Truck o Matic Trans linkage

[53 Truck-O-Matic]

Reassembly continues here in Maine.

I can't for the life of me make sense of the column shift linkage down by the steering box end of things. 

In the pictures below, it looks plausible, but isn't because the curved piece is upside down and the grooves don't mesh with the little splines, so when you move the shift lever, the curved piece doesn't move in response.

When I flip it around, the curved piece won't slide far enough up the shifting shaft to get the retaining nut on the bottom, even though the splines line up.

I feel a sudden case of dyslexia overcoming me!

Diagrams and photos have to be pretty specific to '53, and to the Truck o Matic, and I'm having trouble finding anything.

Did I take good photos before I took it apart ten years ago?  No, apparently I did not. . . .

Any 53 Truck o Matic gurus out there?

[JBNeal]

I've been studying the factory parts manual as well as the B-3 Frankenstein w/ 3spd Fluid Drive and the B-4 Spring Special w/ 3spd non-Fluid Drive, and your assembly looks similar to what I have by the house, which is slightly different from the exploded view in the parts manual.   But the parts manual (and shop manual) are not perfect, as early production diagrams are not fully supplemented by running changes, model design upgrades, etc.  The main difference that I can tell with the column shifts for the various transmissions is the rod lengths; the shifting mechanism appears to be the same for the different transmission configurations.  The only thing I can figure is the grooves and splines may be indexed so that they only mate one way, maybe some light engine oil would help parts to slip into place...

 

also, ya might want to double check that felt seal in the steering column  

Edited August 14, 2018 by JBNeal