable shift kit for a turbo 350. It has everything in it..... about 70 bucks.....It's on its way!!

by 1973montec Tue Jan 17, 2017 6:11 pm

Mcarlo77 wrote:Stranger yet...I pulled parts out of a factory '73 SS El Camino with swivel buckets and a column shift.

console was an option.... you did not have to order it with buckets.

by 1973montec Tue Jan 17, 2017 6:13 pm

http://www.ebay.com/itm/69-81A-F-X-w-Center-Console-350-Trans-Transmission-Shifter-Cable-Bracket-GM-NOS-/390388566812?fits=Model%3AMonte+Carlo&hash=item5ae4f8cb1c:g:3BcAAOSwImRYd8Qo&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-79-Turbo-350-400-Transmission-Shifter-Cable-Selector-Bracket-Mounting-Stud-/191064925208?fits=Model%3AMonte+Carlo&hash=item2c7c5b6418:g:LE0AAOSw-itXqLyY&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/70-81-CAMARO-Z28-FIREBIRD-TA-350-TURBO-SHIFTER-CABLE-SELECTOR-BRACKET-GM-480565-/391500009351?hash=item5b27380f87:m:mnQdFIuMqgdwOy_z9pf3oBQ&vxp=mtr

by SSTOOLMAN Thu Jan 19, 2017 2:45 pm

Scott 73 SS wrote:OPGI has a nice cable shift kit for a turbo 350. It has everything in it..... about 70 bucks.....It's on its way!!

Can you post the link?? I see the $177 kit. Please post the kit for the $70 one?

by Scott 73 SS Thu Jan 19, 2017 3:08 pm

Part number C351

by Scott 73 SS Thu Jan 19, 2017 3:10 pm

It doesn't come with a cable......that would make it 170 or so.

by SSTOOLMAN Thu Jan 19, 2017 3:36 pm

I Guess I did see that one when I did mine. I didn't get it because it says it ONLY FITS 69,70,71 and 72. I hope it works, the cable holder might be different.

by Scott 73 SS Thu Jan 19, 2017 3:47 pm

I hope so too......my luck is I will be buying another holder!

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Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

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Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle

Re: Automatic shifter installation 73 chevelle