Tranny or Cable '40 Plymouth

[1940plymouth]

Since I installed my new tranny, new to me, in June,

I have had no problems with the Plymouth shifting, This afternoon my wife, Cooper and I were out riding around and when I went to put the Plymouth in reverse, it wouldn't go, I tried a few times, then it would shift into reverse, well now I can't get it to go into reverse at all, but all other gears work fine.

If memory serves me correct reverse and first are cable operated on my car, the cable moves when I shift into first, but not when trying to put the car into reverse.

The manual says to adjust the cable at the transmission, plus remove the side plate to check inside.

Is it a two person operation if I try to adjust the cable?

Don't mean to sound stupid,

Thanks,

Bob

[Rodney Bullock]

Hey Bob, you don't sound stupid at all. When I first hooked up my trans in my 1940 it would not go into reverse. Then I adjusted the cable. I use to play a game with my beloved daughter if she could put the car in reverse I would let her drive to the corner or let her buy anything in the store she wanted. She would be so excited that she could never "find" reverse. It was so funny she woiuld be frantic. When you pull the shift arm to you it has to be perfectly in "neutral" I mean perfect. Then you have to pull the cable and push up gentle but firm. You have to "find" it.

The reason you car is not going into reverse is because the adjustment on the cable at the trans has slipped a bit. The floor cover you have pop it off and now you are looking down on the trans, cable stop and the pedal assembly. You can adjust this (one man job) however make sure the car is in "neutral" when you do it or you will be in alot of trouble. It takes just a min. as the floor is the hardest thing about your adjustment. That cable comes in right at the side of the trans. this is not hard at all.

also check and make sure the cable is not binding anywhere that is a two person job while you go though the gears have your wife look at the cable as it winds around the steering post. I once moved that cable to the side to work on putting brake fluid in the MC and got it all tangled.

[1940plymouth]

Rodney,

Thanks for the tip, hopefully tonight we can get at it

[1940plymouth]

I now have reverse again, my son got underneath after supper and adjusted the cable, plus the bracket was loose, all systems go again for the time being:)