Finally got the shift rod off on 48 DeSoto!

[MarcDeSoto]

It took me some time to figure out how to get the shift rod off.  No one seemed to know how.  but finally figured it out.  Now I can paint the shifter rod and steering column and reassemble it with the new (bought from Bernbaums in the 80s!) floor pad.  Bit by bit, I'm making a hit, and it's starting to look like a car again.  Marc.  

 

 

 

 

[Sniper]

Share how with us, please.

[MarcDeSoto]

Ok, I might try to take some pics because explaining it in words might sound vague.  I scanned what I could of the Parts blow up for reference.  Basically, the shift rod is just screwed into a nut at the bottom of the shaft.  After removing the stick shift at the top, you remove the lever that goes to the side at the bottom.  Then you remove the nut at the bottom of the shift rod.  Then you can unscrew the lever at the bottom of the shift rod and remove the remaining parts.  Then the shift rod is free.  Then you can paint it and the steering pole, and slide the floor pad over the steering pole and push the bottom of the shift rod through the hole in the floor pad and put everything back together again.  Pics 1 and 3 show the parts for a Custom DeSoto.  My Deluxe DeSoto doesn't have the same type of steering pole casing, and mine looks more like the P-15 Plymouth in pic 2.  

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by MarcDeSoto

[MarcDeSoto]

Come to think of it, you only have to remove the stick shift if you want to.  It's not necessary if all you are doing is installing a new floor pad.  You do have to disconnect the shift rod from the steering pole, which is easy to do.  

[Conn47D24]

Marc,

 

I learned the hard way NOT  to paint the small section of the shift rod that has to slide through the soft fabric bushings. 

So stuff I had to remove again and sand off the paint in a few inches.

FYI

[Conn47D24]

Too much paint seen here before I did it over.

[Loren]

For reference see "Increasingly Stiff Shifter P17" November 2021 (about page 9)

 

I ran into the "Soft fabric Bushing" thing myself.

Every time I drove the car the shifter got harder to move.

I isolated the problem to the top bushing/mount of the shifter near the steering wheel.

I had no idea it was a fabric bushing. Once I cleaned it up and the shifter rod, I lubed it up Vaseline, end of problem.

Of all the lubes you can use most dry out and become like glue.

Vaseline seems to stay soft forever. I first encountered its use on seat tracks which could have frozen solid if something else was used.

The great thing about it is it's cheap and widely available.

And yes painting the shift rod might be a problem.