I am having some issues with the shifter and I was hoping someone may provide some insight before I start tearing into this. I recently purchased a 73 Z that has a 5spd tranny out of a 77-79, (I believe it to be a 78). I’m thinking that the prior owner may have used the shifter from the original 4spd. There are indications on the lever that it was heated and it is definitely bent

The problems I am having are

1. there is an area to the left of 1st and 2nd that the shifter can go into, and you can shift up and down., and be in this “dead area” Because of this, you sort of have to “find” 1st gear since there is no stop.

2. once you think you have found 1st gear it is sometimes rather difficult to get it into gear. This may be the result of not actually knowing where 1st is (I have held up traffic a couple of times). Sometimes it goes in without a problem and sometimes you try 10 times with effort before it goes. There is no grinding or anything of that nature. Once in first, the shift from 1st to 2nd is kind of notchy, 2-3 seems fine, as well as 3-4, and 4-5.

This being my first Z, I am not a ninja of all the mechanics. So, am I possibly missing some stop plate, and also have worn bushings? If so, with it possibly being a 4spd shifter in a 5spd tranny, which bushings do they get if the bushings are different from the 4-5spd trannys? I have tried contacting the prior owner and have not gotten a reply back, so im not 100% sure that it’s a 4 in a 5, im just taking a guess. Is there any way to tell?

Thanks for the help,

Todd

I think that your issue #1 is not due to the shifter, but to something not right inside the transmission. Likewise, #2 also sounds like one of the forks or rods has "issues".

When I did my swap to an '82 5 speed, I kept my 4 speed shifter since it fit without any modifications. But putting the 5 speed shifter in would NOT have given me the extra movement to the left of 1-2. I hate to say it, but I think the tranny needs help.

Take out the shifter to confirm the bushings for the pin and the plastic cap on the bottom of the shifter is in place.

If that is still intact then look for another 5 spd or get your old one rebuilt.

You can check my pic gallery here and on hybridz for pics of different transmissions and shifters.